New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-07

THE KILLING OF RECORDER LYLE.
70. -, o~,s,;cusI CoYresp< ndsnt


the vacancies occssoned by the recent designations
of several Pro. Slavery Councilmen. The forenoon
pa.sed of a. quietly and orderly 81 at any similar
election in Eastern towns Of equal size, aud at
noon no apprehension was entertained Of any Sc
rous disturbance during the remainder OF the DAY.
That no violence was premeditated or anticipated
is clearly manifest from The fact that when the az
fray occurred no persons were found prepared for
the emergency except such a. habituay wear arms.
Soon after dinner James Lyle, the County Re-
corder, and also Clerk Of Probate, presented a
Pro-Slavery ticket to German. Upon ascertain
ing it's character, The German tore up the ballot
and threw the pieces upon the ground. For this
Lye upbraided him with oaths and abusive cpl
thets saying he had no right to tear up the ticket
but should have returned il if he declined to vote it,
An IrishmaD, J. NJ. Mitchell, prominent charac'
ter in Leavenworth, and last year Pro-Siavery
man, interfered on the side Of the German, assert
ing that be had the right to do what be pleased WIN
the ticket after Lyle had given it to him. a low
BLACKBOARD alteration ensued, in which Eli Moore,
noted Border Ruffian, joined with Lyle, and man
named Halter took the side Of Mitchell and the
German. The lie was sOon given on both SIDES,
and REVIEWERS and knives drawn, not only by the
ISLANDERS. Five or six shots were RAPIDLY ex-
changed and although many persons were III the
crowd, not man was injured by the firing except
bystander, who wac eighty wounded In the arm:
But LYLE fell, pierced to the heart by knife, aud
almost instantly EXPIRED the knife entering at the
left back, between the spine and shOulder-blade'
The reports of the pistols drew to the spot at once
all who were in the vicinity Of the polls. The news
of The fatal ARRAY spread rapidly in all directions,
H.. ,fu in a
ment Men of all classes were hurryiDg from the
scene and presently returning belted with knives
and revOvers.
1t is supposed that Halter struck the fatal blow,
and he was soon after arrested while standing upon
the opposite side of the street near the polls.
Mitchell was also arrested John b. Henderson OF
The Learenu0rth Journal in spite Of all remon-
strances addressed the excited crowd in the street
in short infammatOry harangue, and deterlnina-
ton was openly manifested to lynch Halter at once;
but the superior numbers of Free.State men on the
ground, fully armed and ready to sustain the city
authorities, Oyerawed the mob spirt of the Law
and Order" DULLES, and the ynching prevented,
at least for the time being
1t was bitter cup for the old Rufian leaders OF
LeavenwOrtb-a CALLING demonstration of the won
de1ful change that has come the spirit OF this
city within few short months-the hard necessity
of thus submitting to the tardy process OF law, the
punishment of one charged with the murder OF
iavOrite PrO-Slavery champion and that too, IN the
very city from which they were able 50 recently to
drive out or kill out every man who would not
openly bear arms in tavOrO Slavery in Kansas.
A messenger has been dispatched TO Judge Lee
compile to come over and investigate the case. But
il is openly avOwed that Haller shall hang tonight
and it is more than probable that the attempt will
be made, Henderson of The Journal, Murphy,
Brown, Moore and other noted characters are al
ready fired with liquor and ready for any undertak-
ing however rash and fool-hardy; yet they are too
drunk to conceal their plans or to act in concert
while the law-abiding citizens, including the Ger
mans, are thoroughly organized under the authority
Of the Mayor, and greatly superior in numbers are
able to annihilate any Border Ruffian mob that can
be collected tonight in Kansas or Missouri. And if
the attempt to lynch Haller be made bloody scene
will follOw-such as has not yet been enacted on the
soil of unhappy Kansas.
Many in the streets are openly rejoicing at the oc-
currence Of the bloody tragedy to-day, rs it will
afford all occasion for the renewal of hOstlltIes, and
conseqeDt facilities for robbery and plumber. The
streets are now thronged with citizens, determined
at all haZsrds to maintain the supremacy OF the law:
while the "Law-and. Order characters are firing
ND for the exigencies of the night at the various
doogceries which in this magic city do so abound.
l have myself seen Henderson with a squad of
half dozen kindred spirits take nine drinks
around in less than half an hours time on the
the landing, nhHe The assistant editor Of The Jour
nal is THIS rtry moment, as for t,centy hours past,
raring at The Planters House an a tit Of deirium
trtmfaS.
They have drank "To the health of the National
Democracy" "TO the death of all ID AbO-
ltionists" "To the death of all Dsunionists; "To
the death of allNulfers "To the death of all Seces
siorsts" "To the driving out of all Free-State men
from the Territory" "IO the hanging Of Halter be-
fore SUNRISE" &c. Three times | have heard this
editor chief of The Journal publicly swear that
"John B. Henderson, editor Of The Journal, will
have the life blood of Halter, if he 20 to he'll for
at the next moment" And the drunken squad
have Just stepped ashore, having on the last drink
taken joint oath that Haller shall die tonight"
Lyle took an active part in driving out the Free
State men from LeayenwOrth last year, but is we'll
spoken of by Free-State men having business ac
quaintance with hiIn-was young man, and very
recently married, his wife being absent from the
city at this time.
Halter was one of those " no We're driven out last
wear, having good business broken up and all his
property stolen-and it is supposed by those who
charge him with the murder that it was premed-
tated and perpetrated on account Ofthe old troubles
Of last year, and an old grudge against Lyle.
heard the statement Of Henderson, the warm per-
sonal friend of Lyle from his own lips, and heard
him twice repeat it. 1t differs from the statement
above only in this-tla Mitchell snatched the ticket
from the German to whom Lyle had given it, and
tore it up-that the alteration then began between
Lyle and Mitchell-that Ealler interfered on the
part of Mitchell and Lyle, turning to Halter, asked
:. what the hell he had to do with il ~ Where
upon Halter drew his knife aud stabbed Lyle in the
back, Lyle being at the time unarmed aud without
friends to defend him. Yet Moore, the friend Of
Lyle, himself admits that he was present and fired
one of the shots and the revolver OF Lyle is now III
the hands of German who picked il up when Lyle
fell, showing that Lyle had drawn it, but l can.