Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-09-28
a Detectiye In a Tight Place.

N - - = ~ = AssScs I
From TIE st. Louis Democrat, Sept, lS.l
A circumstspce occurred yesterday
morning at ,Centraiis, No, an the North
Missouri railroad, which shows this exis7
tence of a strong prejudice on the part
of the people in that vicinity against the
fors, of law in criminal cases, aud which
brought oat the sterling qualities of one
of our detectives a.-t.If Nd, ..si8 .
On the Both of last month o man of
genteel address, giving his name aS A.
G, Cunningham, left at the stables OF
January & Edwards, in this city, horse
which Re deSired to be sold. He received
from the stabie,kseper an advance of
forty-fve dollars OF tte hqfsc, and an
agreement was made that as soon Us The
horse was sold the balance would be
transmitted to Cunningham. an...-.ss.-.-a----
Two or three days afterwards January
& Edwards received from Cunningham
letter dated at Jefferson City directing
them to send him soEio money by ex-
press to Chilicothe, Livingston county.
On the 10th instant DR. Singleton, of
Centralia, Audrain county, arrived in
the city in search of a stolen horse. He
identified the horse left with January q
Edwards as bis property, and the animal
was delivered TO him. The police were
notified of the affair, and officer l,ewler
was sent after Cunningham. A bogus
package was sent by express, directed
to Cunningham, at Chillicothe, and on
Saturday last LeEler was at the express
office in Chillicothes waislng for the APP
pearance of his man. He did not haEp
to wait long. The enlprit was secured,
and the same afternoon Lawler started
with hilg on the train for St, Louis. ln
the meantime Intelligence Of the arrest
of Cunningham had bseE .telegraphed to
Centralia, and the indignant farmers in
that vicinity made preparations to lynch
the Larse-thief. f.W0lToaI8
The tIstp arrived at two, o clock IN
the mofTing, and Rs soon as n halted
an excited crowd, headed by ap old man
with a huge document in his hand,
Ieaped ON board. The avenging Contra,
lians soon found Lawler and his pris-
oner, and the old man commenced read
ing his ponderons document which was
a demand upon the officer to deliver
Cunningham into the hands of the mo5.
Gaw,er did not recognize the authority
of the old mans document, and seeing q
crowd of seventy or eighty men armed
with shot-guns, rifles, pitchforks, axes,
clubs, bludgeons, hay-rakes and boot
lacks. he knew the man would be hanged
or impaIed, and refused to give him up;
Cries of Fetch him outl" Hang himl
were heard, and Cunningham began to
think his career was near is hnis de
clung 10 Lawler, aud begged him TO save
him. Lauler parleyed with the leader
Of the mob, ard got him % read bis pa
per. hoping the train gonld start before
he could spell out the words written on
ne BIG document in his hands. y
When the old man bad finished read
inc his writ he offered Lawler Sl00 70
giye no the prisoner, but the officer re-
fused The train was now put 10 mo
tio1. but was stopped by the mob. The
engineer came aft 70 see what was the
matter. and finding that there was q mob
on the train he let on the steam, aud the
train moved on al . rapid pace. The
nsssenaors on the train took sides With
ne ofFceF, tha shackles we're removed
from Cunningham's legs and there was
at one time a prospect Of 8 pltehea Dat