The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-07-29
Samm.rp Erecntion h Ktntuebn.


The Cincinnati Republican gives the
particulars ola strange and shocking affair
in Kentucky-the deliberate execution, by
a body of 500 men, of two individuals con-
fined in Jail on charge of attempting to
commit murder. We copy the details,
for which there can be no excuse. They
exhibit fragrant invasion of the majesty
of the law, and bring disgrace upon the
country. The Clergyman, who ofliciated,
must have been a wonderful character.
From hs Cincinnati Republican July 10.
MAYTHE AND ouCH-EXTRAORpI
NARY TRANSACTION,
Our information yesterday in regard to
the summary execution Of these men,
turns out to be correct: and as this case
presents the most extraordinary features,
more SO probably than have ever before
been witnessed 10 this, or any other civil
lied country, we propose to give the de-
tails as we have received them from a
highly intelligent citizen Of Kentucky,
who has conversed with several that were
present at the execution. The statement,
we believe, may be relied upon, berg as
yearly correct as will be published.
Maythe and Couch had been confined in
+, the Jail at Williamstown in Grant county,
Ky. for the last three or four weeks,
charged with, and no doubt guilty Of, the
attempt to murder Mr.. Utterback, the
! Droyer, an account of which we published
at the time. Mr.. Uuerback, it seems,
has been lingering in miserable sta,e,-
his throat having been horribly mangled,
( at a tavern some three or four miles
beyond Williamstown on a much trayello,
road, and an object Of commiseratlon with
every passer by. He is citizen Of Bour-
bon, the adjoining country to Grant, and
where the excitement has been increasing
ever since the attempt to murder him.
1t being now predetermined, however,
whether Mr.. Utterback might not survive,
although in such restored situation as
to be neither useful to himself nor fellow
men,-the uncertainty increased whether
the utmost penalty of the Law would be
visited upon the prisoners, nothing less
than which, it seemed, would pacily the
people of Bourbon. Many of the citizens
of that county, therefore, deliberately re-
solved upon the summary execution
They first deputed ten citizens ofthe coun.
| ty to visit Williamstown and inform the
citizens of the place, and the prisoners
particularly, that at such time the pris.
oners were to be executed. This notice
was thirty six hours previous to the actual
execution, and clergyman was also sent,
and actually went to the prison for rel;-
gious converse with the prisoners.
On Saturday las; in pursuance Of the
notice, about Ave hundred citizens of Bour.
bon, to which we're added some from Scott
and Harrison Counties came into William.
stown in solemn procession and most per.
feet order. They had chosen their Sher
its to act for the occasion, and proceeded
TO the jail, and demanded the prisoners
Maythe aud Couch. The Sheriff of Grant
refused to give them up, or the keys Of
the prison he offered, however, no other
resistance, and the people at once broke
open The doors. They then took the pris-
oners, placed them in an open wagon, their
irons on them, took up the line Of march
without the least noise or confusion, to the
spot of ground where the murder was at
/ tempted, about four miles distant. By
4 this time the number assembled was be-
lIeyed to have been al least two thousand.
After arriving on the ground, Mr.. O'Hara,
a member Of the bar, addressed the people
for some time upon the propriety of per-
rnittlrg the law TO take its course. He
was listened to with the utmost silence and
T respect, but without apparently altering
the determination Of single person pre-
sent. The preliminaries were then ad.
lusted, and the prisoners asked if they had
any thing TO say previous 10 the closing of
their earthly accounts. One Of them.
Maythe, addressed few remarks to the
people, admitted the commission of the
act for which they were to suffer, denying,
however, that it was his wish to commit
actual murder. Religious service was
then performed by clergyman present,
and Maythe and Couch were hung in then
irons upon tree standing over the same
spot where their crime was committed
Rude collins were constructed and there
they we're buried. The crowd then dis.
persed 10 the same perfect order.
When we add, that one of the criminals
Maythe, has been long known by many
citizens Of Ohio and Kentucky as man
Of VIGOROUSLY bad haracter--haying been
confined at different times and escaped
from the Penitentiaries Of both States--we
have stated all the facts, and whatever
there may be of paIliating nature, in
this case.
Some time since, on one Of the North
river boats, a lady who had attracted much