Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-08-16
The west Bend case-1nteresting Partieu
lars.
WEST BEND, Aug. s, 1856.

To the Editors Of Tie Semtiicl:-
GENTLEMEN:-I came to this place last flight,
and have spent some time to-day, in ascertaining
the facts and circumstances in regard to the mnr-
der committed by George De Bar, who was lynch.
ed here Yesterday The result is that I have a
greater horror than ever of the lynch law, The
excitement is now over, and even here YOU can
not find one but condemns the proceedings of yes.
terslay, ret one but denies he was in the mob or
encouraged it-not one but speaks of it as cow
afdly act and cofnpare-ho, they do not compare
the two military companies that came here to old
women, bat say, that any ten old women with
broomstlcks would make more forcibe military
power than they. The old women advised some
of the soldiers to ley by their uniforms SO that
they would never disgrace them again.
But TO the case. went this morning to- see the
woman and man whe had been wounded by De
Bar, and the premises where the murder was COM
mitted, The woman was sitting mp in bed, ap-
parently injured badly. did not see the wounds
they being bandaged. She is very comfortable
and out OF danger; she talks easily and with a
good strong voice. She has been a fine looking
woman, and would be now We're it not for the
hardships imposed upon her by her husband
She is nc' but twenty years ofage, and has been
married two years She separated from him
about year after her marriage on account of his
unkindness to her. So mitch for her.
Of the man John Muehf, che cannot think,
without a feeling of disgust He seems 10 think
OF nothing but his loss-his shanty is burnt and
some thirty or forty dollars, perhaps more, OF
property ruined by the fire. You con hardly get
ffom nm any connected account of the transac-
non at Els house, he is so anxious to display be-
tore you his personal losses. Before l bTd got
nan through with an examination of the prem
lses he solicited me, perfect stranger TO him,
10 use my influence when / should return home,
to obtain contributions for him, on account of his
losses. Most of the money he had he has al
ready found in the ashes of his burnt shanty.-
But by dint of questions obtained from him the
following statement.
About III O'Clock p. M. of last Wednesday,
Meuhr and his wife being in bed, one
knocked at the door. Muehr asked who it was,
and was answered George De Bar The dia-
logue then ran about thus. Muehr, said ''What
do you want II can't stand it to work longer,
and have concluded to GO home; | want to start
early tomorrow and have come to get what you
owe me. 'Have you the change? | have
nothing but So pieces eyes have the change"
Muehr then said to his wife "you get up with
me, maybe George will be mean"
They both got up and dressed, lit candle and
went to the door together and opened it. George
said, Here / am" Meuhr says he was sweaty
and appeared fatigucd. After Meuhr had got the
money, Debar asked him for drink of water
Meuhr said he would give him some beer, and
opened trap door and went down cellar after it..
He got it and started to come up, when Debar
struck him with something on the head Che don't
know what it was but thinks it stone, tied up
IN handkerchiefO the blow felled him down
! nearly senseiess. In a moment he come to and
looked up and saw Dollar lying on the foot look
ing into the cellar at hn he reached up and
caught Dcbar by the hair Meanwhile the wife
OF Menhr had escaped from the house and had
run towards his fathers, who lived perhaps 40
rods distant Debar got loose from him, pursued
her and caught her about ten rods from her faith
! pr'S Mpnhr'S He caid 70 bar
Mary so back | don't want to.hurt you" She
replied II dare not trust you" But she either
voluntarily or involuntarily went back with him
some five rods BY this time boy IA yeats old,
who lived with euhr, awakened, got up, and
he and Meuhr went out into the road and cried
out murder" Debar hearing it, commenced
| cutting at Mrs. Menhr's ncck-he cut on each
side OF her neck and across ON the front, also cut
a cash on her left brest and stabbed her in her
| right hip. She made no resistance, but lay still
as if dead. This work upon her was accomplish
ed i'll a minute. He then went back to the
shanty where Meuhr and the boy were crying
Murder" and upon seeing Meuhr he said
John have l not hurt you?" and started for him.
Mcuhr ran and the boy after him toward corn
/ fed that was within rods of the house, lying
between Meuhhr'S house and his fathers. De-
| bar caught the boy just on the edge of the field.
The boy called for Meuhr, "John John! come
and help me-" Then addressing himself to De-
His cry ceased and Debar said to him "Paulus,
lie still now!" Mcuhr was within rods of De-
| bar when the boy was murdered. He ran thro'
he corn to his fathers house. About hour
afterwards he saw that his house on fire,
and in a short time it was reduced to ashes.
Mtlchr had gun in the house, and other, wcap-
ons, but seems to have been dementcd No
thought Of protection of his wife or his boy SEEM
ed TO have entered his head. His fear that he
| should be robbed, seemed then his pccunary
loss does now, to occupy all his thoughts. Any
personal courage on his part might have prevent
ed such awful consequences. | have neglected
TO speak of his wounds. They are but two
One you cannot see much of--that caused by the
| first Blow the second, ON the right side of the
| head, is much the worse, and is a laceraton of
! the scalp, such as a strong man ight make with
a blow Of his fist. | have worse wounds
made with tie fist. l think the feeling of the
community here is, that much sympathy for him
would be something of waste
| / asked him if he had seen De Bar since--
yes" he said, 81 saw him in Jail, and was so
mad that didn't know what to do. shook my
fist him and told him that he was the rascal that
burnt up my house and done me so great damage
| And the TAILOR didn't know what would do and
led me out" "Have you seen him since?" said
! /. Said he Eyes saw him in the Court House
| He cried like child when he saw me. | said
George are you ,ciHing to torgire me? and he said
'Ics--wilI you forgive mel" and | said would
AT the close OF the narration, as at the beginning
he wanted | should see If l could not raise him
something to restore his loss of property.
/ have told you Muehr's story. Now let me
tell i'll brief what De Bar told his lawcrs, Mcssrs
Frisby q Mann, after being advised by them
that it was better to tell them all he knew about
it as they could better defend him then. and
whatever he told, the laws would not hermit
them to reveal, upon being so informed he said he
had been chased by Muchr, been struck by him
with club, Il beievc) at the last town election
and that hiuehr did not supply him with sufi,
Gent food when he worked for him. When he
was faint he could hardly 90, Muebr. upon
request grudgingy and after much DELAY gave
him small luncheon. That he beinp unable to
work, had concluded to 60 home, but Thought he
would get his pay from Muehr and whip him
that he went to Muehrs with that intention
that he remembered striking Muehr as related
Muehr, but remembers nothing of any occurrence
then after that, except that he went to Young's
barn where he had slept, thatshe went to Milwau-
| kec but had no idea for what purpose He had
no idea of getting any money and did not try to
! to get any word or two i'll regard to the unfor-
tunate young man, De Bar and | have done
He was about 10 years old, about six feet high,