The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-07-07
Sheriff Lyman of Lucas
County, Shot by a
Horse. Thief.
Terrible Excitement Among
the People.

The Murderer Hung from the
Courthouse Window.
We are indebted to MAJOR Safely,
Of this city, for proof-sheets Of the
Charlton Patriot, containing the fol-
lowing account Of the terrible trag-
edy and speedy vengeance upon the
murderer, by an incensed and out
ragged populace. MAJOR Safely says
that he never before Witnessed such
wild and uncomfortable excitement
prevailing oil classes Of the citizens :
Just rs we are going to press we
learn Of the shooting Of Gaylord Ly-
man, sheriff of this county, BY q horse
thief It appears that on Tuesday
the sheriff received q description Of
a stolen horse and the thief, and Mr..
Lyman was on the lookout. This
Wednesday morning the fellow made
his appearance with the horse and
endesvored to soil it to Captain Rob-
inson. The latter suspicioninR the
horse to be stolen one, commune.
Gated the fact to the sheriff, who at
tempted to arrest him near Dennis L
Kittredge's wagon shop, whom the
thief drew q revolver and shot Mr..
Lyman in the breast, the ball passing
through the lower part of the right
lung, and is supposed to have lodged
near and injured the spine, as he
suffers great pain in the limbs. He
was immediately carried into VIM,
Lewis house, and Drs. Gibbon,
Heed and Stutsman, done allin their
power to alleviate his suffering.
The thief, and now murderer
started down the alley, in tho rear
Of the wagon shop, flourishing his
revolver and threatening to shoot
several men who were following
him. "A farmers team was stand
ing in the alley, the desperate
taking out his knife, cut the halter
strap Of one of the horses. mounted
and started, using his knife in lea Of
a spur, riding rapidly until he ap.
preached Wilkerson's = cornfield
where he abandoned the horse, and
struck out through the corn IN the
direction of Bakers woods. The
most intense excitement prevails and
hundreds are now securing the brush
and prairie east Of town. II caught
before the passion and anger aroused
in the bosoms of all, by this atrocious
act, the scoundrel will hardly see the
dawn of another day. Below VIZ
give the Proclamation issued BY thu
Mayor:
$500 REWARD Tho above reward
will be given for the arrest of tn,
murderer of Gaylord Lyman, Sheriff
Of Lucas county, Iowa. a
DESCRIPTION: The man is thick set
| weighs about $50 or 100 pounds
probably rs years old, sandy com
plexion, had on when he committed
the deed, Wednesday noon, July 9th
q brownish wooden coat, mouse col
ored corduroy pantaloons, broae
trimmed white wool or fur hat, will
broad band around it.
E. B. WOODWARD,
Mayor of Charlton, lows.
c. ariton, Iowa, July 6, 1870.
LIZ ER.-Thoy have caught the
cuss. Hewas discovered by Tom Mar
tin seeing he was caught, he sho
ct Martin, when the latter broke hi
gun over the thiefs' head, and thel
grappled him. Assistance being a
hand, the murderer was taken i,
custody by Marshal Mccormick ant
conducted to town on foot, accompa
MED by large crowd of the citizens
BY request of the Sheriff, the prison
or was brought to him, when the fol
lowing conversation took place.
Some ono asked the Sheriff if h,
recognized the prisoner. Ans. ri do.
Prisoner. Chow do you feel, Sheriff 2
Ans. Comfortable" Sheriff.
suppose you feel as bad a. do pr
Prisoner. ~ do. l was in whiskey
at the time or / would not have don,
it." just as the prisoner was bein,
taken away, he said TO the Sheriff
II want you 10 forgive me-" An
swer by the Sheriff. will do that.
A great multitude then gathered
around the prisoner, many cryin,
chang him!" By strong effort OF
the part Of our best mon the prison
or was protected, and is now in tn,
hands Of the law.
To describe tho pent up feeling
! of the crowd after tho murdere
was brought to town, would requir
a graphic pen. Pandemoniun
makes music compared with tn
wild cries Of the angry crowd.
The prisoners name is Hiram
Wilson, and has beon living wit
his father, three miles south O
Wyreka. Putnam county, Mo-, 70
the past year. A few weeks ag
he visited an uncle named Plum
kett, living at Clayton, Ill. Start
ing home on foot he came to tn
conclusion that walking was har'
work this warm weather, and whel
ten miles west of Quincy, ILL.,, nea
Fabius, Marion county, No., as h
says, he noticed the horse-now il
tho hands of the authorities at thi
place. The horse was stolen O,
Thursday night last, and has beol
on tho road ever since. He say
that he was born south of Warsaw
Wayne county, on the Iowa sid
of the State line, and that he viii
be twenty-ono years old the 18th o
next March. He has brother liv
ing four miles north of Salisbury
Charlton county, Mo. His father
family consists of three brother
and five sisters,-two Of the latte
married, and three single living a
home. His two brothers, he claims
were members of the 18th Mo. In
fantry during the war.
He appears to be o desperate char
acter, and in the coolest manner re
lates his horse-stealing, and the dev
ilish, cold-blooded shooting of the
Sheriff. He claims to have been "il
whiskey," and that he obtained tn,
stuff in two different saloons. Fl.
was held in $1,000 bonds, at his ex
1 VIY