Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-07-24

Trial Of Mayberry ut Janesviie for the Murder Of
Alser--IIis conviction by the Jury and his Exccu-
tion by q Mob!
The trial Of David F. Mayberry for the
murder Of Andrew Alger, came of at James,
vile, Wis, and was concluded on Tuesday af-
ternoon. The Jury, after an absence of fif-
teen minutes, returned verdict of Murder in
the first degree. Strong feeling was manifes-
ted throughout the trial against the criminal,
and an attempt was made while he was being
conducted from the Court House to the jail, to
rescue him from the officers aud hang him.
The mob succeeded at one time in getting
rope round his neck, but the prisoner quickly
threw it off, and the sheriff and his assistants
finally got him secure within the walls of the
Jail. Several attempts were then made to
break the Jail open to bring the prisoner out,
but without effecting anything. On the morn
ing Of Wednesday last, the prisoner was
brought to the Court House from the Jail, a dis
tance Of about ten rods, for the purpose Of re-
ceving his sentenee. The people were collect
ed in hundreds and fears Were apprehended
that the mob would make another attempt to
seize him. He was finally taken to the Court
Room, and Judge Doolule sentenced him to
solitary confinement in the Penitentiary during
the term of his natural life.
After the sentence the Judge stepped to the
portico and addressed the populace warning
them against the mob spirit which seemed TO
actuate them and in favor Of the supremacy of
the law. This was about II o'clock.
About o'clock the crowd had so much thin
ned out that the officers thought they could pru-
IDENTIFY leave the Court House and take the pris-
ioner from the Jail, when the cry of " hang
him" hang him." was made and the officers
and prisoner coming towards the Jail surround
ed by the inluriated mob. A rush was made
for the Jail, the door of which was barricaded at
once by the crowd and the approach of the Of
fcers cut off. The oficers-though resisting
the populace with all the energy they possessed,
and protecting the prisoner to the utmost of their
power-were borne down and overpowered.-
The prisoner was then almost alone; but he de-
Tended himself with almost super-human pow
er. He fought with the utmost desperation,
and possessing most athletic, physical frame,
for some ten yards the crowd fell like chatf' be-
fore him. A blow, however, with bludgeon
from behind, felled him to the ground, and he
was powerless. A rope was then passed round
his neck, seized by the crowd, and rush made
down Court street. The prisoner, though drag
ging in the dust, caught the rope in his hands,
and thus prevented strangulation at once. Ar
rived in front of our office, a desperate effort
was again made by the officers and citizens to
rescue him. The rope was cut three times by
Mr.. Orrin Gurnsey, who exhibited the most de.
termined bravery in his behalf, hut as often was
he thrust aside and the rope re-adjusted.
AT this time scene almost indescribable was
exhibited; a crowd of between three and four
thousand persons swayed too and fro. In the
centre was the doomed prisoner lying upon the
ground--above him stood friends begging and
struggling for his lile-while a far greater num-
ber were intent upon his death. This state Of
things lasted about ten minutes, and as we look
ed from our window the hope predomina,ed,
that the friends Of law and order might prevail
But it was vain hope. The fearful cry Of
hang him." rose louder than before. and a
rush with the prisoner was made to the cluster
of trees on the public square; the rope read
justed upon his neck, the other end thrown over
the limb Of a tree and, for the first time in our
life, the horrible spectacle of human being
hanging by the neck until he was dead, met
our view. We learn the principal facts above
from an extra GAINESVILLE Standard of the 18TH