The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-01-31
A THRILLING SCENE. -
A Witness in Trial Confesses Himself
the Murder er of the Woodward Fam
ily-Fierce Attempt to Lynch II iffi.

iAliiCy lOt tilC iHuIQCI vi tIlC w OUQ Wait
family has excited great interest in the por
ton of the state in which it occurred, or
account of the atrocious charactce Of the
crime alleged being no less than the mur
der of David Woodward, his wife and a
foolish sister, and the serious stabbing OF
Mrs Woodward. The New Albany Com
merctal publishes a long and interesting az.
count OF the scene indicated by the heads.
that he had seen Mckinney commit the
the following from the Commercial
After the meeting of the court in the
afternoon the crowd had largely increased,
aud great deal Of excitement was appar-
ent on the faces of those present The
prosecuting witness was called, and as he
took his seat he remra ked that he was now
going to tell the truth His stolid counte-
nance was lighted up with sort of ghastly
smile, and, for the first time during the
trial, he ventured to lift his eyes to the face
Of the prisoner, Malone Mckinney. A
short conference with him satisfied the
prosecuting attorney that his witness had
determined to recant, and make full con-
play in the terrible drama.
Mr.. Carlton thereupon arose and address
sed the court. lie said that ever since last
June he had firmly believed that the man
who was now before him was the murderer
of the Woodward family, solitary and alone,
and tina he attempted by his miserable du-
pllcity to fasten his guilt upon an innocent
person. His remarks we're very bitter, and
as he pointed toward the mi 'crable, crouch
ing witness, he stigmatized his course in
the most withcring language. He closed
by declaring that he dismissed the prosecu
ton against Mckinney.
The words had hardly been uttered when
the vas. &C curse rose to their feet and
gave one load AMI prolongel cheer.
But immediately was heard from hundred
voices the startling words hang him.
hang him, which were uttered by excited
men, with clenchcd fists and eyes flashing
fire. ~ - .. ....sf
Colonel Heffren Immediately sprang to
his feet, and called to the people to listen
to wiser counscls that the man before them
was but the tool Of Sanders and if anyone
was to be hung let it be him. The poor
creature who had testified before them was
merely scapegoat of the real scoundrcl.- -
He said that he regretted that the trial had
not been permitted to go ON, so as to en-
able him to show the depth of the guilt of
the man Sanders, who, it would have been
proved, had agreed to give him $500 for
his affidavit and appearance at the prelimi
nary examination, and 81 900 for seeing
the case safe through court. During his
remark, the crowd kept shouting hang
him, hang him, and pushing their way
toward the platform where Custinger was
standing. General Spicely and Major
Tucker sprang forward and told the mad
dened men that it could not be done, but
their voices were drowned in the uproar.-
Judge Carlton exhorted the people to let
the law take its course.
All the members of the bar, sheriff, con
stables and other officers of the court form
ed line in front of the frerzied mass, while
behind them sneaked the mean, contempt
ible Custinger, showing more emotion than
we thought him capable Of, as he was pale
as death, and troubled from head to foot
with terror.
1t was some time before the appeals Of
Spice!y, Ueffren, Tucker and others had
any effect on the mob, but at length some
Of the leaders were induced to go down
stairs, whore they again collected, in the
hope that Custinger would attempt to es-
cape. We saw clubs, knives and revolvers
ready for action, aud if there had been
collision there would doubtless have been
bloody work. te~sa,as Fl
In the course of a couple of hours the
crowd in front Of the hall, which had been
barricaded from within, had somewhat d.
mihished, and the people began to realize
that after all, he was but half witted,
cowardly scamp, ready to comit perjury for
money, while the arch-vilain and murderer
was Sanders Had he been there he would
have been hung, in spite OF any effort that
might have been made to prevent it 1t
was reported that he and his wife had got
off the train at Mitchell the night before,
and were probably at the house of one of
his relatives awaiting the result of the trial
A number of citizens started in pursuit of
him, and If he was so lmprudent as to be
found, his neck would pay the penalty at
the hands of the ,xasperated citizens.
Late in the afternoon we saw Cutsingcr
and his Old hag OF a wife, who is, doubtless,
more guilty than he, sncaking across the
street under the protection Of the sheriff.
He is poor, half idiotie 3agabond, with
not enough soul to Eiake respectable
brute.
lie said that be had been Induced to
make the affidavit against Mckinney at the
instsnce of Sanders, who had Threatened
his life; besides, he added, glancing at his
muffled foot, he had been disabled from "a
severe cut ever since he went to Sullivan
county, and been led to make the statement
for money to live on.
Mckinney, throughout the exciting
scenes, behaved in very becoming man
ner. He is man of rather plea ant coun-
tenance, and would never have been taken
for the author of the atrocious deed with
which he is charged. He lives at Orange
vile, and is blacksmith by trade lie
had beeh in the Eightieth Ohio Volunteers,
aud did duty at Chattanooga and Corinth
as blacksmith at the headquarters of
Generals Thomas and Rosecrans He has
the universal respect Of his heighbofs. aud
a gentleman in our hearing remarked that
he did not believe there was a man in Or.
leans who thought bin guilty.
ia. The United States Senate has rati.
fed commercial treaty between Nicara-
qua and the United States, which was or
igInally sighed IN 1859 Thetreaty of guar
antees to citizens Of the U4ited States the
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