Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-09-28
Lynch Law Demonstration il
Leavenworth.

tempt of the mob to seize q man by the
name of James A. Gordon, who had been
tried for the murder of John Gantz, but
who had been acquitted on some point of
jurisdiction, and set at liberty by the
court Some time before be was dis
charged an immense crowd had collected
intensely excited. When Gordon was
set free he dared not leave the building,
and accordingly placed himself under the
protection Of the officers, who saw that
he could only be saved from violent
death by carrying him to the Jail. The
Times thus describes the attempt Of the
mob to obtain possession of Gordon
"The Mayor, with Gordon and a pos
Sc of about fifty men, started down the
hall, and as the seething, tossing crowd
surged to and fro, pressing against the
officers and striving to get at the prison
er, it was commotion such as only
mad crowd Of human beings can get up.
Down into thestreet they went, the crowd
yelling, Hang him hang him. and
the brave, stern officers closing around
him, made a firm wall of protection
Finally, by dint of great firmness, the
Mayor landed him safely in jail. But
now the serious trouble had just com
menced. The crowd increased around
the iail and became more and more furi-
Gus. Men armed with muskets and re-
volvers and knives gathered thick and
fast, and as the shades of night came on,
large bonires were built up all around
the Jail, throwing their lurid light far out
over the city and the wild demoniac
yells of the Infatuated people made it a
scene terribly vivid and fearful.
FATTHL ESSNESS OF THE MOB.
During all this time, Mayor Mcdowell
made several speeches, urging obedience
to the law and requesting the people to
return home in quiet. That he was de-
termined to enforce the law at all hazards.
1t was finally agreed between the Mayor
and the ringleaders of the riot that Cor
don should be delivered over to Sheriff
Middangh, and that all further disorder
and riotous proceedings should cease on
that being done. To this arrangement
the ruling spirits of the mob solemnly
agreed. At this juncture, the Mayor left
the Jail for few moments to attend to
some matters on this side of the creek.
In his absence, and contrary to his inten-
tons, Gordon was brought out of the
Jail and turned over to Sheriff Middaugh,
and now commenced a scene of mad
fury that beggars description. The
crowd rushed upon Gordon, crying, like
demons, +" Hang him." Hang him y
They forced him down into the narrow
and rocky glen north of the Jail.
It was then about eight o'clock at
might, and thick darkness had settled
upon the whole city, and this fierce crowd
ragged in the dark glen like demons. 1t
was terrible. But the brave officers
stood by the prisoner ike gallant men
and sometimes almost overborne, they
still recovered and pressed forward, hold
ing their prisoner safe in their charge
Several times the crowd had halter
around his neck, but each time an office
cut the rope; and thus they struggled VI
out of the ravine. And then followed
tumult and strife between the officers AM
!. rioters that was desperate to the last de
gree, up fourth street to Shawnee, ant
down Shawnee to the Planters House
Here the crowd halted, and the contest
: for half an hour, was fierce and terrific
q The din, howl and confusion was nov
worse than pandemonium, the prisone
!. begging to be hung, killed, or anythin
% to take him out of such agony. BY th
% time every stitch of clothing was torn o
k him, and he had nothing on his body bt
-e his clanking chains.
in The Mayor at last succeeded in organ
izing a fresh body of citizens, and wit
these he closed solidIy around Gordo
and again started for the Jail, whic
though distance of about ten square
and across the rayine, was finally reaehe
after desperate struggle, and the pr
"A oner again safely landed from the fury
!. the mob
~ Gordon is very badly bruised, cut, al
or llacerated, and the sheriff is also injured
in FUGITIVE SLAVE EXCITEMENT
of ONO SLAVE REMANDED- COLL
ION BETwEEs Z. S. OFFICERS Al
THE PEoPLE.-CINcIENATI, SEPT.