The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-23
N'' ~onra Vigilance Conn
-engthG for Horss Steai.

,r-,,i Nspatch TO the 81. Louis DcsnocratI
,,,>Sr.x. Mo. June 17.--Another out
$3.50. has 'Ncn committed the horrors OF
:, h.r ~, S,mh AS TO stir to Indignation the
.,,,, ,,rlizcd community of the State.
~. ,i,tim in Tho present exhibition Of
....,,. ,iairncc was Joseph Z. Howard, no
,,,,,,,> hnr>e-,hicS. who has infested Frank
,,n ,,unty for some time past. The farmers
-. rn, and adjoining counties have suffered
...,rr ,!,,. ,rprcda;ion> Of hoHe-thierc>, and
.r..ur TWO wears ago vigilance committee
y, - orsciniZc,l. From that time !htorma-
.,,,r WAS obtained That threw suspicion on
,,,t.pu ,rlrtu'>, and IreoHg them Howard.
! NH rrr,nt.N iih evidence of sufficient
p, n4riIuv could bc found to justify
.gr,tyut,nh and then suddenly Howard
...>4,l~.t"d. He was arrested Il little more
,.sr week ago in 81, Louis, and on Mon
,ts> afternoon was taken ont OF his cell and
need IN The hands Of Deputy Sheriff Huh-
nmidt and the town marshal 10 take him 10
mon, the county scat OF Franklin county,
lnr trial. Vague rumor> were atloat during
the asv that should Howard get into the
hands ol the ,iciIantcS he would nc lNnched.
|! wa> asserted that 4 number Of The vigil
Un}',.> had been IN the city during the day,
ani the rtlmnrs We're looked on as baSeCSS hv
~, General public whose cars they reached.
Howard asked 10 be allowed 10 make a
,Dnr.S~ion and TO 60 TO the rcniicntiary With
ut the formaity O. a trial. The request
,,l> refused, mrf Howard placed on the
'.In. The tip was accomplished in safety,
I'd the train arrived at Franklin about !
.',"~h, the pucpose being TO keep him in
~" Franklin iail and remove him to Union
80 -, morning. About the middle of the
lf-!no~u between sixty and seventy vigil
lgrc, had ridden into the town ON horse
ark; M disguise was worn. and the men
nl, recognized - farmers from the lower
i4Ir ui Jefferson county. near Catawissa.
\ STREET silence was maintained while u
parade WAS nude through the town in dou-
III, column. and then they dismounted and
marched through the streets on foot to the
aoIo, Here they were drawn up in line.
fa,u-. The track a the train drew up 1t the
f,yUt. Not word was spoken, and no de-
HrMStIation Of violence made by the crowd.
J ne officers came ont with the prisoner be-
wen them. They took their way across
'.. street 10 Hut1schmidt'S saloon, where q
rink or two was taken. The crowd poured
40 10 watch the prisoner. but was ordered
cu'. Mr.. IlutiSChrDidl took his prisoner into
t,trk room. where Justice Hartmann was
n.ll.d. who ordered the prisoner TO be
brought into his office. The office was a few
Gnor> above. and the crowd followed the
lir~un"r into The courtroom.
he yigianteS intcrpusrd, showing the
r..r>hal asidc. and Howard was examined
- committee ui the order.
ihrcummittec consisted of five men three
ul ln,U. according 10 Justice kahrmaun'S
-f.r,urul. were ANDY Mcclure, Fred. w hit
worth, nd a man named Robinson. The
rr.l question put 10 Howard was whether
a. Lad any ronitdcratcs. Howard said 30.
lM,y then asked him if he had taken the
.uf~,> Of Fred. petwiller, Mr.. HuffSchmidt.
.nd Ih, other compliments.
Howard tchnow lcd"cd that he had. sta
'n. that hr bad been running down hill for
'ta l,.t three wears, and that they were the
.u,, 'ior>oS he bad ever taken. The com
,.,'r" thrn told bin that If he would tell
Nhr. N,r" his cuntcdrratcs they would not
..n' mm. and Howard again said that he
vi n"m". The examination WAS concluded
.."Ht ~u'rlork, and Howard WAS then placed
~ 'n, town Jail. The building was i small
.i' ~trun4 structure. roughly built OF pieces
'"u aud containing two cells.
ln particulars Of what followed cannot
49, 'ttliIh d-tfl dilt VIII
0."al- r.nliin more or less a mystery. 1t
.Ar vuiN Fc stated that about two hours
rr'.' Toward wa, taken from his prison.
,um.Ht,i in ~iicnc" Ia Il quiet SPOT halt Il
f.1. distant. a rope procured and he was
uU- 'N the neck until dead. Whether this
'&t> th, same band which had promised him
.1,.ir protection cannot b" a>rertained. The
.t'rr".,u report l. that til. latter band came
,r,m IN" I"W'r. their predecessors from the
...i,# lt,It Of Jefferson county.
tue i"dy swung almost To- the ground,
"a. 'o,, hrlnG only II few inches from the
.afD. The tace Was pale, the eyes closed,
So, mouth open and rrotiudIn". the tongue
.4,k,uyd and swollen. His hands were
.o&,uiird before him. The rope had been
r'd, the upper portion resembling Il
'1'~-hnc, and the lower part being three
.rt'r~ ~ IN inch thick. The knot had been
..,..I hrhlud the left ear. but the neck had
.' h..n broken. Marks on the ground
.,nrd ~ shuw that he had been dragged Il
.N,IallC distance to the tree.