The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-08-17
Lynchins In Teia,--Dca,h Of Bill HARDY.

The Brownsville Texas American FLAG. oftbe
l'th ct July has the following account Of ,hs
murder 'i Capt Brennan, and the subsequent
IynchIng OF his murderer Bill Hardy:
On last Thursday morning. llth inst our Oh,
lzeLS were astoundcd with the plelancholv ,,,.
liSence That Justice Bacon, in conseouenec of The
death oi the Coroner, had been called 10 hold an
inquest over the body Of Capt John brennan
WI" had been murdered in cool blood by the
notorious Ill! Hardy, both recently from Calves
ION FROM 'ne facts elected, it appears that the
above two, with n number of Others were a, an.
|i 'he iahdango houses, where they remained till
before aud o'clock in the morning when
Capt Brennan left for his place of lodging,
lie had not proceeded far, when he was over
taken bN Hardy, who without any previous war.
ming drew hi' knife and thrust Il 10 the bilt in
brehnans LETT breast Seeing IIardy's move
mentS' he threw up mis- hands and exclaimed
"biil' don't cut me" 1t was too late the fatal
>tab came too quick and too certain for him TO
AVOID 1t. llerun some thirty or forty wards. fell
aud soon expired. After committing the brutal
outrage, Hardy walked back into the house with
his knife IN hand, reekng with blood, cxclalminp.
I'm tart; and that's the way I'll serve any man
who will follow me- Some Of those who heard
him, supposng he had got into difficulty with n
Mexican, advised Inn to leave, which he did As
soon rs 1t was ascertained that he had killed
Capt Brennan, men were sent To the several fer.
res 10 prevent his escape into Mexico, and 9th.
ers started IN pursuit He was arrested next
morning about day light, near one Of the ferries
lroned and sent to jail. The only cause assigned
for this brutal outrage l. the refusal Of Brennan
to let Hardy have money while at the Brazo.
which l., in all probability, the true cause, AS
Hardy WIS heard to say, on the way up from that
place, that he had marked his man
The people resolved to Inete out Justice to the
rturderer and they accordingly assembled and
demanded the culprt of the deputy Sheriff, who
was Obliged to deliver up the latter into their
hands. The fate Of Bill Is related IN the follow
Ing MANNER:
On reaching the spot selected for this tragic
scene. he remarked that he knew he had to die,
and intended to die like man. but would ra,h.
cr I've shot than hung The crowd that assem-
blcd To witness this solemn tragedy was quite
large, but orderly and quiet No one volunteer.
ing 70 shoot the guilty, hardened wretch, it was
decided that Ne 1l'st hang
During all this time, and even while arrange
msntS were making for launching him into e,er-
n,ty, where he would meet more dread trbu-
nal than any on earth, he evnced the most
perfect indifference rs to his sl. not suffering a
nluNtlc W MS of uHIu- 10 lft lttst o.
motion, and even took the rope that was to hang
him and tied the hangmans knot, To show how
II was done Without the slightest perceptible 're-
NOR Of the nerves. Those managing the matter.
fearing one knot was not well tied united it for
the purpose off relying, in wlfich they failed,
when he remarked to gentleman staining near
him, that he would have to TIC II again This
kind Office the in.iiS.,u o. frosted promised to
perform The doomed man ih.n gul ufC O. cart,
mnuntei an q plank which rested on the Wheels,
without any assistance and while tlc rope which
was suspended from Il beam used tor hosting
becve-, was beng adjusted GROUND his neck, ask
ed to have his hands tied behind hun.
There he stood, high above Tie crowd, his hands
,rd, the iiousc about his neck death staring him
il the face. calm, cool ard collected The cart
moved from under him, and in this condition he
was hurried into eternlty,-Such u spectacle we
never witnessed before-may we never again.
1t was evidently his intention 10 have leapcd
f'7iir tie cart, hit was prevented from 50 dong
by some one -tng his attention as It started
wh;rl, ca,,-ed his feet to drag from the tail. lie
died after slight struggle, and thus terminated
the earthly career of the notorious Bill Hardy,
who had been the terror of every community IN
which lie lived He met death with the same
reckless ipdli'ereHce that he had meted 1t out to
others