The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-03-09

The EXECUTION OF Orr THE MURDERER.-An
immense crowd assembled at Pekin yesterday to
witness the execution of John OFT, who was con-
victed OF the murder Of the Ordendorff family,
consisting of wife and two children at Dele
van Prairie in Taze we'll county.
scaffold was erected in one corner of the
Jail yard, and surrounded by an enclosure IS
feet high. On the evening previous to the ex-
ecution, large number of people were present
who loudly proclaimed their dissatisfaction at
the arrangement, and expressed determination
that public execution should take place. In
consequence of the feeling the sheriff forward
ed requisition to Washington, Tazewell coun-
| ty summoning the rifle company of that place to
be in ATTENDANCE, also sending an urgent request
| to the various military companies of Peoria to
be present on the occasion, to aid in the enforce
ment of the laws and to guell the mob, which
| they complied with, on being placed under the
| authoritative direction of Adjutant General
Mather of Springfield. The National Blues,
Captain Cunningham left on the steamer Ne
braska at midnight, as per request of TIE auth
critics of Pekin, it having been discovered that
| there would be concerted action of the pop
ulace at some time during the night. On their
arrival at Pekin there was not a symptom of ex
element, the crowd of the previous evening hav.
ing quietly dispersed.
The Washington military company was quar-
tered at the American House, and the Peoria
companies at the Court House, under the orders
Of the Adjutant. At ten minutes past five in
the morning, the quiet OF the city was disturbed
by the noise of falling timber, and in less than
five minutes, and before the military could be
possibly called out, the entire enclosure around
| the scaffold had been demolished, apd the mob,
consisting Of not more than thirty or forty men,
dispersed as quickly as as they had made their
| A. l;rlf q,
thicken, but with the exception of various ex.
pressons determination thatthe execution should
be public, there was no appearance of discord.
The military surrounded the Jail, and cannon
| were placed at the entrance for use in case of
need.
| At eight o'clock the reverend gentlemen,
whose attention to the criminal have been unre.
hitting arrived at the Jail The crowd at this
hour numberedfrom five to six thousand people,
who manifested no disorderly disposition, their
attention being somewhat occupied by the
troops, who were going through various evolu-
| tions.
At ten O'clock the Sheriff mounted the scat.
| fold, and placed the rope to the BEAM The
military were placed on guard at the foot of the
scaffoid and septres placed all around the yard
thus taking taking every precaution against any
assault upon the Jail which might have been
contemplated.
At fifteen minutes to eleven o'clock, the pro.
cession moved across the Jail yard and Oti
mounted the gibbet with firm, undaunted STEP
conversing freely with the clergyman, and those
around him. Some minutes were spent in fer
vent prayer to God at the conclusion Of which
OFT addressed the multitude in a firm, even
voice, declaring that he and he alone was the
guilty man, and that Green, nor any other per
son was concerned in it. Precisely ut eleven
the drop fell, and his guilty soul was taken in the
presence of his Creator. The crowd quickly dis
persed, and in few minutes all was quiet and
orderly as usual.-Peoria Transcript, I'd.