The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-05-26
ArcHI SON. KANSAS, May 18th, SO.

ArcHIsoN, KANSAS, May 18th, '63.
Ny DEAR FRIEND You probably
have heard Of vigilance committees, and
their terrible puni-hments meeted out 10
horse thieves before now, haven't YOU
! Well, il is rot Of Mem-the committees
that | am going to tell you about, but
the other fellows.
Saturday evening, the 18th inst, four
men living in this place, hired a horse
and buggy and a horse and saddle, to
go 10 miles in the country to dance.
The party went TO a mans house by the
name of Kelsey, about Is miles from
here, robbed him Of 45 dollars, all the
money he had, then hung him up to
make him tell where there was more :
hanging not succeeding, they resorted
to blows, until he was nearly dead then
they commenced with his wife, and
bruised and mangled her severely, with
no better success +; then took small boy
in hand. The boy they tied TO tree
and hung till life was nearly gone. but
tailed in Obtaining any more money
They then took four horses and came
back to Atchison.
Mr.. Kelsey has been keeping govern
ment stock, and had just taken them to
Leayenworth, and was expected to draw
his money, amounting to about one thou
sand dollars. A man by the name Of
Mooney or Mona, his nearest neighbor,
gave this party information OF Kelsey's
business, and got them out there.
Sunday yesterday morning, about
10 or | / clock, the farmers commenced
coming in 10 Alchison. About o'clock
the Marshal and posse commenced
picking them up, and after foot races,
and pistol shooting, and horse racing.
and riding through the brush, and over
the prairies-of which your humble SER
want took a parl--and rtmendous ex.
element generally, at dark found nine
safely slowed away in our county Jail.
One or two escaped, and have not yet
been taken. To day they had an exam.
ination before the Recorders court, and
keslry pointed out the men whom he rec.
ognzed as being at his house. was
not at the examination. so that | can on
ly say the crowd took the fellows towards
the creek. which was just outside of
town, and TO the immediate vicinity of
clump Of three trees, on which, over the
limbs of one, hung suspended two ropes.
tie Intention being to hang the ring
leaders. One of them, however, sue.
ceeded in getting clear by hard pleading,
bard crying, aud general sorrow and
penllency. The other, alter an express
wagon was driven under the limb, was
mounted upon it, aud was hung. Short
ly before consummating this he was cut
down. The last word, and only words
spoken by him TO The crowd, was !" I'll
be Cd id il amt the best man in
this crowd" throwing his hat upon The
bottom of the wagon. The man hung
was named VIM. Sterling, | think from
Pennsylvania. There is an old man and
three boys of them. all in Jail. but two
OF The boys only guilty. There were
three Parker boys, likewise brothers,
but only one tina; took part in the rob-
berry. The boys were from Iowa. from
Fayelte. Bill Parker only went to KEEL |
sey's house. Edward Gilbert, also from
Iowa, from Grasshopper Falls. think.
and more recently. may be, from Bur-
lington, was arrested !; he, also, was one
OF the party. These being the only ones
recognized by Kelsey, the res, were sci
al liberty, and the crowd turned lie
others over to The cioH authorities.-I
These boys We're all citizens OF this place,
and the Pan ker boys were always INDUS
trious, and 10 all appearances, honest
boys. The Sterling boys have not made
as good record.
The farmers may come tonight and
capture the balance from the Jail aud
hang them. as | understood they express
ed great dissatisfaction when going
away, that they were not all hung
However fell confidence that this old
reyhared Mooney will pull hemp To-
morrow. This is The short history Of
he past two days in this place.
Yours. in haste,