, 1864-08-02

Mob In 0ttuMwa-A Murderer TAkef
Out Of tho Jail to be- Hanged.

Yesterday was an exciting day In Ottum-
Wa. It was the day on which B. A. McComb
was sentenced to be hung, and on which he
would have been hung had not an appeal to
the Supreme Court stayed the proceedings
and postponed the execution During tie
forenoon It was noticed that people II I'M
usual numbers were coming into town, until
By noon the streets were crowded. The peo-
pie did not Eeem excited, no threats were
made, and In fact up TO this time nothing
t1ansplred to indicate any unlawful purpose
on the part Of the assembled multitude, esti-
children. The citizens generally supposed
that t4e crowd, unapprlsed Of the postpone
mcnt Of the execution, had come in inpelIed
by curiosity to see McComb hung.
: About twelve o'clock, however, impelled
seemingly BY common purpose, the crowd
gathered about the jail, and the leaders, con.
tined to some dozen persons, ayowed their
purpose to get hold of the prisoner, Nc
Comb, and hang him. Sheriff Derby was ct
bis post and resisted the execution Of their
purpose to the best Of hls ability, knocking
down some two or three Of the rlngleaders.
He also called for assistance, and was assist
ed By few. Senator Dixon, Judge Hender-
shott, Hon. E. Il. Stiles, md Capt 4. 4. stu
~ addressed the crowd, urging them. to d.:
sist, and let the law take It's courae. All
however, had no apparent restraining effect,
a woman mounted the fence, and made an
exciting harangue, urgiug on the mob; and
saying If they would leave 1t to the women
they would attend to it themselves. "A vote
was taken, which was daeided to be In favor
Of the hanging. a ruah was noW made for
the front door Of the jail, one fellow brand
iehing s1edge.hammer. But Sheriff Derby
and the few assietiDg him made such efectual
resistance that it fs probable the attempt
might have been foiled had not part Of tho
crowd gone round to the back side Of the
building, and knocking of two or three boards
Of the fence surrounding the yard, effected
an entrance, after which, with sledge ham.
then the locks in the cell In which McComb
Hhs contlEed were broken, and the prisoner
dragged out. He asked for an honr. which
was given him, to prepare for DEATH A cler-
gJman was sought, and he Was finally taken
into the Casholic Church and baptized BY
this he was led down town By way Of Court
and Front streets to the corner Of Market
and Waa then placed in wagon and started.
accompanied BY an immense multitude, It
was given out for the other side of the river
near where the remains Of the girl were
found, but Il such was the purpose, it was
changed after half the crowd had forded the
river, and they finally moved off down Front
street. They went out about mile on the
+ Agency road, where preparations were COM
menced Tor the execution. a rope was tied
around the neck Of the prisoner. Some
speaking and some fighting amongthe crowd
followed. After short ,halt, facilities for
an execution were not deemed satisfactory,
and they crossed over the ridge and halted
under bent tree, but the ground WAS so uu-
even that It was difficult to keep the wagon
stationary, They finally, however, got the
rope aoluated, McComb assisting, and were
about throwing 1t over limb Before this
was done, however: McComb requested per-
mission TO make few remarks. He said:
~ nave the rope around my neck as you see,
an an innocent man. II YOU viii ei1e me
until the next court Will prove that George
Lawrence is living, and thot did moi mnrder,
Laura Harvey" At this point d cfy was
back,n ";take him back. accom-
panied by the cry Of anang him.
s'hang him., The leaders fearing that tie
tide Was turning, said that 1t was getting late
and they-could wait no longer. An attempt
Was made to throw the rope oYer the limb,
hut while this Was being done several rcso-
lutte men, some Of them from OttumWa,
jumped into the wagon, and aelzing the rope
attempted to wrest It from the executioners.
A short struggle for the possession of the
rope ioloHed, when some one called out
Hcut 1t, NO sooner said than done. The
rope Was cut, McComb hustled out of that
wagon iRto another and driven rapidly to
town, where they arrived . little aftcr six
o'clock, aad lodged NcComb, safely In his
old quarters again. During the evening. the
Sheriff. assisted By detachment Of the
"Guards." " arrested 6ix or eight persons,
recognized fas leaders Of the mob,
lodging some Ia jul and releasing Others On
bail.