The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-05-16

rounding country. joined in the procession.
IL Is estimated that more than twenty thou
sand persons were present.
LYNCH LAw.-The following horrid re-
eital is from the St. Louis, Mo-, Republican,
and exhibits Que ofthe coolest blooded mur.
ders if not the most strocious, that has ever
been recorded, even in the annals of the in.
famous barbarisu calling itself-and by an
objectionable lenity and reconsideration SO
called BY others-Lyneh lap. The negro
may have been guilty, but the wretches who
undertook to administer capital punishment
by throwing him overheard, ought to be
hanged upon the highest sycamore on the
banks of the Mississippi Y. Gazette.
HORRIBLE ENFORCEMENT OF LYNCH LAW
The particulars of the drowning of free
negro man, named Tom Culvert, second
cook on board the steamboat Pawnee, on
her passage up from New Orleans to this
place, are as near the facts as we have been
able to gather them: On Friday night, u
bout 10 o'clock, deaf and dumb German
girl was found in the store-room with Tom
The door was locked, and at first, Tom de-
MED she was there. The girls father came,
Tom unlocked the door, and the girl was
found secreted in the room behind a bar
rel. Tom was accused of having used vio-
lenee to the girl, but how she came there
did not very clearly appear. The captain
was not informed of this during the nj ght.
The next morning some four or FIVE Of tho
deck passengers spoke to The captain about
it; this was about breakfast time. He heard
their statements and informed them that
the negro should be safely kept until they
reached St. Louis, when the matter should
be examined, and if guilty he should be
punished by law. Here the matter seemed
to end, the captain after breakfast returned
on deck, passed tho cooks room aid return
ed up to his own room Immediately after
he left the deck, number of the deck pas
sengers rushed upon the negro, bound his
arms behind his back and carried him for
ward to the bow of the boat. A voice cri-
ed out, "throw him overheard" and was
responded to from every quarter of the
deck-and in an Instant he was plunged
into the river. The captain hearing the
noise, rushed out in time to see the negro
float by. The engine was stopped imme-
dia.ely. This occurred opposite the town
OF Liberty. Several men on shore seeing
the negro thrown overheard, pushed from
shore in yawl and arrived nearly in reach
ing distance of the negro as he sunk for the
las, time. The whole scene of tying and
throwing him overheard scarcely occupied
ten minutes, and was SO precipitate that the
officers were unable to interfere in time to
save him.
Several of those engaged were identified.
the captain placed strict watch over the
boat and determined to have them arrested
on his arrival here. Some of them, how
ever, succeeded in effecting their escape.
One who is accused was arrested here, and
is lodged in Jail for further examination.
Since the death of the negro 1t has been as
certained by his confessions to another on
the boat that he was guilty. There were
between two hundred and fifty and three
hundred deck passengers on board.
No blame can be attached to the captain
or any of the officers. Every thing, which
under the circumstances could be, was done
to prevent the result. If the captain had
been aware Of the extent of the excitemen,
amongst the deck passengers, he probably
might have stepped it by having the negro
arrested and lodged in the hold, but of this
he and all the officers were uniformed un-
ill too late for interference. We have been
thus minute because Of the variety of reports
prevailing in the city.