The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-05
From the Baltimore Sun, 4th.

From the Baltimore Sun, 4th.
The Recent Tragedy I'm rllinois---A De-
putty Sheriff Killed by n Desperado---
The Murderer's AccompIice brought
to Pek1n and Lynched by the Popu-
Ince---KHe Makes n Desperate Resist
ance.
An account Of the recent deeds of violence
which have occurred at Circleville and Pc
kin, H., briefly referred to in these CO.
lumns yesterday, occupy considerable space
in the Chicago journals Of Monday. From
these we gather the main facts which are ::
For some time past there has existed at
Circleyille, ILL.,, near Pekin, gang of des-
peradoes known as the Berry brothers, who,
with their accomplices, have kept the coun-
try in a perpetual state of terror. One of
the gang (Will;am Berry, was arrested a
year ago for numbering in cold blood o
man by the name Of Peppers, and was sent
to the penitentiary, but had scarcely got
inside of it's walls before pardon reached
him, which set him at liberty. On Thurs
day noon Ike Berry and stranger were
arrested without warrant and brought
here on the charge of horse-stealing but
as no one appeared against them, they were
released on Friday morning, and started ut
noon for Circleville.
At 2 o'clock William Berry came to Cir
cleville, where the party had by this time
arrived, and told them to stand their ground,
as, by G., he had plenty of revolvers.
During the day the desperadoes were para
ding the streets and threatening every man,
woman, and child, they met. Finally, Squire
Larrimore was prevailed upon to come to
Pekin after authority and help to arrest
them. He started back on Friday evening
with Jailor Hinman, Deputy Sheriff Pratt,
a man by the name of Kesslcr, and Consta-
BILE Copes. After reaching Circleville they
saw three men passing-one of them armed
with q gun. Some one said "Tbere they
go,' and the officers started in pursuit,
Pratt calling out to them, "Halt, boys |
want to sec you" The three started to run,
the officers following in run. Pratt called
again, saying "Halt, or we will shoot"
They still continued running, Pratt shoot
ing in the air, when two Of the parties
stopped, the man with the gunistill running.
Pratt and Copcs following in close pursuit
and keeping up fire.
The man lodged into the corner Of the
fence, and as lPratt came up to within
twenty feet of him the man shot at them,
wounding Pratt mortally and barely miss
ing Copes, the shot going through Pratt's
lung and heart, covering space larger
than the palm of the hand. Hinman, the
iailer, was following few feet behind, and
soon came in range, when the desperate
discharged the second barrel, wounding
him in the head and shoulder, but not Sc
riously. Pratt, being on the run at the
time he was shot, staggered into the ditch,
and ran entirely past the villain who was
shooting. Turning into the road and gasp
ing for breath, he said to COpcs, ~ an
shot" and in answer to the question Are
you badly hurt 2" said 'Yes, l am shot
through the heart" BY this time Deputy
Marshal Kesslcr had arrived on the spot,
caught Pratt in his arms, and assisted him
10 walk back towards their carriage. He
walked about fifty steps, and then sank On
the ground and never after spoke.
When the affair became known in Pekin
terrible excitement prevailed. Ed. Pratt,
sheriff, brother of the deceased. and six
others, started to Circlevillc, arriving at ] 2
O'Clock and brought back the remains of
young Pratt.
Soon after daylight William Berry came
to Pekin, and was arrested and placed in
Jail. \ party of fifty, accompanied by
officers, went to Circleville and arrested
Josiah Coombs, Sam Berry, Mcfarland, q
man known as Daily, and another man
named Berry, and brought them to Pekin
and placed them in Jail. John Berry and
Marshall Stone, Immediately after this,
started in pursuit of Ike Berry, who was
supposed to have shot Pratt. They failed
to find him, but found one of the gang
named Frank, and arrested him. Return
ing to Pekin about 3 o'clock A. NJ, they
lodged him in jail. During the day Pekin
was the scene of intense excitement. Court
street from one end to the other was crowded.
Many of these were from the neighborhood
where the Berrys lived, and had been the
object Of their hatred; many Of the friends
Of the man Peppers, murdered by William
Berry last year and many of them friends
of the murdered man Pratt.
Toward evening the crowd had swelled
to hundreds. Mayor Edds, fearing on out
break, provided an extra police to guard the
iail; but when the time came for the men
to act, they were as chaff before the wind.
All night the excitement increased, and
eliminated about 8 o'clock in the arrival Of
from fifty to one hundred desperate men,
among them some of the best citizens in the
county, who marched in military order into
the courthouse yard and to the Jail, when
they broke in the front door and demanded
the keys. Sheriff Pratt refused to give
them up, when they Immediately procured
blacksmith, and in the course of an hour
Z. Iol IN hot n
DOORS With a lantern they went to where
Berry was confined, who kicked out the
lantern, and, with knife in his hand,
made for the door, but, getting frightened,
Jumped back. A man by the name of
Brownley grappled with him, and despe-
rate hand-to-hand fight ensued until lights
were brought. Berry succeeded in stabbing
Brownley seven times, and wounded two
others severely-one mortally, it is feared.
Drawing back his hand to strike again, he
broke his knife. Brownley then exclaimed,
There, you Cd id son of a b-h,
we've got you now. Stand up like man."
Berry rose to his feet, and was shot at five
times, one ball striking him over the left
eye, going entirely through his head; an,
other ball going through his arm and
grazing his side.
The infuriated mob then dragged the
wretch to the nearest tree, placed rope
around his neck, and swung him up. lie
was not cut down till this morning, when
an inquest was commenced, but adjourned
to Monday.
Officers are in pursuit of Ike Berry, the
one who shot Pratt. If he is brought to
Pekin the place will be once more under
mob law. At present, things are quiet.
Great credit is due to Sheriff Pratt, brother
of the deceased, who did all in his power
to save the prisoner, but to no avail.
Berry's body was delivered to his wife, who
iook Il IN CircIeyilIe. The last one arrest