The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-09-23
WHOLE NO. 1862.
The Bellinger Murder.

.xh0 11eAAn00r Murder.
Our readers are 80 much interested ir
the incidents attending the awful tragedy
Of New Lisbon, juneau county, that W,
clip the following articles from the Milwau
kee Daily Nesos. When soldiers of the U
S. are urged to demoniao violence against
the men who claim the AMERICAN
RIGHT Of discussing public questions il
is time all who love Liberty and hats
Despotism should wake up and make them
selves heard. Already there are spologistt
for this murder but We thank God nc
man Of our acquaintance is base enough te
attempt its pall'ation:
"Intimations are here and there giveu
out that BELLINGER brought his death up
on himself by using his revolver. When
mob wantcnly assails q man with the
obvious purpose Of committing an injury
| upon him, the party assailed has the righ,
to defend himself by all the means which
art and nature has placed at his disposal
BELLINeER attempted to protect himself
first by concealinent and then by flight
When these resources failed, he ATTEMPTED
to shoot his assailsnts down. The Law
gave him the right to do SO. Had he laid
every man attacking him corpse at bis
feet, the law would have justified him. -
1t was an act Of strict self.defence.-
Whether it was expedient for him to ~.
sort to that alternative in that emergency
was question for him alone to decide.
There are men who prefer death to dis
honor. BELLINGER was . man Of thai
stamp, and as bitterly as community 10.
ment his untimely death and as sad as
were the consequences Of his misdirected
shot, it cannot be doubted that he struck
one bold blow for tho right to speak ua.
hindered and the right to live unhsrmed
by the violence Of fanatical mob. H.
lost his life, but died every inch NAN.
TRIBUrE TO Brave GIRL.-We arc
glad to learn that subscription has been
started, in this city, for the purpose oI
purchasing an appropriate gift to be pre-.
sented to Miss ELwoOD, the brave girl who
so heroically defended Mr.. BELLlNGER when
beset by his murderers in the hotel at New
Lisbon.
A RENARKABLE CoNFEssloN.-The Daily
Wisconsan of last evening publishes state.
ment of the New Lisbon murder, signed
by twenty. four residents of that village
according to their own confession. only
Jice Of tie sohole tcenty: four ererted them,
setoes to precent tho murder! OF course
they were all present, or their statement is
worthless.
But this is not all. According to writ.
ten statement we have in our possession,
one Of these signers was the very man Who
approached BELLlNGER to give him the
finishing blow" after the dying victim was
supposed to be dead! Another of these
signers is the one who is represented to US
as having publicly declared on the streets,
the neat day, that the murdered copper
head" ought to have had stakes driven
through him to fasten him to the ground !
The narration approved by these persons
is itself full confirmation Of the murder.
In no respect does it detract from the e.
sential facts or the enormity Of the crime.
FUNERAL OF Nh. BELLlNaER.-The re-
mains OF PETER J. BELLlNGER, the victim of
the New Lisbon mob, were yesterday taken
to their last home. The funeral was ap.
pointed at 2 O'Clock in the afternoon, but
Ling before that hour, the house and side.
walks adjoining were crowded with the
friends Of the deceased and sympathizing
spectators; and at The commencement Of
the exercises towards thousand persons
were present. The funeral was taken
charge of by the Masonic Order, OF which
the deceased was . member. The services
at the house were impressively conducted
by Rev. MIR. BUCHANAN, Of the North
Presbyterian Church. A sufficient number
OF conveyances could not be obtained to
accommodate more than half the number
who wished to join the procession to the
Forest Home Cemetery-whence the body
was borne-as evidence Of their regard for
their departed friend. At the cemetery the
usual masonic ceremonies took place, It the
conclusion the members each depositinp
sprg Of evergreen upon the coffin cf the
dead. The occasion was one of sad and
solemn interest. The relatives present
were the widow and two brothers Of the
deceased and the mother, brother, brother
in law and uncle Of Mrs. h.