The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-06-08
Lynchins a H.r.eth,ef

Here is a primitive mode Of administering
justice which has been adopted in Monroe
county. We take the account from the Abba
onion. So repeated have been horse steal
ngs and robberies in that county recently
that vigilance committee was organized, and
in short time Garrett Thompson, Thomas
Smith, Harrison Gibson, John and Hiram
HULL and two brothers named Hill were ar
rested for horse stealing. Thompson was the
leader Of the gang evidently. The prisoners
were taken to spot in a narrow valley, skir-
ted by woods, on Avery creek, a few miles
from Abba. This was the theater of the per-
formance which the Union thus narra,es.
''At daylight next morning the people of
the county began to arrive, and also the mer-
chants, attorneys, and citizens from Abba,
and continued coming until | or o'clock p.
m, at which time the crowd numbered about
five hundred people. When the vast assem-
bly, had come together, the person who had
been selected by the vigilance committee to
direct the arrest, came forward and called the
attention Of the people, informing them that
the prisoners had been arrested, and were On
the ground, that his duties had been perform
ed and that he felt himself discharged from
further responsibility, only as citizen. Af
ter electing a chairman, the sense Of the
meeting was taken, which unanimously voted
for selecting twelve men to hear the testimony
in regard to the prisoners,-the twelve men
| were then chosen. A marshal was also ap-
pointed, who was instructed to preserve order
and remove any suspicious persons who might
be present. 1t appeared however that there
| were none. He was then directed to remove
all boys from off the ground and to allow no
profane language or disorderly conduct. The
| jury was then called, and the witnesses and
the prisoner Garrett Thompson) were
brought forward-the testimony was heard,
| and the prisoners statement was made.
Questions were put to the witnesses and the
prisoner by the foreman Of the jury. The ju-
ry then retired and after mature and dispas-
sionate deliberation brought in verdict of
Guilty Of horse stealing and other oufrages,
riz:-house burning and Murder. The YER
dict being publicly read by the foreman to the
vast copcourse Of people, was quietly re-
ceived with as little outward demonstration
as verdict of . jury before any civil court. =
"The audience were then seated and mo-
ton was made that the prisoner Garrett
Thompson) tbe eha,ged BY tie neck tin dead. y
"The motion was amended to simply sttar
| ebA iD0sHCt, WuaUu ociIB UI1CAy NcUASC03
and the amendment Withdrawn, the original
motion was carried in the affirmative, only
one person voting in,the negative out Of about
three hundred voters. An executive com
mittee often was then appointed to notify the
prisoner OF the sentence, and thirty minutes
allowed him to confess, or make known his
requests, &c. The committee was appointed
and went in discharge Of that duty. Forty
minutes were given him and he made no CON.
fession, under the impression, no doubt, that
the committee would release him, at last, ,as
had been done before. A sca6old Vas then
erected under tree, and he was brought and
placed upon it. He then requested that his
body might be given over to his family, and
denied any guilt Of crime. The entire audi
encs than uncovered their hsads in the moss
solemn and impressive manner, and moss
fssveat aad impressive prayse ~ c6sfsd 70
AlnigAN God; - pope NJ aajastsd SstSl(