The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-11-11
Executing q Priseaer without Judre
Trial, or q Jurv.

The testimony Of Henry Hunter,
one Of tho epasty who took the, prison.
er Thompe0n oss Of fhe. paslor of the
Wager Hotse, md killed him on the
railroad bridge, was not fbiiy report.
ed in opr telegrsphic dispstsh. We,
sherclcte, suhjoin q verbatim report,
promising that the witness, q very
intelligent young gentleman, appar.
emily about twenty-five years OF age,
10 the con Of Andrew Hunter, who
conducts the prosecution.
Mr.. Bolts, counsel for the prisoner
Brown, having proposed to introduce
testimony as to the killing of Thomp.
son, Mr.. Hunter, the prosecuting Of
ficer, objected that Il was irrele-
want, and intended by Brown only
for outdoor effect. He added, how.
ever, that II II were shown that Mr..
Brown was informed Of this killing
and still continued to exercise for.
bearance towards bic prisoners and
the citizens, he would not object.
Mr.. Green, counsel for defense.
contended that they had a right to
infer that Brown had been made
aware OF il, as it was already proved
that communications had passed be.
tween him and the citizens several
times after the killing OF Thompson.
Judge Parker decided that the
whole transactions OF that day con-
stituted part Of the res 9estdo.
Henry Hunter called-Examined
by counsel for defence.
q. Did you witness the death OF
this man Thompsonl
A. l witnessed the death of one
whose name l have been informed
was Thompson.
Q. The one who was a prisonerl
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Well, sir, what were the cir
cumstances attending itl .
A. Do you wish my own con-
nection with it, or simply a descrip.
ton Of the circumstanc ances-shall
mention the names3
MIR. Andrew Ilunter-Every bit Of
liz, Henry; state all you saw.
Witness-There was a prisoner
confined in the parlor Of the hotel,
and after Mr.. Beckham's death he
was shot down by a number of us
there belonging to this sharp shoot
ing band.
4 Mr.. Andrew Hunter-Will you
allow him to state, before proceed
ing further, how he was connected
with MIR. Beckman2
i Mr.. Green-Cirtainly, sir.
i Witness He was my grand uncle
and my special friend-a man
loved above all others; after he was
killed, Mr.. Chambers and myself
moved forward to the hotel for the
purpose of taking the prisoner ou'
and hanging him; were joined by a
number of other persons, who cheer.
ed us on in that work; we went up
into his room where he was bound
, with the undoubted and undisguised
purpose of taking his life; at the
door we were stopped by persons
guarding the door, who demonstrated
/. with us, and the excitement WAS SC
great that persons who demonstrated
with us one moment would cheer us
Ion the next; We burst into the room
where he was, and found severa
around him, but they offered only a
, feeble resistance; we brought oul
guns down repeatedly, myself anc
another person, for the purpose o
shooting him in the room.
There was a young lady there, tht
) sister Of Mr.. Fouke, the otel-keep
or, who sat in this mans lap, anc
o covered his face with her arms, ant
shielded him whenever we brought
our guns TO bear. She said to us
"For Gods sake wait and let the Law
take it's course" My associate ther
, shouted to kill him. "Let us take
his blood" were his words. All
around werc shonting, "Mr. Bccl,
: mans lite was worth ten thousand o.
these vile abolitionists." | was COO
about it, and deliberate. My gur
was pushed up by some one who
seized the barrel and then moved
> to the back part OF the room, still
{ with the purpose unchanged, but
with a view to divert attention from
$ me, in order to get an opportunity
at sC''.e moment when the crowd
would be less dense, to shoot him.
After moment's thought, il occur.
:, red to me that that was not the pro
per place to kill him. We then pro.
posed to take him out and hang him
. some person of our band then open
. ed way to him, aud fret pushing
Mics Fouke aside, we slung him ou,
Of doors; l gave him a push, ant
many others did the same; we ther
showed him along the platform and
down to the trestle work Of the
bridge, he begging for his life all the
time--very piteously at first.
; By-the.by, before we took him on
of the room asked the question
, what he came here for; he said theil
only purpose was to free the slaves
, that he came there to free the slave.
or die. Then he begged, DON
take my life--a prisoner" but put
the gun to him, and he said, "You
may kill me, but it will be revenged
there are eighty thousand personi
sworn to carry out this work" Tha,
was his last expression. We bore
him out on the bridge with the pur.
pose then of hanging him; we had
no rope, and none could be found; i,
was moment Of wild excitement
Two OF us raised our guns--which