The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-08 00:00:00

HAAGIATG BY LYNCH LATV.

We have just learnt from Mr. Black, of Andrew,
the old county seat of Jackson County, 25 miles
south of Dubuque, the particulars of the hanging
at that place by a mob on Saturday last, she 11th
inst., of Eli Grifford, a half-breed. Grifford
had murdered a . man named John Ingalls about
the 28th of March. He was arrested and lodged

in gaol at Andrew on the 31st March, and was taken
from the gaol on Saturday last at about 2 o'clock
p.m. by a mob of 24 of the citizens of the vicinity
where the murder was perpetrated Iron-hill
post-office, in the same county, and about
14 miles from Andrew. The gaol was entered by
force, the door being open with a sledge-hammer.
The gaoler made no resistance, nor called on the
citizens for help to protect the prisoner or defend
the gaol. The uncle of the murderer bad a few mo-
ments before ridden into town and warned the
gaoler of the approach of the mob. The mob was
headed by Jacob Landis, of Iron-hill, and on arriv-
ing in town proceeded at once to the gaol and as-
sailed the door with a heavy sledge-hammer. The
door of the cell was a strong one, and did not yield
until near 200 blows had been struck. There were
four other prisoners in the gaol, who, with the as-
sistance of Grifford, barricaded the door. The pri-
soner, on finding himself in the power of the mob
showed much alarm, and asserted, on being told it
was their intyntion to hang him, that "if you hang
me you king an innocent man." From the gaol the
mob took Grifford to a tree just south of the school
house, between that building and the cemetery,
when a rope was put around his neck, and thrown
over a limb projecting over the pathway. When
Grifford found that the citizens were determined
upon hanging him, and there was no probability of
escape, he made a clean breast of it, confessing that
he shot Ingalls on Friday, the 27th, in the woods,
where his body was found. The weapon used was
the rifle, and he approached his victim from behind
to within 15 feet and shot him in the head, the
ball passing through and lodging against the skull
over the left eye. The skull in front was fractured,
and the ball found to have split in two parts, or the
gun must have contained more than one ball. At
the time Ingalls, the murdered man, was walking
with an axe upon his left shoulder, and on receiv-
ing the fatal ball fell upon his right side. A
dog that was with him returned to the house the
second day, alter having in the interval evidently
nestled closely to his master's person. Grifford
says that he was instigated to the murder and paid
for doing it by his uncle, a man named Jarrett,
and another named David M`Donald, neighbours
of Ingalls. An old grudge existed between them,
which had been fostered from time te time by
hotife acts from boil parties. Ingalls had threa-
teue to burn Jarrett's house, and for this Ingalls
had been arrested. Ingalls was a large and power-
ful man, and in personal encounters was too much
for any of his opponents. For this he was doomed
to dea.h, and the confederates, Jarrett, M‘Donald,
and Grifford, determined that the deed should be
done by the latter, the two former agreeing to pay
him a certain sum and help him to leave the State.
Griff_xcl is a native of Missouri, where his mother
resides now. Grifford also confessed that he had
attempted to kill two other persons in the same
vicinity—one a man at whom he shot three times,
and the other a woman. When told the fatal mo-
ment was approaching he acknowledged the justice
of his puni.hment, but said his "uncle ought to
suffer also." From 300 to 500 persons witnessed
the ha oging. A pi ayer was offered up by aMe r hodist
clergyrnan—the Rev. Mr. Babcock—the guilty
wretch kneeling and crossing himself, the surround-
ing crowd standing in re3pectful sifeuce. Theme •.vas
no disturbance, no tumult, and a legal execution
could riot have pased off in a more orderly manner.
No one attempted to interfere, the peeple of the
county having come to tie conclusion that the mur-
derers cannot be punished if left to the due course
of law. When the last moment arrived tt7e leader of
the party tied a handkerchief over the eyes of Grif-
ford, who remained standing, and every man of the
24 took hold of the rope. At a signal they pulled
up the rope together, suspending him in the air
about 8 feet from the earth. His ir•ns had notbeen
taken off, and his arms being pinioned there was
but little strunding ashis guilty soul took its flight.
His body was allowed to remain upon the gibbet-
treo fur something over an hour, when it was taken
down and placed in a rude box, and interred in a
field belonging to Dr. Cowden. During the whole
of this time, and until the body was buried, the
crowd remained upon thegroundsilently witnessing
the various occurrences. As soon as the execution
was over two men were despatched in pursuit of
Jarrett, the uncle, and MADonald, his accomplice,
and it is said to be the determination to hang
them both, if taken. I\i'Dona!d has not been
seen since the murder, but is supposed to ba
secreted in the ne;ghbourhood. Jarrett left town
before the arrival of the mob, or it is pro-
bable they would have made short work with him
also. They are now in pursuit, and it will be strange
if they are not scoa capture-J.—Dubuque Herald,
April 24.