The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-05-10
LAWLESS OUTRAGE.


We find in the Chicago Democrat the
particulars Ut the bloody tragedy recently
perpetratcd al ST. Charles, Ills:
In your paper this morning is notice Of
the ssaflrny a, St. Charles" DR.. Richards
daughter having just arrived a, my house,
learn from her the following facts which
MAJ be relied on as authentic.
Il seems DR.. Richards student hsd bess
surprised in an attempt to cxhume the body
OF n person in DE kab county, (trom parts
unknowu) who had died, and had been
buried ut the coun,.'s expense. This led
to nm examination Of graves in .boss parts,
and !: appearing that enc body had been
exhumed, suspicion settled on Dr. Richards.
The body was accordingly demanded of kim,
bu, inasmuch rs he hsd not gotten il. no
could not give il up. A search WAS ius.i-
tu,cd, aud the premises Of DR.. Richards
carefully examined, bu. the body could not
be found. Human har WINS found that was
declared to look like the missing dead per.
sons hair, and this was construed into proof
positive tina, the body was there.
Accordingly posse Of some two hnndsed
persons from DE kalb appeared in ST.
Charles on Thursday last, and for hours
hung around the premises oi DR.. Richards.
and were heard to make such remarks %
the following :-"Dr. Richards will disseci
no more after to On, come, LEI us 60 10
the grocery aud take drink"
a committee Of the better portion Of the
citizens 81 DE kalb waited ON DIR. r., and
desired him to give up the body, it he had
il, for that the posse wns composed OF despcr-
alto men, and they shuddesea At what
might be the consequences. d.. Richards
informed them that he had MT tsken tho
body, that it was not in his pnssessssny that
he had never seen il, and that theresuse il
was morally impossible for him 10 produce
il.
AZ length, when sufficiently fired up 4
menace was made on the dwelling house If
Dr. r., the posse declaring that they would
enter and dcspoi il. The door being guar
ded by tho DR.. and n student or two, aud
entrance being forbidden, stones were
hurled aud the windows all broken in; and
soon n wagon appeared containing firearms
aud Immediately the house, a wooden one,
was riddled with balls, Que shot tnkiug effect
through the righ, breas; Of Dr.. T.. and an
other through the abdomen If Mr.. Rood,
\ student of Dr. DeWolf. of ST. Charles.
At this stage Of the nflrav, Mr.. Davis,
a medical student from Aurora, fired n
pocket pistol out Of the window which did
not take effect, aud which was oil the firing
that took place from within.
DR.. z, finding that he WINS shot through
the body, went ont of the door bsred his
bleeding brcnst, and begged them TO spare
his wife and daughter--that they had
killed him, and should now be satisfied
But instead Of relcnting, they commenced
firing: another shot taking effect in the Dr.'s
right hand. the bullet remaining in. Tho
Dir. was then taken into his house. anh
whilst living on his bed wetering in his
blood. WIS struck on the face by n swiftly
hurled bit Of rock, that severely laccrnied
IL.
The females of the family escaped 10 a
neighbours, BIZ, were fired AT in their flight
BY those who saw them: others ridd'eG tho
more retired rooms where they were sup
posed sheltered
These are tho details Of the sf!rav M
given me bv Mrs. DIR. Eserets, daughter Of
DR. Richards, aud innsmuch rs they are ut
variance with rurnors that have found place
in the public press OF this city. | have felt
il nv duty ms citizen to draw up this hasiy
notice Of the leading facts.
understand both The DIR. and Mr. Rood
were mare comfortable on Saturday morn
ing. Most of,he physicians in all tho
region round were iherc-thc premisis
were guarded hy armed citizens Of ST.
Charles-arrests of the leaders had taken
place-iurther disturbance was expected.
Respectfully,
NJ. l.. KNAPP.