The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-06-16
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT.

committee, thss constituted, composed Of
DR.. q. W. Spalding, Dr.. Samuel, Jacob
Aerrick, q. w. 0oodlet, g. V. Puster and
John Francisco, were admitted into the Jail
yard, and were conducted BY the jailor TO
ThorntonS cell. In ieW mosnente they
returaed, and DR.. Spalding, speaking from
the top Of the jill wall, reported 70 the
crowd, lie said be had gone there frm In
the conviction that IL ever lynsh law was
jusiitiable. Il was 90 in the present case. The
committee bad visited the cell where Thorn.
ton was confined, and found il IN every way
secure, with no chance left the prisoner to
effect an escape. He was now willing that
the law should take lie course II the man
were condemned and executed for bis deep
aud damnable crime, nothing could be said;
but il there could be found twelve men TO
acquit him, the speaker would 30 ono 10
visit him with the punishment be deserved.
But there would be time enough. be said.
when il is asesrtained that tho law may fail
TO do the prisoner justice,
Considerable applause followed DR. Spal.
ding's remarks, but there was some who
were not entirely satisfied. Cries Of Take
Thornton out !" Lynch him!" Hang
him " were heard in several parts Of the
crowd The majority OF those present now
began to disperse, but three or four hundred
still remained, and in an hour or two the
numbers increased. and vague hints Of VIC
lence ran through the assemblage. At this
junc,urc Charles N. Drake, brother In. law
of Mr.. Charlcss, obtained conspicuous
place, aud, In the name Of the family. eau,
TONED those present against any act contrary
to law and order. He spoke us the repre-,
sentative Of Mr.. Charlcss' wishes on the
subject and cntreated them 10 proceed TO
no extremity Of the kind that be had learn.
cd was contemplated, but let the prisoner
have fur and impartial trial.
Dr. Mcdowell also addressed the people.
He said that II was objected that murder
trials, as conducted in these days, were per.
iect arccs, and that IL was held that the
time was come for the people TO take tho
laws in their own hands. II was no, the
laws the Doctor said, that were at fault,
but the community by which they are al
minisiered, The laws were strict and just
but jurors had been lax in carrying them
out and jaries are selected from the people.
DIR. Mcdowell hoped that the crowd would
not attempt to take Thornton out of the
jail, hut that they would go quietly home
and attend to their several pursuits.
Notwithstanding these speeches. the as.
semblage did not dispersc, but numbers
loitered around, though by this time, we
think, with no thought OF attacking the Jail
Joseph w. Thornton Is an unmarried
man, in his Seth year In his cell he appears
TO be quite calm and collected, and this
appearance was unchanged throughout the
exciting proceedings going on yesterday
within his hearing. The tramp, tramp Of
the military, and orders Of the commanders,
in the jail.yard, seemed not 10 affect him In
the least. He preserved moody tscitur-
nifty. land refused 10 enter into any CONVEX.
sation relative to the awful deed which be
has committed.
The name OF Mr.. Charles IL 40 familiar
that We need hardly speak Of his reputation.
lie has been 10 business for over thirty
years, and has always enjoyed in the repu-
tation Of quiet, law abiding cstimable and
respected citizen. Ills firm, that of Char.
less, Blow n Co., wholesale druggist, il one
of high standing in the country, and has
large patronage throughout the west. Mr..
Z. Is connected with some OF the wealtbiest
and best families 10 st. Louis, and bis own
circumstances are those Of ease and ailIu.
cnce As President Of the Mechanics
Bank OF this city, he has been In position
TO be intimately known in all financial circles,
and h@ integrity and probiiy were never
called In Question.
At last accounts Mr.. Charles was still
sinking slowly, suffering the most acute pain.
His medical attendants say that he caDDot
possibly survive, AMI IL is not improbable
that before this reaches our readers, he will
have brcathed his last.
Ia the foregoing account we have not
referred TO the origin Of the fearful tragedy
we record. An article will be found else
where containing history VI the part taken
towards Thornton by Mr.. Charles which,
1t ia presumabIe, was the cause Of this assas-
sina,ion. IL will be long before the events
Of yesterday will be allowed TO sleep 10 oh
livion, and they now take place IN the
history Of 81. Louis.
THg cAgsg on THE TRAGEDY.
Frers the Republican
We have never known the people Of ~.
Louis more excited than they we're yesterday,
as the news spread from mouth 10 mouth
that Joseph Charles had been assaulted aud
shot down, 10 Market street, shortly alter
breakfast. by joseph w. Thornton, and
that the wound was Of such character a. 10
make death almost inevitable. The whole
town was 10 buzz and ferment. Men
walked 10 and fro, n II some great calamity
were impending, and crowds oi people gath
cred together, putting questions a. earnestly
IA II their own saie,y and reputation were
at stake. 10 order 10 give some probable
canse for this wanion attempt NJ the taking
of mans life--ior cutting him III without
warning, ADD 40 eausIessly--it IL necessary
10 go back some years IN the towns history.
There are many persons VINO will recolect
that the B,atmen's Saving Institution Of
this city, then located on Chestnut between
Main and Second strpet was ,pVzsartsx..IV