Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-01-27
The Hanging of Horse Thieves
g .ger in Tama County. sr-F

A writer in the Vnton Eagle, OF the 18th,
gives full account Of the shocking affair
which occurred in Tama county on the 9Th
inst. A Mr.. Kyle, of Perry township in
that county, was out hunting in Woods
Grove, on the 7th, when he suddenly came
upon man hanging dead to the limb of a
tree. He Immediately returned home and
informed several men who were there, when
they all went to the spot, and, in looking
about, discovered another man hanging to
another tree, about twenty rods distant
from the first. The men were hung, one
upon the limb Of a fallen tree, which was
but six feet from the ground; the other not
much higher. The one farthest west was
evidently hung first His hands were tied
behind him, crossed at the wrists. The
knot in the rope around his neck was be-
hind his right ear. His legs were turned
back, the feet resting on the ground. There
was no rope around his legs but evidently
there had been, for the purpose of pulling
them from under him, otherwise he would
have rested on the ground, and the rope
around his neck would have had no effect.
His cap and shawl were lying near him.
The other was secured like the first the
knot was at the back of the head a rope
was around his legs, used for the purpose of
pulling them out from under him until he
died. His cap and shawl wero lying beside
him. Blood was Cor had Deen) issuing from
one nostril. An inquest was held upon the
bodies Of the deceased, and, after listening to
the testimony, the jury returned verdict
that they came to their death by hanging,
and charging Small, Seaman and Stephen
Klingaman, with producing their DEATH
A warrant,was issued, and Klingaman ar.
rested, on Sunday, 6th. He was taken be-
fore a Justice, and placed under $4,000
bonds for his appearance at the next term
Of the District Court in Tama county.
The Desmoines papers state that on the
morning of the 9th, the Sheriff of Tama
county succeeded in arresting Small and
Seaman, the two men charged, in company
Klingaman, with the murder of the Bunkers,
and had returned about IA miles, when
posse of the citizens of, Desmoines over
tookthem, and, with . writ ofiiha6eas
corpus took the prisoners back to- that
place. They were taken before the
Judges of bhe Supreme Court. AT dusk the
COurt auJourneu loE supper, anu Tue, prlS0n-
ers were left IN keeping of some friends of
the Sheriff: Durisg his absence they made
their escape, and have not been heard of
since. r., The Desmoines Journal seeks to
exonerate the people. Of that place from
blame in the rescue Of these prisoners, but
it certainly looks very much like a concocted
plan, Oh their part, to keep them from pays
ing the penalty OF the law for their inhuman
acts. -, ...,....7 -, H..
The vinton Eagle states that another one la
of the Buhkers was lynched near the captii-
tai square, IN Dtsnoi,aes, on Sunday,i iSihh
This looks Ikea return to the bloody scenes
enacted by the Vigilance Committee, during
the reign Of lynch law in the counties Of
Cedar, Linn, j Jones and Benton, few years
ago.je We earnestly hope, for tile credit Of
the State, thst the men concerned ein this }
horrible affair may be summarily dealt with,
for their violation Of law and Justice. If
such things continue to be winked al bvi the
officers of, the law, there will soon be no
protection from mob Violence! 10 ; Na''- : 9
INDIAN RlaEyENsE. Quite o. serious Indian
tragedy is reported from. Minnesota. lDu.,
ring the time Of the annual payment made :
tegthe' Ohippewas a year ago, Chippewa
warriorrwas shot: dead by mother of "a diff. u
erent band, of the, same tribe. p The MURDER
cr escaped. Nothing was known of his n
whereabouts until he turned up last week at
Swan river, Having entered the camp, ,rthe
squaw Of the mlrdered warrior recognized ?