Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-16
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RICHMOND WHIG.
FRIDAY MoRNING........JUNE l6, 1865.
LYNCH LAW IN ILLINOIS.
MORALLY WOUNDED MAN HUNG BY A
MOB-THE SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
From the Quincy Qll.) Herald.

MORTALITY WOUNDED MAN HUNG BY A
MoB-THE SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
From the Quincy Qll.) Herald.
About half.past ten o'clock on the night of
Wednesday large crowd, numbering about five
hundred citizens and soldiers, congregated at the
Court House, filling the jail yard, the passage in
the Court House, and the street in front. IC is
proper that we state here that majority of the
crowd were drawn thither through curiosity
Those interested in the mob-for such 1t was
were very violent in their actions, and demanded
the keys of the Jail In terms that clearly indics.
ted that an excitement was up, which, under the
circumstances. could not be satisfied without o
taste of human blood.
The Sheriff although somewhat frightened, re
fused to deliver the keys. Some parties scaled
the high fence which protects the high entrance
TO the jail yard, and by means Of billets of wood
and hammers forced an entrance, and seized the
body OF the wounded and dying bushw hacker,
Thomas Rose, and Immediately dragged him
into the street. amid the vociterous cries Of hang
him" "shOOt him" etc. The miserable man,
bleeding from the wounds received in his breast
and abdomen but few hours previous, was
forced hurriedly along Fifth street to Hampshire,
from thence to Seventh, and up Seventh to Broad
way, from thence out to the prairie east OF town
to grove of timber, distance of about mile.
Arriving there, circle was formed, and the
wounded bushwhacker placed in the centre. Too
weak to stand, he laid down on his right side or
hips and rested himself on his elbow. This was
the first that we saw of him.
After gasping for breath, the wounded guerilla,
we'll aware OF the near approach of his end, in
clear and audible voice asked his eXecutioners TO
find some one TO pray for him. The question was
asked by one OF the men, soldier, "ls there any
one hers that will pray for this mani" A Ger.
man entered the ring and rendered his services.
On his appearance, Rose got upon his knees rev.
erently, and the minister of the Gospel began ad.
ministering TO the spiritual welfare of the poor
wretch. The preacher said he indorsed the &C.
ton Of the mob that the man deserved death,
and that il was right he should die, and prayed
that God might be mercifu TO him. After finish
ing his prayer, if II could be called such, we
gained admission to the ring and seated ourself
by the wounded man, for the purpose of eliciting
such information relative 10 his past life would
be inte: estng TO our readers and a so assist in
duplicating the remaining portion OF the thev-
ing company As we sat by him we had a good
opportunity of seeing this man, an we particu.
larry noticed his words, actions, and even the
working Of the muscles Of his face. Knowing
that great many stories would be circulated
about the affair we were determined to give a
true one in every respect.
IN THE RING.
The circle formed by the mob and the idls Gu.
rous was on an inclined plane, the fall extending
north ward at the base of which the gsllOws was
erected, /. e., a rope had been thrown over the
limb OF large tree, the branches of which pr.
tally covered the croNd, and extended over an
area Of about | 2UO square feet, and was about
GU feet in circumference eslim ating from these
figures we thought there were about 300 persons
present The prisoner was in reclining position
upon the ground, and presented q spectacle of
pain and abject misery. As the glimmer of four
or five lighted candles, mingled with dusky
moonbeams shed their glaring and sckly light
M tho nriGnUpr IA that "a fa1t lttla
strange and had we not been present would have
been gratifed. HIS head was bare, and his hair
in wild disorder, inclined naturally to curl, and
being full of dust, looked anything But pleasant.
His beard was probably two inches long, and
the clotted blood which oozed from his mouth
and nOstrils, mngling With the dust was sick.
enng in the extreme.
His feet were in a manner bare, one of them
covered with q worn-out sock, and the other with
the crown of on old felt hat added but little to
the novelty and romance OF the scene. His shirt
"a dirty much worn flannel Twas thrown open,
leaving bis breast bare, and exhibiting his blood.
stained breast, which was very much swollen
from the wound received on the morning pre-
vious. He appeared to be much fatigued, but
exhibited great degree Of nerve and tiImness
under the circumstances, which our readers will
say were very trying. We did not get the infor-
nation we desired on sccOunt OF the frequent in
terruptions of different persons propounding
questlohs anu theu piOIahely uispuunB tue an-
swers. The following is all We could obtain
from him, which was given with pain and labor
the prisoner stopping frequently to gasp fJr
breath
al live in Troy, in Lincoln county, Missouri
have vile and three children living there now.
In 1860 ! voted for Stephen A. Douglas for Presi
dent and for John b. Henderson for the Conyen.
tion. About this time got into personal diff
hculty with a man by the name of Creed, and
through his influence was arrested by the militia
aud placed in prison, where stayed long while.
MY house was burned by the militia in August
last, and found ! could not stay at home, so
went to Arkansas and was commissioned by Kir-
by Smith as q Captain 10 tie Confederate army"
He did not state when he came back or what he
came for. The confusion was so great that We
could not get him 10 say. lie acknowledged that
he commanded the squad that robbed Fowler, and
said that they had contemplated marching on Can
ton on the night OF Thurslay; but were only going
after guns. lie designed going South. His com
mission as captain dated from August last.
He endeayored TO eXOnerate the boy now under
arrest also the man Riley. He said they knew
nothing about him or his company az he told
Riley when he went TO his (Rileys) house, that he
(Rose) wanted to board few days. He said that
lie had come to the conclusion 10 quit raiding.
and he had so declared himself to the boys The
names of the remaining members as yet at large
are Hen-y Snead and Joe Bradburn. Rose FIRE.
quently spoke Of his wife and children, and re.
gretled very much that he could not see them
The crowd were so eager to hang him, that we
could gain no more and being invited TO leave
the ring, We complied with as much rapidity as
possible.
THE GALLows.
After the ring was cleared a rush was made
for the prisoner, and he was dragged to the place
of execution-the tree. lie did not display the
weakness of a coward on such an occasion, but
seemed 10 nerve himself for the worst. There was
nothing unusual about his appearance, more
than bright and lustrOus eye. He was placed
upon some boxes, prepared as platform, with
his hands pinionel behind him. Before the iOpe
was aced around his neck he tainted and fell
groanng backwards to the earth. Considerable
confusion resulted from this and cries from the
crowd were vociferously sounded, tie him where
he lays hurry him up" Rose was again placed
upon the stand, growing weaker every minute.
Just before the handkerchief was placed around
his eyes he asked to be shot, aud again spoke OF
his wife and children.
The moose was adjusted, and the boxes kicked
over, and Rose left dangling in the air. He
struggled but little. We thought his neck was
broken by the fall. The execution took place
five minutes after twelve. Rose was we'll
built man, very muscular, about five feet five or
Bin inches in height and twenty-seyen years OF
age. Whilst hanging, some of the participants
in tie execution caus ht hold of the body aud
MI frn uttered