River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-10-29
A Horrible sight at s,evers Po,,,.
lOshkosh Northwestern. Oct oo1

most slckenlng sights ever witnessed in
this part of the country. Just one week
from yesterday Sheriff Baker was shot,
and this morning his murderers were
found hanging to the branches of pine
tree about mile from the court house.
from where they were taken at an early
hour. There had been considerable talk
for some time that such would be their
fate, and the sheriff had taken every pre-
caution to make the prisoners as secure
as careful watching and iron bars could
make them. For fear that he
would be captured and the keys
taken from him, he locked the
doors and hid the keys, leaving Off.
Ger Wheelock, Of the police force, in
charge of the Jail, who kept close watch
until about one o'clock, when, thinking
all danger past for the night. he fell
asleep, and in about an hour was awak-
ened from his sumbers by two men, who
graSped him by the arms and cautioned
him to lie still or they would silence him.
They stood over him during the time
that the remainder of the crowd were
forcing their way into the Jail. The first
door they encountered was made of half
inch boiler iron strapped on both sides
with fiye-cghthS bar-iron. This door
they could not unlock, so they cut off
the top hinge and bent the door back al.
most double, forced their way through
the opening thus made and unlocked
each successive door TO the prisoners
cells, the same key fitting them all. How
or where they got a key to tit is only
known to the parties who used it.
When the cells were reached, the
prisoners were dragged out, and
forced through the opening made by
bending the outside iron door. All the
while this was going on, the Jail was,
guarded on the outside by about sixty
armed men, and the noise and confusion
on the inside were terrible. The prison.
ers, of whom there were quite a number,
wei all the time yelling murder" at
the top Of their voices. Wagons were in
readiness to convey the men to the place
selected for their execution. 1t was some
time before the officers were ready to
follow them, and it was sunrise when they
were found about a mile south from the
Court House, and about 90 rods west of
the road that leads direct TO Plover.
AS soon as 1t was discovered where
they were, your reporter fastened to the
spot, and the sight that met his gaze he
never wishes to see again. There were
two brothers hanging from the same tree,
old men, both of them having seen three
score years. And, to make the sight
still more shocking, their clothes were
completely covered with blood, which
showed that they fought desperately for
their lives. Isaiah's eyes were wide open,
and his position was such that the sun
shone squarely in his face. Isaiah was
the one who shot Baker. His neck and,
face were distorted, Amos, it is sup
posed, was nearly dead before the rope
was put around his neck.
The tree upon which they we're hung
was pine, about ten inches in diameter,
and whose branches extend over the
road. Appearances 90 to show that the
ropes were secured to the branches from
the wagon, and then the wagon drawn
from under. The shoe was off the right
foot OF each, which is supposed to be the
result Of accident. The coroner cut the
bodies down about 10 o'clock and an in
quest was held. The excitement was
very great, and hundreds of people have
visited the scene of the tragedy up to
the present time. Their bodies will be
taken to Plover for burial, some of the
family being buried there. Who the par
ties were who did the lynching is of
course mystery, and those who are
supposed to know arc silent on the ques-
ton. The mob Numbered nearly one
hundred well armed, desperate men, most
Of them, it is believed, came from Plover.
Whether any action will be made towards
arresting the perpetrators remains to be
seen, but the public feeling in great
measure ndorses the deed.