New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-06-18
LYNCHIkG IN ILLINOIS.
TRIAL OF THIRTY-FIvE vIGILANTs.

Correspondence of The Missouri Democrat - 800
GKIGGsyILLE + be County, ILL.,, June ~, 1859.
A. many al inter, sted IN the late affair Of the whip
pirc al Mlltop of one Henry &. johnson, by alleged
members of the Pike County Vigilance Committee,
and will undoubtedly look for further statements
Of the occurrence | will endeavor TO give the facts
which have gathered by conversation with both in
terested and d-n,erested persons Tue sad Vigilance
Committee is compo-ed principally Of farmers aud men
Of property organized for the purpose OF protecting
Themselves against thieves and scoundres generally.
Committees we're formed at Barry, Washington, Hart
ford, Time and Nixon and number several nun ired
persons. They have succeeded by hanging, shooting
and ynching during the last few months, IN driving
out o the county nearly Nil OF The hursc-tbieve- coun-
terfeiters and ros ues with which the county was in
tested At least il claimed to-day, aud offered
a. justification If the whipping oi Johnson at thai
held in this place before Justice Jas. Ward OF thirty
five alleged meu bers Of the Vigilance Committee, on
q charge Of riot at Milton the 18th ult.
II appears, you have learned by exchanges, that
ths Vigilance Committee have looked upon johnson as
bard character, bn1 the leader Of another Committee
called the Bed Ribbon Co rmitiee formed, the Vigl-
lance Committee all.ge, 10 operate against their
eforts. and Ia protect whom the Vigilance Com
Mite endeavOrrg 10 puni b. They also accused
johnson OF running I'll criminal ~rness 10 the case oi
The Peopi. Dck-OD for assault With intent 10 XIII
one Abbey The Committee wished 30 deal with john
son about the matter according ~ their rules lie ~as
arrested and tined b. the ConniLtee, ard -tgo.
johnson pfo-eeu'ei thea, several OF them, three
tines but claiming that be could not have justice dons
=
whereupOr ard have IL rom one Of ths Copmltiee)
they bccaue exasperaed r. at they punished him.
For The offrnse "a stated, toirtyfive Persons
were arre sted and tried At Giiggsville to-day.
The iral pas-ed of with cOmiBendablc order, though
attended bJ large number Of excited people IL WAS
reNred thai many were armed AGA that there were
10 guns within lew minutes redch, YET no Resistance
To the proceedings or disturbance wts made. ne
Vigilance Committee claim to be lss -abIding aud
r. respectable citizens, and az such they showed Them
selves today But It was proved by many witnesses
that JohusOu ard others were forciDiy taken 10
ti.c,, of woods on the 18th ult., by crowd OF per-
op, If which q Of those ON trial day principal
actors IL Was fully proved that they allowed none 10
90 70 the woods but their Own company, preventing
O,ters by wsInng them would be dangerous to at
tempt 20 rescue johnson or TO go With them. The per
sons who took johnson armed With guns pistols
and clubs stated by the Witnesses and nat denied BY
the defendants.
Report. have been published that johnson was
stripped and given - lashes, then discharged and
TAKEN bone by bic friends and lay at the point Of death
from the effects Of the nsbipg. As none were present
at the hogging except those who took him in the
wood, the def.nc ants in the case vas 10, attempted
TO BE- proved IN what manner Jobnson wr whipped
IL proved clearly that he walked back 10 the
after the affair showing NO outward signs
OF the whipping. Several persons te tined tnat ms
back badly marked but in or two pi sces only
was blood Drawn or the flesh mufilAted
The other persons taken To the woods q, the sam
| time were samuel Williams and JOSIAH Stout, both
young and dangerous looking persons stout tea
fed that his prosecutors took bin IN the woods and
demanded promise that he would never prosecute OF
testify sgan-t them, and told HIM he did either they
would hang him. He told them he would never prose
cute, but Il called in Court must have the privilege o.
giving his evidence. Upon that promise and compro
Ini-e they released him. Williams could not be 10
dueed TO testify against them as ne was PROBABLY unde
| promise and penalty OF his hie.
Such lie a candid statement Of facts 1 have beer
able TO get them. There is no doub. but that ths
Vg,aais have driven out Of the county, which lie 9,