The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1841-07-09
,Iurder---Lynchins orthc rIurdcrc,s. SC.


by the report that Mr., John Campbell,
farmer residing at White Rock Grove, in
Ogle county, had been wanlonIv murder
ed the preceding evening. while standing
At the gate, communicating from the road
to the yard in front Of his house. 1t APP
pears that two men approached him and
made some inquiries about the road, alleg-
ing that they were bcwildcrcd and had
lost their way. Mr.. {. at that moment
recognizing one of the men as David
Drscall, and apparently suspicious Of
their bloody design, started from his pos
ilion, as it would seem, with the intent
of protecting himself behind the gate
post, when one of them fired and shot
him through the heart, which killed him
on the spot His son then seized his
fathers gun and aimed at the murdcrers,
but the cap failed. He is positive that
one Of these men was Driscal. Mrs.
Campbell ran to the corpse, and seeing
the villains escaping, pursued them some
distance, cXclaiming "Drscall, Driscall,
YOU have killed my husband" From
these facts and subsequent discoveries it
has been asccrtaincd that David Driscal
and one Bridge, notorious horse thief,
living at Washington Grove, were the
persons engaged in this horrible crime.
In consequence of the frequent dcpre-
datlons that had been committed, and the
utter impossibiily of an ctiecmal prose-
cullon of the offenders, it was deemed
necessary by the inhabitants of Ogle
county, a short time ago, to form a COM
pany for the detection of horse thieves,
counericltcrs, &C., who have long iulcst-
ed the country, living in defiance and
contemptuous disdain of the tardv Justice
afforded by the laws of the land, always
in pursuit of, but never oycrtakmg them.
Of this company, Mr.. Campbell, the
deceased, had recently been appointed
the General. Mr.. Campbell was former
ly of Canada, whence he had been driven,
with thousands of others, when the trou-
bles broke ont in 1888. By his industry
and prudence he had made a comfortable
home and good farm, and had endcarcd
to him many friends, who esteemed and
respected him as neighbOr and a citizen.
He was worthy member of the Presbv-
terrain church, and had returned from
Rockford, where he had been attending
meeting, only a short time before his life
was taken. lie has left wife and six
children TO mourn the loss of a husband,
father, and a protector on whom alone
on earth they have hitherto depended.
Ogle county, for some weeks past, has
been the scene of several audaclous out
RACES, committed by lawess gang, who
have long harbored themselves and their
booty in the secluded groves in the prai-
RE, where they conceal themselves with
a security which the most active and dill
gent pursuit can scarcely disturb. Longs
mills, on the Kilbuck, they have burnt /;
threatening letters have been sent to indi-
viduals, offering them the alternative of
their homes, or losing their
lives. A daring letter was written bv
William Driscall, calling on the company
to meet him and his friends at Driscall's
Grove, where he was prepared to give
them fair fight. 1t is almost impossible
to describe so as TO convey any adequate
idea OF the melancholy state of affairs in
this district. Society seems to be divided
into two classcs-those who belong to the
horse thief gang and those who do not
The latter expecting every night they lay
their heads upon their pillows to be muir
.'ercd before another sun rises. The
is, that many are trying to
sell out; others, | am told, have actually
their farms, in order to com.
'ine with their neighbors and overawe the
,andlttl. The horse-thief company. as.
sisted by such volunteers as would offer
heir services, have arrested some of the
eaders of the gang, and after examination
lave inflicted personal chastisement upon
WV VI uliSc vi llcIil, anu nave warned |
others to quit the State within limited
line. Amongst others, John Driscall !
md his son David had been warned to
cave the State within fifteen DAYS. From
his time forth it seems measures of re-
'enge were conceived, ma,ured, and f.
tally developed in the horrible catastrophe
which it makes the heart sick to reflect
Ipon. You can imagine better than
an describe the horror which seized the
minds of the community when the news
II the murder of Campbell reached them.
No time was lost. - The people of Oglc
county and the southern part of Winnie
ago arose almost as a man, and wen,
ORTIZ in the majesty of their might.
Those who sought in vain for the ordina.
protection which the law should afford.
lad made appeals to the humanity of their
elbow citizens who rested more securely
a their abodes-whose houses were in
ruth their castles. The citizens were
OF deaf to their call hot pursuit was
lade, which resulted in the capture of