Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-06-07
Great RxeItementin ST. Louts-The Assns.
afnatIon OF Charles.

We have murder by telegraph from the east
and murder by mail from the west.
The st. Louis papers come teeming with full
details of the horrible assassination of Charless,
which was announced in our dispatches on
Saturday morning. 1t seems, as the despatch
stated, that ne was shot by j. W. Thornton,
who had grudge against him, because that he,
Charles, had appeared against him once IN
Court, as a witness.
There was great desire on the part of the
crowd to hang Thornton on the spot, and had it
not been for the active precautions of the au-
thorities, it would have been done The Demo
crat states that its reporter observed some OF
the most substantial and respectable citizens
among the mob, equally DESTROYS with them for
the blood of the murderer. They had lost their
confidence in the regular process of law to con-
vict criminals it seems, Judging by the paren-
theses in the following report of the committee,
who on behalf of the mob were appointed to visit
the Jail, and see if the murderer had been putin
safe keeping.
FeLLow Clr1zENs:-The Committee report that
the cnlprit is safe in custody. He is securely
confined in safe cell, and cannot by any pos
sible means, escape. came here Win leehhSs
which know animate this vast mass oil people,
that If ever there was time when Lynch law
was iustifiable, this is the tune. But Fam sat
isfied. upon reflection, to let the law take its
course. TCries of Mol No!-hang the foul as
sassin!-let us make sure thing OF It Ihere
is no security in the law. He Will escape
They will say he is insane, and on that ground
acouit him. Lynch him! Lynch him! and 9TH
er remarks of this kind were made by the eXclt-
ed crowd.
Dr.. Spaulding-When the people will hear
the Committee report will go on. Cries oil
hnf IIT1nr ms n
reflection l am satisfied to allow the law to
take its course. [Cries of "Nol no! Law will
let him loose to murder others! and that -
the Governor will pardon him!"l DIR. SPauld-
ing continued: This, my fellow citizens, IS the
report of the Committee: LET the law deal WIN
the bloody scouudrel; let the hangman punish
the assassin"
The speech was received with dlssat'sIactlo"
by the crowd.
By this time the police were in full force at
the entrance to the Jail and also at the entrance
to the Calaboosc on Chestnut street. All the
Deputy Marshals and Deputy Sherltis were on
duty protecting the Jail yard wall. Mayor
| Filley was on hand to that the laws were
enforced, and acting in concert with Chief OF
Police and took such measures us were neces'
sury to protect the public peace.
wagon in front OF the Livery St66Ie, opposite
the jail yard, and introduced to tho crowd NJ g.
d. Drake, the brOther-in-law OF Mr.. Charless.
|
in attendance upon my brother in law at the
store-Tgrcat confusion ensued. will volt till
you become quiet.
Order being restored, Mr.. Drake continued: 1
was in attendance on my brother in law, on
Market ST., where he lies when tho Rev. DR..
Elliot, pastor of the Unitarian Church in this
city, whom you all know and whom you all
respect, came to me aud told me that there was
| a large cOncourse of people here, ard that there
was reason to fear there was disposition to do
violence to the unhappy prisoner IN jail: felt
| it my duty, standing in the relationship do
towards Mr.. ChaIleSS-a relationship extending
| through quarter of n century, say felt it
my duty to come to you and say to you, as
| friends, as neighbors, that no course could be
pursued more terrible to the family of Mr..
CharleSS-more in violence to their feelings
than for you to visit upon this unfortunate
criminal the merit ofhis crime. simply wish
to say here, as a near family relative of our
fellow citizen Joseph Charless, that nothing
could be more unpleasant, that would distress
them moro, than that there should be added to
this other calamity the terrible consequences of
Lynch law.
a voice-But Mr.. Drake, society has some
thing to say. The law or the Governor will let
the assassin loose. Society must protect itself
when the tribunals of Justice fail TO furnish
that protection.
Mr.. Drake-T DONE know how that is Doctor,
all have to say, friends, have said. have
/ ulScnarSeu my uuIy US u ITlehu vi tuc ilhi SD
cruelty shot down, rs a member of his family
and citizen. do hope that if there is any
man who desires to take the law into his own
hands he will forego it.
Another voice-How are we to guard against
the repetition OF this for the future. He will
take change of venue, and under the plea of
insanity get clear?
Mr.. Drake-That cannot foresee. | simply
ask you to regard, some little, the feelings Of
AIR. CharlcSs' family.
The speech of Mr.. Drake was received with
manifest tokens of disapprobation, but it had
the effect of restraining the multitude in their
desire to Lynch the murderer. The crowd
continued i'll undIminisled numbers during the
whole day.
At about three o'clock Dr. Jos. N. Mcdowell
addressed the people, advising them to respect
the authorities TO allow the courts of Justice to
dispose of the cuprit and if jury refuses to
do their duty, to hang the jury.
The Doctor contended that the great fault
existed in the fact Of the refusal of good men to
serve as jurors-and he charged the community
itself with the existence Of these numerous
outrages He saw III this a lesson which he
thought would be appreciated, and all we want
ell was that the respectable men of society
should themselves aid in enforcing the laws and