Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-08-12
fearful tragedy IN 1sAvsHv'r'A CITY


Fearful Tragedy In lsAyssw0FsA City.
Frou ihe s.. L us nem, eEst
FOIL NURDRR-cONFKssioNs oF1HE NURDFR-
ER-k SAM on taoNsriRA1Oks DfSc0VkRtD=
Two OF THEs ARkssrkD AND n~pAG-aAkAr
EXclTEsESr AMONG TUG CIrfzENs,E
Andrew Stewart, editor or the senhea-
vile, (Ohio) CAiOn, who has lately been trav-
cling through Kansas Territory, afriseIstfhIs
place on Monday evening, having departed
Lsavsnworth City on Saturday night, the lst,
and-fsvored us with the following particulars
OF . fearfal tragedy enacted on fniaay night
aud Saturday morning al that city. The state
m.nis OF Mr. Stewart are derived mostly from
P~sfsOasl observation, and may be relied uPon
AZ correct.
Ga Friday night, the 3lst ut, = man named
stephens, living in Kansas City, came up TO
L-avenworth City, and, while spreeing around,
went into a drinking shop called the Ward
House. The bsr-keeper named Baiue, became
very friendly, aud, after getting Stephens quite
drunk. proposed a walk up the river, and toos
hsm to a spring on the bank OF the Missouri
river just above the Planters House, where
they were met and assaulted by I'VE men who
demanded their money OF their lives. The bar
keeper, Baines, gave his money up and ran oh.
When be got to the Hover end Of town he
gave the alarm that a man was being robbed
up the river at the spring. Several parties OF
citizens Immediately went up and arrived on
the spot Just in tine to fad poor Stephens
crawling out Of the river, his body and bead
all beaten and bruised with stones aud clubs
and his chest aud shoulders bearing several
terrible stsbs aud cuts. The eitizensr ran 10 his
assistance, bat The unfortunate victim, though
struggling 10 speak, was too far gone. aud pre-
ssalIy died, without being able to utter a sin
gle word about the manner Of bis death OF the
names Of his Wanderers. Suspicion at once
alighted upon the bar-keepeT, BaineS, and 50
outraged were the people, and 50 violent the
pre- >umptions Of his guilt, that a posse Of the
citizens at once arrested aud held him in close
custody. The news IN the meantime spread
Ike wildfre all over the city, and The excite
ment grew intense. An immediate trial Of
Baines, was demanded, and finally IL was
agreed that he should be hung On the spot
without Judge or jlry. A rope was procured
l aud put around bis neck and already be was
being drawn up 70 the limb Of an exchanging
tfee, when be expressed a wish to make a con-
fsssIon. The crowd yielded and let him down
to the ground.
STARTLING CONFESSION
He said that be and two men, one named
John Qasrles, from South Carolina, and the
I ether called kuOwitOD. had laid a plot by
which Stephens was robbed and murdered, and
that the same men had murdered another man,
& short time before, and thrown the body into
the Missouri river. tie stated alsOthst he and
the men KnowIton and Quarles belonged TO an
organized body Of about twenty-five men, who
lived and carried on the business of TOb5ing
and numbering in LsaveEwoTth City, on The
island opposite the city, and in the towns d
Lawrence aud Topeka. BE then gave the
names Of as many of the gang as he could re-
member to the authorities.
THE ARRESTS.
As soon as Baines had flashed his revela-
tions he was committed to the calaboose, q
one story stone building, about sixteen feet
square. The crowd thea went of in pursuit Of
Qdarles and knowlton, anf IN a short time had
them arrested. Among the revealed conspirs-
tors was Wm- Woods, the proprietor OF the
greater part Of Leayenworth IslsRd, and re-
garded by his acQuaintances as an honest man
and good citizen. A party proceeded at once
to arrest him, and, after making a Thorough
search Of bis housa, found twenty-five hundred
dollars in counterfeit money, a lot Of counter
feiting plates and other instrum 'nts, and a
knife aud pistol Belonging TO TIE murdered man
Stephens. At these conclusive proofs Of the
correctness Of the confessions Of Baines, the
people were deeply moved, and held counsel to-
gethsf in large and small parties. during the
Whele night.
rHE PROCEEDINGS -ON sATURDAY-oUARLEs
AND BAiNES HUNG.
We give here the narrative OF Mr.. Stewart.
He'says. g I WEI to the MAYORS Office OF
Saturday morning, and found an immense
crowd awaiting the ~resultot the examinSic4i
of Words and Knowiton. Baines and Q1arles
were in The calaboose. While the examination
was going on, Judge LsCompte was outside
masking aspsech and exPostulating with the
angry crowd in favor Of las and order The
cry of hang 'em, the d-d murierers,' arose
frequently.fTom the mob, but, mildsr. counsels
seemed 10 be prevailing. when aH once some
one shouted, to the calsbooss to the Gala
boose!' and aWaya crowd OF about fifty mad
dened men started 10 that direction.
