The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-08-29
Murder. BARRING and Hanging.
The People Lynch the Murderer.

about eight miles west of
LaCygue, and four miles southeast
of Twin Springs, Linn county. In
cold bloOded attrocity this murder
equals the Bender murders of last
winter.
1t seems that Keller, win was 3
German, had some trouble with his
wife, and that they had separated !;
that Keller had applied for g di-
vorce on the ground of abandonment.
Mrs. Keller returned few days be.
fore her murder and filed her an
swer, claiming alimony. This en-
ragged Keller, as he was a very
man, and he threatened her
life. On Sunday, the day of the
terrible tragedy, Mrs. Keller went
to visit the family of neig h5or,
Mr.. Neil Boyd, who, with his wife
and two children, lived Oh an adj
joing farm. IN the afternoon of
that day Mr.. Boyd left home to en-
gage in threshing the following
morning, leaving the women and
children alone.
Monday evening Mr.. Boyd resi-
dence, small box house about IL
feet square, was discovered to be
mass of ruins. and upon visiting
the spot his neighbors discovered
the charred remains of Mrs. Keller,
Mrs. Boyd and the two children.
Their bodies were burned to crisp,
and the skulls of the women were
found broken in by some kind of 3
weapon.
A correspondent of the Lawrence
Journal says:
The evidence elected upon the
coronor's inquest made it appear
very probable that Keller had COM
mitted the murder, and the citizens
cheerfully surrendered him to the
authorities, to be dealt with accord
ing to law, and he was taken to La
Cygne and appeared before Squire
LATHE for preliminary examination,
oil Tuesday. and the case was con-
tinued. by request of the State, till
next Monday, and he, meantime,
was committed to Jail.
On Tuesday, in their search for
evidence as to who in fact was the
fiend who could have committed
so brutal an outrage, shirt was
found in Keller's house hid away
behind paint key, with blood upon
the bosom and the sleeves, and a
part of the front of it torn away.
The shirt was identified as his by a
peculiar silver button that he had
| himself made and was known to
have worn for long time by his
neighbors. Two witnesses, women,
stated that they knew the shirt to
have been in no such condition
during that Sunday, and that it wa:
clean and suitably done ur. Thi;
seemed to remove any possibility oil
| doubt in the case, and so eXasperat-
ed the people that, at two O'Clock q
m. of Wednesday, three hundred
armed and mounted men were al
the place of the murder, bent upon
rescuing Keller from the sheriff and
netting out to him speedy and re-
tributive justice. All night long
was the neighborhood patrolled by
horsemen, drumming up volunteer:
for this emergency.
At eight O'Clock four hundred
men, armed and mounted, entered
the city of LaCygne, surrounded
the Jail and demanded of the sheriff
the prisoner. His reply was tina
he had been taken from the jai
thirty minutes previously, and hi
whereabouts were to him unknown
that he had placed him in the hand:
of deputy for safe keeping. TIT
sheriff was arrested and informed
that the finding of the prisoner b.
them would alone save his life
The train had just arrived in town
and was thoroughly searched by tn,
exasperated crowd, and he not beins
found there, three hundred of Iheii
number started into the country il
the direction supposed to have beer
taken by the deputy with him
After ride of eight or ten miles
he was found and brought back Il
town. When it was announced tina
he had been caught, and was being
returned to town, the multitude
with one prolonged shout rent TIT
air. All hurried 10 see, and every
veranda, housetop, shed, building
and fence, had persous upon 1t wild
ly looking to see the throng.
The Fort Scott Monitor Of the
22d, contains the following:
Through the Kindness of Gen
Blair, who came Down from L.
Cygne, on the ten o'clock train, las
night, we are enabled to give oul
readers some additional FACTS CON
nected with the hanging of Keller
! Yesterday morning the Sheriff o
Linn county, fearing violence OF
the part of the enraged oitigens
had Keller sent out into the country
He was entrusted TO another man
and sewing machine wagon wal
the means ofconveyance. Arriving
some distance from the town, the
driver of the wagon became fright
ened, left the murderer and return
ed. In short time, large body
of men appeared, and learning how
he had been removed went to the
driver and demanded that he should
tell them the whereabouts of Keller
They forced the dryer to ger into
his vehicle and condpat them to tbs
place where he had left his charge
some time previous. When the
crowd had fonud Keller, they
brought him back to la Cygne, and
proceeded to make preparations t.
dispose of him according to theiI
will. During all this time the mum.
hsr of people continued to increase
persons aocEing in town from every
direction,
1t having been reported that Kel.
Ter bad decided his property away
he was taken to the bank and COM
PEELED to make afAdayit that the
Conveyance had IIeeh made without
| consideration. He was then forced
to make will and leave ell bis
property to his child: This point
settled, the large aud determined,
but quiet and orderly throng, re-
paired to a spot across the river,
where the Laah was finally launch.
ed into eternity. During all this
interval many of the most ipfiuen-
tial citizens in the place were work
ing with the mob and their COM
mittee of twelve, TO effect The
deiiyeVy Of the prisoner to the
lawful authorities. Gen. Blair ad.
| dressed them, and once he thought
there was some chance of saving
the life of tho man and having him
tried according to law. At one
time, it was suggested that the
Sheriff be permitted to swear In q
posse of ten or fifteen men from the
crowd, TO guard the prisoner. This
was assented to, but in q few mo-
ments the epirit Of vengeance broke
out again aud EXECUTION was demand.
ed.
Another proposition was made
and agreed to--ihat the mob let
their cnmmitfae nf t,unIun Lo.:S