The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-08-08


A SHOCKING AFFAIR AT LKAvKxwoRrH-l
One OF those fearful tragedies has jrst &C.
CURED in Leavsnworth Kansas, that have of |
late so frequently schocked the moral sense OF
the country. and lead it to fear that the |
Law is losing its empire over our people, |
and is in danger Of being permanently de.
throncd.
On Friday Of last week Q man BY the
name Of Stephens arrived in Leavonworth
and collected check Of slos at . bank,
which was bssrvsd by some villiana. who
soon afterwards fell into his compsny-mads
him drunk, and one Of them induced him to
70 with him to Spring above the City,
Here they met three or four others Of the
gang. who seized Stephens and beat him, and
robbed him. and threw him into tho river
The fellow who accompanied him to the
Spring retured to town and declared
they had heeu bsset hy rang Of robbers
and that he had ESCAPED with his life only.
leaving Stephens in their hands. But his
manner in relating the affair, and several
inconsistencies in his statement, aroused
the suspicious Of the citizens who took him
into custody. A large party then proceeded
to the scene of the murder, where the VIC
tim was Uncovered just crawling from the
water. and though he struggled to speak he
died before he could utter . word. The sus-
picions against Baines, the man who had &C.
comPanied him to the Spring and who was
in custody were confirmed. and 80 outraged
were the people, and SO violent the pre-
sumptions Of his guilt, that . posse Of the
citizens at ones arrested and hold him in
close custody. The news in the meantime
spread like wild FIRE all over the city and the
excitement 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 jury. A rope was
procured and put around his neck, and al
ready he Was being drawn up to the limb Of
. overhanging tree. when he expressed wish
70 make confession. Tie crowd yielded
and let him down to the ground.
He said that he and two men, one named
John Quarles, from South Carolina, and the
other called Knowlton, had laid the plot by
| which Stephens was robbed ard murdered
| and that the same men had murdered an
other man, q short time before, and threwn
| the body into the Missouri river He stated
also that he and the men Knowlton and
| Quarles belonged to an organized bo'iy of
about twenty five men, who lived and carried
on the business of robbing and numbering in
Leavenworth City. on the island opposite
the city, and in the towns Of Lawrence anil
| topeka lie then gave to the authorities the
names Of rs many Of the gang rs he could
| remember.
The prisoner was lodged in Jail, and the
crowd went in pursuit of those he had i'm
pho sted, and among the number they took
William Woods, the proprietor Of the greater
part Of Leavenworth Island. and regarded
by his acquaintance as an honest man and
good citizen. A party proceeded at once to
arrest him, and after making a thorough
search of his house, found t,centy. fre hun
dred dollars an counterfeit money, lot OF
counterfeiting plates and other instruments
and knits and pistol Jslongiag 10 the mur-
:
proofs of the correctness OF the confession
Of Baines, the people were deeply excited
Among those arrested was q youth named
PAYNE, who made q full confession Of the
deeds of the gang. While Wood and Knowl-
ton were under examination before the May.
caluboose, and procuring a heavy stick o.
hewn timber, battered in the prison door
and in spite OF the presence OF Baine's wife
who took heroic stand ut the entrance. and
endeavored by frantic threats and entreatic,
to stay the wrath of the pVpulace, the,
dragged Baines and Payne from the Jail, an.
amid the shrieks and rawlings of the mob ano
the screams Of the wife, took them to tn,
outside of the city and hung them to a tree
and, Us if they feared lingering spark o
Lille might be left, several of the mob caugh
them by the legs and added their own weigh
to the cord, and swung to and fro, hangin;
to the quiveriug limbs Of the victims
Wood, Knowlton, and the others, wer
saved from popular fury by being hurrie,
of to Fort Leavenworsh and placed undo
the guard of the military. 1t is now be
iieved that u large part Of the robberies an'
murders in that part of the territory have bee,
therrimes Of this gang. Some twelve or iftce,
citizens of Leavenworth were not to be foun,
in the city the next morning. IL is suppose,
that they deemed a temporary ..bsence pru
dent. The community appeared unanimou
in approving the course OF the populace.