The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-12-25


q heavy club about thirty inches long, and
Q slung-shot. Upon getting off ofthe train
they placed patrols along the street from
the railroad to the Jail, and strong guard
was place around the Jail. Before placing
the guard around the JAIL five or six men
seized Mr.. Luther Written, one of -Sher-
III Fullenlove's guards, employed to keep
watch at night in the Jail yard, tied him
hand and foot, and carried him into the
Sheriff's office and placed him in a chair.
/ The committee then secured the other
persons in the Sheriff's Office, and immedi-
ately went to the room in which Sheriff
FullenloEe and his wife were sleeping.
Sheriff F. had been awakened by the noise
and stepped to the door just as the COM
mittee were about to enter it. The COM
mittee demanded of the Sheriff the keys to
the Jail, and told him ifhe made any noise
they would shoot him, at the same time
pointing their revolvers athim. The Sher-
LII told them to shont--ha would not give
them the keys, and would raise the alarm.
Sheriff Fullenlove then opened o door and
ran down stairs into the basement of the
house, and climbed out Of the window
AS he did this halfa dozen pistols were
pointed at him, and he told the crowd of
Vigilants not to fire at him as he was the
Sheriff. Gaining the, yard, he attempted
to reach the gate leading into the street,
but was fired upon and severely wounded
in the arm, just below the elbow, the bull
let burying itself in the bone. Several
men then sized him, one of them striking
him in the forehead with the butt of a pts
tol Rocking him down. Some one of the
mob told the men not to hurt the Sheriff,
but to carry him into the house, which was
done. On their reaching the house Mrs. F.,
seeing blood upon her husbands clothing,
commenced crying, but she was told by the
mob to stop and keep perfectly quiet or
she would be killed. The Sheriff had no
clothing on except his drawers and shirt.
The mob then searched the house until they
found the Jail keys. They then shut up
the Sheriff and guards, and proceeded to
unlock the doors of the Jail.
When they reached the inside door
to the cell of the room they encountered
Mr.. Mathews, the patrol in the cell room.
He drew his revolver and threatened to
shoot any man that would attempt to I'M
lock the door. The mob showed him a
rope, and told him if he fired even one shot
they would break the door down and hang
him, He then surrendered to them under
a promise from them that his life would be
spared The mob however, were unable
to unlock the door, and they compelled Mr..
NJ to unlock it for them. They then seized
and tied him, and placed him in the room
with the other captured guards. They
they had the keysfor the cells in which
Frank Reno, Charles Anderson, Simeon
Reno, and William Reno were confined.
They had now full possession OF the Jail and
knew where to find their intended victims,
and the work of death was commenced and
speedily accomplished, leaving terrible
and sickening memento ofits completeness
in the dangling, lifeless bodies of its victims.
The first man hung was Simeon Reno
The ll-house is divided into two tiers,
upper and lower, and around the upper tier
Of cells is an iron corridor, supported by
strong iron pillars. From the southwest
corner of this corridor Simeon Reno was
hung. His arms and feet were pinioned,
and he was in his bare feet. He had recei-
we'd a blow upon the head, and thin
streak of blood stained his face. He had
on no clothing except his shirt and pants.
The next victim was Chas. Anderson
He was hung from the northwest corner of
the corridor, and his features gave evidence
of a terrible struggle with his relentless ex-
ecutioners. On the south end of the corri-
dor Frank Reno was hung. Upon his head,
just above the right ear, was deep wound
apparently made with o slung shot, and
the right side of his face was besmeared
with blood The face and neck were re-
markably white. Immediately in front of
Frank, and touching him William Reno
was hung. His face was much distorted,
and the flesh was greatly swollen, burying
the rope from sight The mob having COM
pleted its work left the Jail, locked the door
after them, and carrying off the key. In
the best order the Vigilance Committee
then left the premises for the railroad,
where train was in waiting for them, and
left the city, the work for which they went
being accomplished. The mob took with
them the ropes with which to do their
work. They were of MANILA rope, FIVE
eighths Of an inch in size, and about ten feet
in length. Each rope had regular hang
mans knot upon it. The mob took five
ropes in all one Of which they said they
intended to use to hang the guard if he re-
sisted. The mob were in the Jail, Sheriff
f. states, not to exceed five minutes. He
thinks not over three minutes were occupi-
ed in the terrible work of sending the four
victims of their fury into eternity. Thus
have ten human beings been compelled to
yield up their lives In violation of all law
and order. The only one of the Reno bro
theirs is John, and he is now serving out a
sentence of twenty-five years in the Missou-
ri Penitentiary for safe-blowhg.
J From the Otta@a (Cd) Times, Dec. IA.
One can understand the dislike of the
fugitives--Reno AND Anderson-to extra,
dition, when he reads the despatch from
indianapolis, elswhere published. 1t APP
pears that some vigilance Committee" q
common institution among our neighbors
anticipated the action Of the court BY Civ
ing the prisoners the benefit of lynch law.
We DO not wish to be understood as en-
tertaining any sympathy for scoundrels,
even when they meet with very hard lines
but we must say that the execution ofthese
men by an extrajudicial decree, no matter
what their guilt, is disgrace to the conn-
try in which it took place. Even if they
deserved hanging, surely the form of trial
might first have been accorded them. What
a contrast does their case present to that of
the convicted murderer of Thomas DARCY
MCGEE! Our people may well be congrat-
ulated on the spirit oflaw and order which
prevails amongst them; and we only hope
that in spite of delays which cannot now
be prevented, the patient public will have
no occasion to lose its faith in the ability
of the judicial tribunals of the country to