The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-06 00:00:00

LYNCH LAW IN AMERICA.

The following is in a letter published in the Boston
Gazette : _ _ .

" I have just witnessed the execution of ' Lynch
Law' upon a yellow fellow. Deputy-Sheriff Hammond,
while endeavouring to arrest an offender, was, by
the above-mentioned yellow fellow entirely defeated
in his intent. During the scuffle the prisoner es-
caped. Mr. Hammond then arrested the yellow fel-
low, and took him before a Justice, by whom he
was committed. While conducting him to gaol, ac-
companied by our constable, the prisoner plunged a
knife into the constable's side. Hammond sprang at the
prisoner, who now turned upon him and inflicted a
terrible and mortal blow—the point of the knife
stpick him on the chin, passed through his throat,
coinpletely severing the jugular vein. He staggered
and fell dead. Prisoner being brought to bay, swore
he would kill the first man that attempted to arrest
him. His pursuers, perceiving his threatening man-
ner, backed out, with the exception of one, who seized
a rail, broke it over his head, which stunned him;
but, soon recovering, he resumed his menacing atti-
tude, powerful and courageous man seized
upon when a
stonee and hurled it with herculean force,
striking on the shoulder and dislocating that limb. He
was immediately carried•to prison.
" Daring the time occupied in the pursuit of the
prisoner, the news of the affray had spread over the
town, and the crowd around Mr. Hammond's body
was joined by his son. They swore that he should
not live another hour, and, breaking open the gaol,
they dragged him forth.
" The mob conducted the murderer to a pasture at
the back of the city with the intention of hanging
him, but some among them cried out, " Burn him !"
The horrible suggestion was immediately caught at.
They chained the murderer to a tree, and the cry
arose, Let the fire be slow !' They piled shavings
and rails round him until they reached the height of
about two feet and a half, a match was applied to the
shavings, and the murderer commenced singing a
hymn, which he continued until the heat became in-
tense, and then these few half-smothered words es-
caped him, God take my life.'
" Never martyr suffered more courageously. Not,
one single scream escaped him ; his chest heaved with
the most intense agony, yet all he said was, God
take my soul !—God take my life:' in accents so low
that none except those immediately about him could
catch the sound. He had been burning about fifteen
minutes, when some said, He feels no pain, he is too
far gone.' He immediately answered, I d-o
f-e-e-1 i-t!' Never can I forget his looks, when with
the utmost difficulty he uttered those words. The
fire was so low that his legs and feet were burnt al-
most to cinder before his other parts were to any de-
gree affected. The tree to which he was chained was
in full blossom."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
MANSION-HO USE.
A very strange charge of felony was brought before
Alderman Wilson yesterday, in the Justice-room. A
man, named Thomas Starr, WAS brought up in
the custody of a policeman, and accused of having
pulled down a house, and converted the materials to
his own use.
Mr. Humphreys appeared for the prisoner.
Mr. William Wood stated that he was a clerk in
the service of Messrs. Lowe and Sweeting of South-
ampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, solicitors, who acted
for Mrs. Mary Levy, the wife of Alexander Levy,
Newton, and others, who had a life-interest in certain
houies in Broker's-gardens, Leadenhall-street. About
four or five days ago he authorised the prisoner to
to take down the chimney and part of the roof of
No. 3, Broker's-gardens, one of the houses included
in that property, in consequence of the prisoner's re-
presentation that the chimney was in a very dan-
erous state, and could not stand an hour. On
Tuesday morning the prisoner called on him at his
employer's office, and stated that he had taken down
the chimney and part of the roof, according to the
directions, and he wished witness to meet him on the
premises, as he was anxious to tyke two or three of
the houses upon a lease. Witness promised to meet
him, and went accordingly to Broker s-gardens, in the
afternoon, and found to his astonishment, that nearly
half of the house had been pulled down, and that the
materials had been removed. His surprise
was not diminished when the prisoner said
to him, " You have brought me into a pretty
bobble." He replied, " Hobble, indeed ! who au-
thorised you to pull down the house to the extent you
have done ?" The prisoner asserted that witness had
given him authority to do as had been done, and
upon being asked what he had done with the mate-
rials, stated that he had disposed of the bricks and
tiles, and was at that moment in possession of the
money. Witness thereupon gave the prisoner into
custody of the policeman, who was present, on the
charge of stealing the materials of the house, part of
which he had been employed to pull down.
Alderman WILSON—You limited your directions
to the chimney and the part of the roof which was
damaged ? Witness—Certainly ; we had no right to
issue any orders such as the prisoner pretends he re-
ceived. It is an entailed property.
Mr. Hart, a merchant, who resides at No. 31,
Bevis Marks, stated that he was a relation of the
family interested in the property referred to. In
consequence of some information he had received, he
went on Tuesday to Broker's-gardens, and saw some
men busily employed in pulling down the house No. 3.
The men upon being asked who employed them to
do such a work of destruction, said that they acted
under the orders of a man who was up stairs.
The prisoner soon after appeared, and said he had au-
thority to pull the concern to pieces, but should give
no information to witness upon the subject. Witness
observed to him that it was impossible he could have
hair such authority, as the house was part of entailed
freehold property in the custody of the Court of
Chancery, and desired that he would discontinue such
unsanctioned proceedings.
Alderman WILSON asked whether Mr. Hart had
peremptorily directed the prisoner to abstain from the
work he was superintending?—The Witness said he
had called upon the prisoner to abstain, but the reply
was, " if I have done wrong give ire in charge." ahe
prisoner then declared that Mr. Wood, of Char eery-
lane, had employed him to do the business, and wit-
ness sent for Mr. Wood, who stated distinctly what
had been mentioned by him in his evidence, and wit-
ness having said to Mr. Wood, that, as a professional
man, he must know how to •proceed, the latter gave
the prisoner into the custody of the police. At the
station-house witness had a conversation with the pri-
soner and one of-the men who had been pulling down
the'hOu:se,'and had' beetvalso given in custody to the