Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-12-25
Lynching of Des Moines Murderer.

DEs MONIES, Iowa, Dec. Is.
MONDAY afternoon, in the District
Court of Des Moines, Charles Howard
was sentenced for life in the State Peni-
tentiary for the murder of John John
son, in this city, in June last. This morn
ing at three o'clock some 500 Vigilantes,
with their faces blackened, surrounded
the Jail, overpowered and bound the
jailer hand and foot, and took his keys,
and then overpowered in the same
manner the Deputy Sheriff and
the special guard of five men who had
been detailed by the Court to guard the
prisoner. Unlocking the doors, they
found their way to Howard's cell, where
he was in bed with his wife, the latter
being now under Indictment as acces-
sorry to the murder. The woman, see-
ing them coming, threw herself over
the breast and her arms about
the neck of her husband; but she
was soon thrown off and a rope
placed about Howard's neck, when he
was Immediately jerked out of bed, six or
eight Vigilantes leading him with the
rope. At the door some twenty more
took hold of the rope and he was
dragged, with no clothing ON but an
undershirt, through the hall, down the
steps and out through the Court House
yard, the Jail being in the basement
of the Courthouse, and hung to lamp
post at one of the gates. The whole
thing did not occupy fifteen minutes
They stayed near the body about five
minutes, when they separated. The
night was very dark and they were soon
out of sight, when the policeman
reached the body life was extinct.
1t is supposed that the lynching was
done by three anti-horse- thief societies
in the county, aided by unknown parties
in this city, but nothing definite has been
decided yet.
The excitement which has led to this
foul result has been growing for some
time, several mysterious murders having
been committed here recently-seven in
the space of four years.
The trial of Howard was protracted
and exciting, and the jury, being out for
nearly four days, finally compromised on
verdict of murder in the second degree.
1t was feared Howard would be lynched
last Friday night, the jury not then hav-
ing agreed and it being generally
thought they would agree to disagree.
But precautions were taken to prevent
it then and on Saturday morning the
verdict was returned. On Monday after
noon he was sentenced, and Judge Max.
we'll imposed upon him the extreme rigor
ofthe law-imprisonment for life. Every.
body here in the city seemed satisfied,
and the lynching fellNpon the city to its
surprise and horror. But Howards
behavior during the reading of the
sentence, laughing in the face of the
Judge and receiving his doom with
firmness, and his attempt to smuggle a
revolver into the courtroom for the pur-
pose, avowed afterward, of shooting the
Judge as he was delivering the sen
tence; his boast that he would escape
from the Penitentiary before six
months and return here to kill all
who had appeared against him in the
trial, and the appeal of his case to the
Supreme Court, reached the ears of the
Vigilantes last night and the result was
as stated above. u.H r. #e
The whole proceeding is most bitterly
felt by the citizens here, and the perpe
traitors are denounced in most .unmeas
ured terms. A large meeting of citizen:
passed resolution to this effect this af
ternoon. =