The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-07-30
Tragedy in Morgan County-A
POiSOner Lvnched

Poisoner Lynched.
Yesterday VI copied an article from the
Warsaw Democrat, stating that a man
named James Ray had poisoned a spring
in Morgan county, by which thirteen or
fourteen children were poisoned. The
citizens of the county were looking for
the villain. for the purpose of hanging
him. The finale of the affair is thus Civ
en- in a letter from Morgan county to the
Jefferson Inquirer
MoRGAN County, Julygs, 1856.
About the I'd of this month the spring
belonging to the Prairie District of Nor
gan county was found to be poisoned, or
ct least the people imagined 50, with a
just cause, | suspect.
There were at this time thirteen or
fourteen children and the teacher, who
after partakiug of the water we're taken
very sick. The spring was analysed and
found to contain arsenic, at least the
doctors in that neighborhood thought so.
A man by the name of James Ray. who
bad about a week before %perjured him
self in the court of Morgan, and his word
was proved to pass for naught by thir-
teen or fourteen neighbors, and who
swore that he would be reven ged on tho
whole neighborhood, and who to make
the evidence more strong against him,
had taken his children away from school
a day or two before, was taken up upon
suspicion bnt there not being sufficient
evidence against bin, was told that if be
would leave the county in five days. es-
corted by a guard to the limits of tho
county, and the state as soou as posi-
bic, be might 90. He was taken to a
house q guard put over him, but owing
to treachery or negligence be was allow
ed to escape. He then went TO Hickory
county, and several persons pursued him
and took him up on the 9Th Of July in
that county, when they brought him
back and determined to huHg him.
This morning, runners were started
before baybreak to announce the %intelli-
gencc. | went up to the school house,
which was his prison wheL | arrived, |
found the crowd assembled Pround a
rock. on the summit of Which was a Min.
lister of tue Gospel, named Mr.. Green,
addressing the mob after a few remarks
lie called the immediate around him. 10
wv III vi CCNchANtD " ClGl'ttlr
who had children at the school, to decide
upon the persons fate they consulted
together for a few moments, when be
(Mr. Greei) announced that they had
decided that the prisoner should die in
one hour, a brief time 10 be summoned
before an Of, nd"d Col aud to eternity.
There vas ~ excitement. no noise-
all was quiet and orderly the prisoner,
who was very calm, spent most Of the
hour given him in prayer, and looked at
the clock only twice to see how rapidly
the time flew by, and gave no other signs
Of uUeasiness. and was as cool as possible;
at the end of the hour he was taken out
and got upon horse back himself, when
he was escorted to the %gallows. which
was a limb that had been fixed but a
few moments before. Ho then desired
that a paper, headed James Rays Con-
f%ession," should be read aloud before and
after his death. Mr.. Green, who took a
prominent part in it, as he had two
children who were expected to die every
moment from the effects of TIE poisoned
water, read it aloud, but It was ouly u
rciteration Of his vows of innocence
Tho prisoner was then given thirty min
utes to speak, and commenced
Gentlemen and honorab,e citizens Of
Morgan county and State Of Missouri:
l come not to plead for mercy | am an
innocent man | don't come before YOU
with a dorkened forehead or a downcast
eye, ! come determined to die brave, and
| shall die without a tear in my eye.
Gen lcmcn, take care of my poor wife
and children aud see that they have
plenty to eat and to wear.
lie looked up at the limb, ard not a
muscle Of his face quivered he only
spoke twenty minutes and had ten min
ules more; lie asked to pray during that
time, and said / will not keep you long,
gentlemen, and if am a minute or two
over my time, hope you will excuse
me.
He then got upon the bench, and re-
marked that lie thought that the rope
was to short. as he wanted TO fall fur
Their that he might die easy, os he had
seon persons die hard when they did not
have fall enough. The rope was fixed
around his neck. and he tle6 the hand
kerchief over his face himself, and called
all his friends to tell them good by he
kissed one or two Of them and said i
am innocent when the bench was pulled
from under him, but the rope not being
liked right, he had to be lifted up again
until the rope was properly adjusted,
when be died in about FIVE minutes.
There was about $50 or 800 present,
aud 30 one said a word in his favor
81. L7uiS Daily NemS.