Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-12-25
Lynch Law.
THE EXECUTION OF DR.. RUsCH AT COyCoRDIA,
NO.-TERRIBLE SCENES.

/ iHE EAEttIlON Of DR.. RUsCH AT CONCORDIA, Z,
No.-TERRIBLE SCENES.
The Sedalia (Nlo.) Bd-oO gives the follow
ing particulars ofthe lynching ofDr. Rusch
at Concordia on the 5th instant
The doctor was single man. and lad
lived some time in Concordia, and had new
er been suspected even of dishonorable
act. He kept bachelors hall in the town
and lived by himself. On the night of the
| 4th instant, Friday, the store of Mr. Henry
| Stelgers was broken into and robbed OF
about $500 worth of goods. This new
robbery created Il great excitement in the
| usually quiet burg, as a series of rObberes
has been recently committed there. and no
! clew could be got as to the ones perpetra-
ting them. After close inspection of the
premises. the foot tracks of person were
found leading in the
DIRECTION OF RUsCH HOUSE,
and soon quite a number were on the trail.
The tracks entered his yard, but yet the
doctor was not suspected, and it was be-
lieyed the thief had taken this course to d.
vert attention and throw those who would
look off of the track The doctor met the
crowd at his yard gate and accompanied
them back to the store that had been rob-
bed Here council was held and it was
determined ID ferret out the rObber, and the
best means OF doing so was to search
EVERY HOUSE IN TOWN.
DR.. Rusch heard this decision. and at
once proceeded TO the bank and drew Sl65
he had deposited and, saddling his horse.
left the town. His action was discovered
at once, and suspicion fell upon him \
posse Of fifteen or twenty persons was dis
patched after the fugitive, on horseback,
while Il large number of excited persons
went to the doctors house and took the
shutters off the windows. 20 they could see
inside. To their astOnishment they saw,
lying in his room, the stolen goods. and
search warrant was Immediately sworn out
and the house entered. Their search was
rewarded by finding not only the property
taken from Stelger's, bat large amount
which was recognized as belonging to Fra
kin Il Stuenkel, whose store was robbed
and burned about six weeks ago Excite
ment now ran high, and was increased BIZ
the posse returning with the doctor, whom
they caught four miles from town. making
tracks for more cOngenial cline. Upon
nearing him he jumped from his horse and
took TO the brush He was fred az twice.
halted and captured. The posse turned
him over 10 Squire ". IL Tiemann ,who,in
addition 70 being justice of the peace, Is
cashier Of the bank. to which the prisoner
was taken. Dire threats of lynching could
be heard on every hand. The doctor made
FULL Confession
to Squire Tiemann.to the effect that he had
committed eight ditieren; .heits, which had
50 incensed the people Of Concorda. lie
also admitted having robbed Stueakel X
Co. : store and burning it TO remove all
evidence. This confession was carried %
the excited popul-ce outside. and added
fuel to the already dangerous fire. They
were furious and demanded the prisoner,
but the justice was determined to DO his
duty and protect him a. long as he could.
The outsiders then commenced
FIRING INTO TEE BANK,
where the prisoner was being guarded, and
the shots were returned from the inside,
but 1t only exa>perated the mob, which now
numbered over / hundred persons rush
was made Oh the building, and the doO-s
and windows broken in, the squire, coDsta-
bic and guards seized and held. while Others
1f the mob picked up the thief and hurled
him through the window. He was caught
by the outsiders. who seemed at first deter
mined to tear him to pieces. He was para
ded through the streets amid the Ieers OF
the populace and every indignity inflicted
upon him ! fye-eighth inch rope was
finally procured, and sentence Of death was
passes on the unfortunate doctor. lie was
then whipped through the streets over the
head with the rope, and begged piteously
for hi, life, bat the mob. like all others was
lnexorable. and answered his prayers with
boots and derisi0n He was then marched
to the gallows, a strip of timber in the out
er edge Of the town, followed BY nearly the
entire population. Arriving at the timber,
the moose was fastened around hi neck and
the end of the rope thrown over the limb OF
& tree, and gra>ped by the eager and ex-
ci:ed crowd, who in an instant had the
body OF the doctor
DANGLING IN MIp-AIR.
lie was soon let down, though, ans he
was asked after reSuscitatlng II he had an
accompiice. an impression that he had hav-
ing gained credence with MS exeeutiorer>.
lie denied having any. and was again
swung up. only 10 be let down again and
Questioned as before, with exactly the same
result third time this operation was
gone through with, and the almost dead
man persisted IN the statement that he was
alone in the TuhherieS, and begged and I'm
ploreG for the crowd TO save his life; but
Ihe fat had gone forth from that mob that
Or. Rusch shonli die, and that kind OF
body never offers any clemency. lie was
satisfied his time mad come, and then asked
the benefit OF clergy. Strange to say, they
Granted this reasonable request, and
Methodist minister responded. who offered
long and impressive prayer for the doomed
nan : soul. The doctor also commenced
praying. but hi, auditors were not impress
Cd with il, and Jclt niu, u
CUT II SHORT
He begged loE more time to pray. but MS
Impatient hearers swung him up with the
words on his lips. The majority OF the mob
STAYED until the last spark Of lie had fled.