Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-09-06
The First Lynch Law Trial.

In the autumn of 1889 the settlement
in Ohio, at Columbus, contained less
than score of log cabins. Most of
them were near the bank of the Ohio, a
short distance below the mouth of the
Little Miami. The most prominent of
the settlers were General John S. Gano,
William Goforth, John Riley, Francis
Dunlevy afterwards president Judge),
Jacob White, Ephriam Kirby, Luke
Foster afterwards judge, the Rev.
John Smith afterwards United States
Senator), John Brown, James Finn,
Thomas Hubbell, Colonel Oliver Spen-
Ger, Major Benjamin Stiles, Hezekiah
Stiles, Elijah Mills, Edmund Buxton,
Peter Smith, James Seward, Thomas
@. Wade, Benjamin Shoemaker, Evan
Shelby, Allen Woodruff, Joseph and
Benjamin Cox. One of the most useful
men in this new colony in the wilder
ness was Peter Sken Smith. A shrewd
and skilful artisan, he only, among them
all, could repair and keep in working
order the only hand mill in the settle
ment, used almost constantly for grind
ing their Indian corn. This he did by
softening the steel, filing it sharp and
then hardening it. A trader from Red
stone Old Fort (now Williamsport), on
the Monongahela, arrived with a small
Kentucky boat laden with -four and
other produce, of which the pioneers in
their new settlement were much in need
SO welcome was his arrival that they
lent him willing aid to carry up his
dozen barrels Of flour and pile them be-
tween two trees, that they might be safe
from the perils of the river. Next morn
ing it was found that one Of the barrels
had mysterlously disappeared during
the night, to the surprise of the trader
and indignation of the villagers. They
speedily assembled together, and were
not long in coming to a CONCLUSION that
one of their own members had stolen
the flour. 1t was Immediately deter
mined, mem con, that general search
should be made, some of the principal
citizens proposing that their own domi-
Giles should be examined first. This
was speedily done, but not until the
fourteenth house was searched was the
lost barrel found, in the cabin of Peter
S. Smith, who proved to be the Achan
of the village. They unhesitatingly an
rested him. He submitted with very
bad grace. When informed that they
would proceed to try him for the felony,
with great sang ,frOid he demanded
their warrant, well knowing that from
want of civilization there could be none
Having no leader with supreme authori-
ty, like Joshua of old, they formed
themselves into Lynch law court, and
sentenced him with forty stripes save
one, according to Hebrew law, and that
he make restitution of the stolen flour
to the owner. Smith now dared them
to infict so ignominious punishment
without authority of tho law. They
procured stout cord, with each end of
which they tied his thumbs, and then
carrying the line over heavy thorn
bush, proceeded to execute the sentence
of their own court with a good will ;
each of the thirteen giving him their
stripes with hickory withe. With
this degrading punishment all boldness
and daring forsook him. He repaired
to his cabin, but was never afterwards
seen in the settlement 1t was sup
posed he found his way to the Falls of
the Ohio, and there enlisted in the Uni
ted States army. This statement is
made on the authority of one of the
most respected members of that primi-
tive court, the late Judge Foster. 1t
has been revised by the venerable Major
Daniel Gano, native of the place where
it occurred, now in his eightieth
year.-American Historical Record.