"The balance Of the people f followed after
in smaller parties, leaving Judge LeCompts al
most alone, and the Mayors Office relieved o.
its throng Of spectators. TRey had been gone
about fifteen minutes, when 1 heard a great
yell. started after The crowd. and followed
II 10 the bank Of acreek, which divides north
and south Bsevenworth, where there was a
steep bank, and on its edge a large elm tree.
/ reached the spot just an time to see Q1arles
suspended from the tree, gFssping 10 the ago
MES Of death At the-Iope which was around
bis neck, while seVeralNf the mob were swing
ing on to bis arms and legs 20 make his death
sure. His body had hardly ceased its convul-
sioBs, when the shout was raised for Baines-
Il" The rope was placed around his neck, and
be was led to the eige Of the bank, when some
ore Of the eitizeIs appeared by his side, and
with a watch in his hand, demanded five min
utes time foffurther confessions. They granted
it whrn Baines said, IL they would let MIN, he
would SLOW them another man In tOWn who was
concerned in the operations OF the gang. He
was then taken to the calaboose, but for some
reason did not give satisfa ctiOn to the people,
aud they demanded his body to be returned 20
them. Judge LsCOmpte sgain addressed The
people, and with some effect, for they seemed
to divide into two parties the one clamoTing
for the hanging Of the prisoner, and the .Ohsr
demanding a trial for him. Marshsl Denis Of
] The Tarrfrcrv me- aH.o rrr.,re 80 fb-.-R D.
eIeTted himself with all his power, he could
not maintai in his position at the door OF he
c1laboose. nor prevail on tn crowd tOidisDsrse.
"The wife Of Baines also appeared, aud In
spired by the dangerous situation OF her has
band, took a heroic stand on the entrance. and
endeavored by frantic threats and entreaties TO
stay The wrath Of the populsce. But all efforts
were unavailing; the peace ~partyswere over
powered. Judge L~ecompte's voice was drown
ed by the shrieks OF the mob. A large piece
Of bewn timber, perhaps twenty five feet long
and one foot square, that was living near, W s
lifted up BY a crowd Of men. and plunged with
fearful effect against The calaboose door. The
sight ofthe wife's distress and the sound Of her
screams, mingiing with The rsgings aud skrieks
Of the Infatuated mob, were too aueh for ne.
and | turned my back and walked away. I
heard another blow from the piece Of timber.
and a simultaneous shout from the crowd, which
told NE that the door had given way, and The
prisoner was at the mercy Of the people.
a walked hastily around the square, for
with all its terror there was a fascination in the
sight, and reached the spot just in time to see
the mob rushing Town the street, with the
prisoner, toward the cTees and the elm tree. |
pursued, and when | reached The spot the body
Of Baines was already in the air, and bis last
death struggles we're shivering along his limbs.
The crowd then appeared to be satisfied.
Woods and knowlton meanwhile had been
placed in an omnibus aud hurried off to the fort.
The city continued very much excited up to the
hour ! left, but no further violence was %anticipa-
ted. All sorts Of stories prev lied, and many
Of the mysterious disappearance and robberies
which have occurred in the territory are all be-
ing referred to this band Of murdsrers.D
This news is truly startling. We shall await
confirmation with much anxiety.
ADDITIONAL REPORT.
We are Indebted to MesEs. Fitzgerald and
Bylan !, clerks Of the steamer Emma. for the
following additional particulars OF the tragedy
detailed above. The statements as furnished
our river reporter, 1t will be seen, show no very
material variations from the above report Of
Mr. Stewart. The only discrepancies are in
the names and situations Of QIsrles, and Baines
or Payne, and knight Kinghton, or Knowiton.
The following is the statement by the clerks
Of the Emma: son Friday, the day Of the
EmnG's arrival at LsaEenWorth City. a man
from Kansas City, named Stephens, came to
the former place aud pres snted a check at the
bank for SlO8, and received the money. He
was seen to count the money by a man name
Quarles who kept a gambling house in LeaVsn-
worth.
This man prevailed upon Stephens to 90 with
him to a spring Of water near the st0wn, and
here they were joined BY several members Of a
gang Of murderers. Stephens was then mur-
dered, his body rob,et Of the money, and
thrown into the river. Q~iarles, on reaching
town, related the above story, adding, also,
that he was robbed at the same time but bis
manner or relating the affair, and sevsral.in-
consistencies in bis statement, aroused the
suspicious Of the citizens, who took bin into
custody. A large party then proceeded to he
scene OF the murder, where the victim wasiis-
covered. Two or more of the gang were al