New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-04
MORE LYNCHING IN IOWA.
A GANG OF HORSE THIEVES BROKEN UP
HANGING THE RINGLEADER.

From The Davenport Gazette Of Saturday, June q.
For some Yeas past the farmers of Clinton, Cedar
and part of Scott Counties have been greatly troubled
by horse thieves Some farmers have lost as many as
six and eight horses and others three and four and
on. Several recent thefts and knowledge that a
regularly organized band of horse thieves existed said
regop who seemed to defy all law and all efforts to
punish Them Induced the farmers of these counties to
organize Committee or Society to break up this band
Such Committee was formed short time since, and
in il are some Of the most substantial farmers OF Gin
ton Cedar and Linn Counties. The following fact
have been given us by reliable informant, who Is ac
quainted with the names Of good many OF the Com,
nj tee and of certain persons whom the Committee
are in search Of The facts we give are direct from
me mber of the Committee to our informant;
Some days ago the Committee arrested two men,
and placing rope ia the wagon started tor tue TIM
ber This 30 frightened the prisoners that they made
a full conf sson TO save their own lives. They told
all about the organization and who were engaged In
it, giving names, &c, in detail. Win THIS iniorna
ton the Committee proceeded to the house of man
named Page, in the back part of Clinton County, to
arrest horse thief who was supposed to be concealed
there. Vixen approaching the house they were hred
upon They returned the file, and shot rage III the
bowels who has received fatal wound. lie Is proba
bly dead by this time. We presume the thief was not
arrested as we did hear The fact mentioned This
bappened about last Tuesday.
Rpv befme Yesterday Thursday at II o'clock, the
Committee proceeded TO arrest all old man bamed BEN
smin Warren, who lives in the Warren settlement"
of Cedar County He had long been suspected OF horse
theying but he had been sharp enough 70 cover up
his thefs az they committed that he had es-
capped Justice The Committee now, however, had the
When some distance from the house about forty
hors of the main gang left their companions and
ealoped up to the house ~ take him by surprze and
prevent his escape. He was secured and taken into
| The woods, where the crowd were gathered: Here
regular Jury was impanneled, and C0mmittee look
a. ottnp ln M
formal tial in which number of witnesses were ex'
ahmed He was asked if he had any witnesses to ex-
anime or defense to make. He said he had not. The
oueston then arose whether to lynch him or hang HIM,
and was put to vote. About thirty were for ynchins,
and the balance probably nearly three hundred, were
| for hanging. The decision was made known to him,
and he was asked if he had any preparations to make
He said he only wanted time to make OUT Ills wnl anu
he had about thirty requests 10 make to as many
| heirs The Committee decided that this would take
too much time more than could be afforded him, and
he must die without the will being made. Not
muscle moved in the old man iace not nerve qu'-
e,ed He only remarked that he thought 1t was a
pretty quick way Of doing things. lie placed his hands
behind him to be tied to his feet and was ready
apparently as unmoved though he were but spec
tator rope was fixed across tall limo ana last
ened around his neck The first jerk lie swung six feet
from the ground. He was raised ten feet higher, ana
| hunese corpse. ~,
The Committee then proceeded to his house. They
net his wife and askcd what should be done with his
body. She said she would take Of it, She seemed
| almost umnoved, and appeared to think justice had
| bee D rendered. She said she had often told him VIVA
would happen, and warned him to change his life His
son Lad done the same. The Committee brought the
BODY the house and delivered it to his friends who
seemed to think simple justice had been done in hang
ing him. Warren was old settler and in good cir
! cunstances Last Sunday he tracked to the
| woods where he was to hold secret cOn-ulta
| tor with two men, strangers in the vicinity. The
| Committee examined his house and found letters
sgped by various names, doubtless fictitious, telling
hin, where TO find and secsee property, making ap
pontnents &c.-all important Us means oi discovery
Of other members Of the band. -
| TIE Committee are determined to nd the neighbor
hood Of this gaug. They have nohied t1Iee persons
TO leave that part of the country in ninety aohl
| whom il a widow w man who harboed members .
| the band One person passed through this cry ie"
de,s ago. making his escape from me Com.i'e &c
Tie latter were only one hour behind him when ~
teen miles from this place, and would have nau n'i
| hut got on the wrong track. We may expect 10 hea
o. others being ynched or hung by this Committee.
| We have NJ time for comment at tho late. nour
| which we write. We deprecate mobs and MOB VIC
| leLce under any and all circumstances, aud make W
exception in this case. But from oil we have heard
TIE outraees committed by the gang Of horse thieve
| alluded TO- it seems 10 u.s. il mobs aud lynchin'
are ever excusable there is excuse for TINS &c
ye,e action Oh the part Of the farmers composing tn
Committee They declared 1t their only means oil pro
| ecticp. AIMS! that the evil should exist demsadin
] .uch Unlawful remedies A. this