Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-05-14
LYNCH LAWl
Tho Second Mob Murder Near Des
Moines,


M0ines.
The paragraph in our last issue re
latlng to the alleged lynching of Geo
N. Kirkman, near Mitchcllville, Polk
county, was not true at that time
The man found hung was German
named Woockman, who had com
mitted suicide because his son had
cut off his supply of intoxicating
drink. But the report of Kirkman's
lynching was only prophetic-proba
bly,, to his murdcrers, suggestive-of
his death by the violent hands OF
lawless vigilants. which actually oc-
Cured at 3 o'clock OH Sunday NOR
ming last. The following account of
the dreadful deed and the motives
which inspired it, is from the As
sociatcd Press dispatches:
DIES MONIES. a., May 10.
Early this morning it was rumored
here that George N. Kirkman, Story
county farmer, had been taken out Of
his bed Sunday morning and hanged
until he was dead, by parties un-
known. The report was at first dis
credited, but later in the day reliable
reports were received stating that
such was the fact. A Coroncr's in
quest was held Sunday afternoon
They found the body badly bruised
and mangled, and that he had come
to his death by hanging at the hands
of a mob, only four or five of whom
directly participated, but as to who
the guilty parties were nothing was
developed. The testimony at the in
quest showed that no noise was heard
until Mr.. Kirkman was seized from
Mrs. Kirkman's side in the bed. So
suddenly was everything done, the
rope put around his neck and hauled
out Of the house, that he only uttered
one word-"Marion''-for his son-in-
law, Marion Hayes. Mrs. Kirkman
screamed and tried to catch hold of
him, raped on the door where Mr..
and Mrs. Haynes were sleeping, and
was going to follow Mr.. Kirkman
out Of doors, but her daughter would
not let her. The entire family then
remained in the kitchen bedroom till
daylight before going out to give the
alarm. Two shots were fired as he
was jerked oat of the house. From
the door the track looks as though he
had been jerked several feet. AS
they passed from the kitchen.door
they Immediately turned south, went
through the front gate III front Of the
south door, and then turned vest
Shortly after passing through the
front gate signs Of dragging were
visible, then for short distance the
signs disappeared, and then for about
the last half Of the distance he was
dragged over the entire ground. 1t
appears that, just after falling the
last time, he was dragged against and
over a stump, after which no signs
OF struggling were visible. A few
places along the route blood was Wis
ible. The tree upon which he was
hung was about inches in diameter.
The limb over which the rope was
drawn was only about l inch in
diameter. The bark was nearly worn
through by the friction of the rope.
The limb was 6 feet high. Mr.. Kirk
man was drawn up with his back
against the tree, his legs crossed and
still resting on the ground. Had he
been straight his knees would proba-
bly, have touched the ground. The
place where he was hung was hardly
20 feet from the place where he was
taken last winter by mob of about
eight or ten and threatened to be
hung. 70 follow SO near the same
track it looks as though the parties
had been over the ground before.
Mr.. George N. Kirkman was aged
between So and SO years; had lived
in Story County twenty-three years;
settled on his present farm in Indian
Creek Township, about mile from
Peoria City, in February, 1852, and
had a family of nine children,-three
sons and six daughters. Five of his
children are married Some time
last fall some trouble arose between
Mr.. and Mrs. Kirkman for some
tritling cause, in which, in the Ian
guage of Mr.. Kirkman, the blame
was half and half. Mrs. Kirkman
left the house, and went to her SON
in-law, Mr.. Zinsmaster. A short time
after, Mr.. Zinsmaster's barn was
burned, and Mr.. Kirkman was accus-
ed of being the person who set it on
fire. Mr.. Zinsmaster lived in Polk
county, and Mr. Kirkman was bound
over for his appearance at the Dis
trict Court. The day after the barn
was burned, Mr.. Kirkman was taken
into the timber, kicked and hauled
about in a very rough manner, and
was threatened to be hung then, and
probably would have been had the
mob agreed among themselves. That
was in daylight. Mr.. Kirkman had
three parties arrested and bound over
to the District Court in Story county.
When the court met Ill Des Moines
no Indictment was found against Mr..
Kirkman, and he was consequently
discharged. The District Court in
Story county will meet next Tuesday
and the chances were very strong
that the parties who mobbed Mr..
Kirkman would not be as fortunate
in getting away. Whether there is
any connection between these two
facts or not we cannot say. After
Mr.. Kirkman's trouble last fall, he
made Will in which some of his
children were remembered with moth
ing and some with plenty. His lands
were transferred, and many changes
were made. About five weeks ago
they were got together again, and
went back to their house, expecting
to live together hereafter. This will
was destroyed, the property re-trans-
ferred, and everything put in shape
as it was before.