Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-08-08
RELENTLESS LYXCHERS.
4 Young Horse Thief Hanged in
HRnsas-sOlenn scene AT tho
close of the Day.

At the examination on Friday the eyi-
dense teaded 10 show that there Nas a
gang vi horse thieves residing in the
river bottom near bigelOH, and that
Ross was the principal party In carrying
out the plans. Miller turned States
evidence 10 .hs case, and implicated a
man Iamed Daniels With Ross. During
the trial lar2e number OF excited per-
Sous Surrounded the Justices Office, and
for a time il was thought all the prisoners
would bs taken out aud hanged.
About O'Clock in the evening the
examination was concluded, and Daniels
aud Ro,s wer5 sound guilty and ordered
TO be committed to Jail. At 3 O'Clock
Constable Rice started for BigeloU with
his prisoners. The party hsd proceeded
about hve miles, aud night was coming
on, when, Just as they were passing
lhrougd q Plecs Of heavy timber, Il mob
OF twelve or ffteen armed men sprang
from the brush and ordered q halt. The
constab!e had bnt one assistant, and
was, Of course, compelled to comply with
the crd,r, at the same time inqulflng
what this singular proceeding meant.
Oae of the men replied that they wanted
Ross, and Intended 10 have him.
The officer remarked that Ross was Ia
the hands of the legal authorities, aud
| would he dealt with according to law,
aud eartlestiy entreeted the party to at
tempt nothing ike mob violence. His
efforts were 10 vain. The men were stern
and determined, and resistance was use.
/ lees. Ross was taken from his horse and
led into the timber a distance of City
yards, and placed ufon the ground.
Tnen, for the first time, be seemed ia
realize his terrible fate, and q1ivered like
an aspen. A rope was thrown over the
limb Of stout 0 tk tre-, the prisoner was
placed hensath y, and the fatal moose
sdias ed about bis neck. One Of tht
msn then told him be had bat Sen mlnutet
to live. and urged him 80 make Clean
breast" Of all be knew in connection
with the sang OF horse thieves that had
Infested the coan,'y. Ross burst tearf
and pleaded for meTcy. BE admitted
that he had stolen horses, bat said that
yet he was a mere bov, ard there was
some time for reform. lie would give The
nau1es of none Of those with whom ht
had been associated, and again begged
that they would not hang him. The
Spokesman sternly Informed hin that be
nsd but i've minutes lttt, aud at tue SAINT
time four stout men took hold Of the ropt
preparatory 10 giving the fatal swing
For a moment the prisoner seemed 81
most ready TO sink 10 ths ground, auC
two Of ths party stepped forward to SUP
port him. Tbs mNu rallied again anC
made another appeal i5r Merey. Hi
capt0gs were silent, aud IL was eyiaen
that Gll further apI-Ais we're useless
There was silence Of fully a minute
during wAich the steady click Of thl
rsN ft dfus y. ha a.
h01rd. /. was u s.id AMI solemn scene -
the young boy standing SO close On th
verge OF nc grave, the Q ,ther.ng shadow
Of nignt casting their gloom "rOuud, eni
those slern, dsterniued cIplOrs, who's
purpose It was evident no entrea ,
could change. Another minute al
Ross was engaged IA fsyer, speaki"g il
tone go low that scarcely "A word lJul
he distinguished. but lew sentence
had been uttered when word was give
that "tiale Was up, and after The singl
exclamation, IA, my q d = he bod
OF the horse THE. was dangling ten fee
from Tie ground. For fully Two minute
there were strong, conyulsve strugg les
The hands were thrown up 10 catch IN
rope, and 30 ] IS were tafowu y.o!eutl
around, wita every evileAcs OF ilt1ns
suffering. Then the htuis dropped
the si!c, and tie boiy hutg a liieles
, mass. After watching 70 some iiftee
INMATES, AMI hecOming = yircly satisie
that tho mao was dead, The eXeeuliOaei
; mounted tn horses, which were hitche
q near by, and left The place.
In the meantime, constable Rice ar
, bis assistant had FASTENED to Oregu
with Daniels, and notified the authori.i'
Z Of what had occurred. A large party {
I c.tiz,ns FASTENED to the spot, only TO fir
. the body Of Ross hanging to the limb Of
] tree.