, 1859-04-22
GREAT ExciTEAB - ~ r1.1p
a ~ y <EE AT L A II Il r.

lffon int j" .ssoun Republican of WedneA4ay]
nj work for Nj. Peter Hin, near he town of Ur.
bana. s.. ';lair Co., Ill, seized his opportunity,
Whhe 1r.e male members Of the family were
away liom home, to rush into the house, drive
the women away, and rob bureau drawer of
small amount Of money. He next proceeded
named Delllah Wildcsman, Of very respectable
connections. be choked her, threw her to the
ground, tied her hands together with strap,
and, Notwithstanding her screams, perpetrated
bis de'el4sh purposes: Then taking the young
took to his heels and disappeared in The
woods, where he remained concealed fcu
days, when, returning to Mi. Hills place,
he stole horse and yamosed.
The whole neighborhood were greatly e1ns-
hunt the desperate villain down. About noon
Of Thursday last, he was caught in possession
Of the stolen animal, at place called Freedom,
on the dividing line between St. Clair and Mon
roc counties. It was with much difficulty that
the incensed people could be kept from lynching
finally allowed to be taken to Bellerille, where
he vas put in Jail, the friends Of Miss Wilder
man only demanding that the prisoner should
hare an immediate trial. Court was then in
session, but the grand jury had adjourned. A
new grand jury was empanneled Saturday MORN
indictments against the accused for both the
rape and the larceny. The same day Lehman
was tried, the outrage on Miss Wildermnn and
the stealing Of the horse conclusiyely proved
and the case submitted to the jury, who, atter
IN absence Of not more than ten minutes, re-
ing, and fixing the punishment at eight years
Imprisonment in the penltentiary, and also find
ing him guilty of rape, and fixing his punish
ment at Imprisonment for life.
The Court room was crowded to suffocation,
| many ladies being Of the number present, and
said that the building almost trembled with the
shouts OF the bystanders' appreciation Of the
| verdict. The prisoner Was Immediately taken
to jail, followed by hundreds Of persons.
At three o'clock on Monday morning, the
Sheriff Of st. Clair, Fred. Mayer, accompanied
By Coroner Kelly, started in u hack with
Lehman and two other conyicts to take them
| to Alton. A little before daybreak, when about
one mile east Of the bluffs, between Delleyile
and this city, the Sheriff got out for some pur-
pose, leaving the three prisoners to the care OF
the Coroner. Lehman was hand-cnfIed and
tached to the vehicle nor to his fellow conricts.
As soon, therefore, US Mayer disappeared from
sight, Lehman 1eaped from the hack and sturt-
ed to run with a1l his feetness which might be
looked for III one fleeing iur his life. Coroner
Kelly, as soon I'D lie saw that the man had escap-
GU LIZ uluS1 TIL pursuit,
but soon finding that he was falling behind,
whipped out revolver aud fred twice. The fu-
gitive paid no attention to this but kept running
and finally disappeared in the timber. When
word Of this WIS conveyed to Helleyille, the ex-
citement is represented to have been the most
intense. Every man who could command horse
und piece Of firearms, mounted at once and
vas otto aid in the search, whilst those who
could not, congregated in knots in the streets,
commenting on the transaction and devising
plans to recaptuEe theSranaway. The conduct Of
Sheriff Mnyer was severely animadyerted upon
1t is impossible to describe the state Of feeling
which is said to llaye existed. 4 reward Of $25O
was offered by the Sheriff, which, if necessary,
could hare been increased to eo,uo0 or g 900 in
very little while By the citizens. A large par
tyis still on the look out for the refugee, but up
to last evening he had not been found, OF any
trace obtained Of his probable whereabouts.