The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-06-27
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ton, Cedar, and part OF Scott Co, have
been greatly troubled By horse thieves
souc farmers have los, - many % Elk ard
eight horses, and others three and four, and
% on. Several recent thcfis. and a know.
ledge that regular organised band Of horse
thieves existed IN said region, who seemed
TO defy eli law and oil efforts TO punish
them, induced the farmers Of these counties
to organise committee or society 10 break
up this band. Such committee ives form
ed shor, time sincc, and in il are some Of
the most substantial farmcss in Clinton
Cedar ard Linn counties. The follow ing
facts have been given 10 BY q reiisbie In.
dormant, who 10 acquainted With the names
Of good many Of the committee, and Of
certain persons whom the conn it,ee are
nos In search Of. The facts we give are
direct from . member oil the committee to
our informant.
Some days ago the committee srrestes
two men, aud placing q rope in the wagon
started for the timber. This 20 frightened
the prisoners, tina, they made q iuIl con-
iession 10 save their own llvas They told
oil about the organization and who were
engaged IN u, giving names, SC, in detail.
with this IN formation the committee pre-.
c,eded 10 tie house OF man named Pace,
living in the back part OF Clinton County,
10 arrest horse thief who was supposed
TO be concealed there. When approaching
the house they were fired upon. They 70
turned the fire, and sho, Page in The bowels.
who has received fatal wound. He 10
probably dead ov this time. We presume
the thief was not arrested, as we did not
hear the fact mentioned. This happened
about Inst Tuesday.
Day before Yesterday, Thursday at hall
past one O'Clock, the Committee proceeded
T. erres, an old man named Benjamin War
rem, Who Ives Ia the Warren settle me nj,
u Cedar County. Ne had long been sus
Pec'ed OF horse-,hievinR. but he had been
sharp enough TO cover up his ,hefis o. they
were Committed, 50 that he had escaped Jus.
ticc. The committee now, how ever, had
The direct evidence. When some distance
for his house, about forty h,rscmcn Of the
main gang lett their Companions and gal
Hoped up to the hoJae. TO take him by .uf.
prise and prevent his escape. lie was &C.
cured and taken into tho woods, where the
crowd were gathered. Here regul Or jury
was cmpaheIed. and q committee took
charge OF the investigate He passed
through formal trial in which Z number o,
witnesses were examined. He was asked
u he had any witnesses TO examine or dc.
fence 10 make. He said he had not. The
question then arose, whether 10 lynch or
hang him, aud was put TO vote. Abou, 30
were Tor lynching. and lie balance, proba.
bly, nearly three hundred, were for hanging.
The decision was made known 10 him, and
he was asked il he had any preparations to
make. tie sa'd he only want ed time TO
make out his will, aud he had about thirty
bequests TO make TO 40 many heirs. The
comgit:ee decided that this would take too
much tine, more than could be afforded
him, and he must die without the will being
made. Not amuscle moved in the old mans
lace, not Q nerve quivcred. lie only re-
marked that he thought IL was q pretty
quick way Of doing things. He placed his
hands behind him I , be lied, ross I, his fee,
and was ready. apparently as urmoved as
though he were but spectator. A rope
was fixed across a tall limb, and fastener
around his neck. The frs, jerk, he swung
six feet from the ground. He was raise
ten feet higher and hung corpse.
The committee then proceeded 10 his
house. They met his wife and a.ked what
should be done with HE body. She said
she would take care Of IL. She seemed al.
mos, unmoved. and appeared to think JUS
lice had been rendered She said she had
often tol! him xhss-w5SId happen snd
warned him to change his life. He son
had done The same. The committee
brought the body TO the house. and deliver
I'd IL tu his friends, who seemed TO think
simple Justice had been done in hanging
him. Warren was an old settler, and in
good circumstances. Last Sunday he was
tracked 10 the woods, where he ives seen
TO hold a secret consultation with two men,
strangers in the vicinity. The committee
examined his house, and found letters siQn.
ed by VA ious names, doubtless fictitious
,ellin: him where 10 find and s.crete prop.
criy, making appo'n ments, &c.-all i'm.
postsnt as means OF discovery OF other
members Of the band
Inc committee are determined 10 rid the
neighbc'hood OF this gang. They have mo-
tlfr. three persons to leave that pr, Of the
country In ninety d,ys, among whom u .
widow woman, who hsrbosed members Of
the band. One person parsed through this
CITY lew days ego. making his sscsps
from the committee. The latter were snly
one hour behind him. when fifteen miles
from this plsce, and would have he'd him
but 60, on the wrong track. We msy
expect TO hear Of others being lynehed
or hung BY this committee.
We have no time Tor comment Q, the late
hour at which We write. We depsecsse
mobs and mob violence under any and ell
circumstances, aud make no exception In
this case. But from oil we have heard of
the cu,roges committed by the ganR Of
horse thieves alluded TO, !, seems TO US II
mohs aud lynchng ere ever excusable,
there 10 some excuse for this severe action
on the par, Of the farmers composing thl.
committee. They declared IL their oriy
means Of protection. Alas that the evil
should esis,. demanding such unlawful rem.
edies o. this.
EDITORIAL SLAvERr.-Evcsy editor Of :