Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-07-07

"a uoseht u0IAai, Uy II. ID. COCnre0.
md an inquest was held and the YER
lict of the jury rendered late yester-
lay evening.
The jury, composed Of some of
he very best citizens, met in the May
or's office, in the City Hall, at about
O'Clock T. NJ, and under the direc.
ton Of Coroner Lathrop, at once pro-
ceeded to make the investigation.
The first witness sworn was
". E. CHAMBERS.
who testified to the fact OF hearing a
ashont in the afternoon, about two
O'Clock, and looking out of a window
in his office, in the second story of the
building, on the corner of Market and
Second streets, saw rope thrown over
a lamp-post-a afterwards saw q man
pulled up to the post. Did not know
who pulled the rope; saw several
hands hold of it; was not near enough
to see who had hold of tho rope; went
up to the City Hall abont ten minutes
after saw tho man hanging there when
I left; suppose it was Smith who was
hanging there.
-. GEO. W. DEvIN
being sworn, said substantially That
at about 2 o'clock, r. NJ, he was in
Brown Il Christies office, over the
First National Bank, heard . shout in
the street, and knowing that the pris-
oner was having q preliminary exam.
ination, feared some violence, ran
down into the street. Before passed
the post Office, some one said, sthey
have shot him." / hurried into the
crowd in hopes of preventing violence,
did not stop until got quite close
to the deceased. He was hanging on
the lamp post in front of the City Hall,
and when got inside the circle man
in his shirt sleeves, about five feet four
inches, or five feet six inches high,
rather heavy and compsctly built, was
tying the rope around the lamp post
near the ground. The rope was An
ordinary halter rope-(here a rope was
presented)-thought it was larger
perhaps it was the came; used words
| of remonstrance did not remember
what they were, but was answered by
this man. Having heard that Smith
was shot before, I looked into his face
Gracefully and concluded that he was
dead. Had hand on the rope and
one on the post supposing some one
would come forward and assist
in releasing him. No one
showed any disposition to do
go. There were many threats made
by persons present; parties beckoned
me away. One man, farmer, whom
I knew beekened me. 70 .Assass 81 dom,
know the name Of the party who tied
the rope did not know who threaten.
ed, but the demonstrations came prin.
cipally from the left as l stood with
my hand on the post; did not pay
very much attention 10 the crowd, only
to see If any of the persons were COM
ing to his assistance; went with the
purpose of taking the body down
looked carefully to see If he was dead
and came to that conclusion. Ny
whole intention was to try and save
him saw no pistols or hostile demon
STATIONS other than a. above.
MARSHAL yANNAMAN gs
testified substantially as follows :
Brought John Smith from jail to the
City Hall between one and 2 O'Clock.
Brought him before the Mayor for
preliminary examination. He desired
to come. He was told before leaving
the jail that he could waive an exam
ination, but he insisted On trial. AT.
ter he was brought down to the City
Hall he wanted to 60 back to the jail
After he waived his rights, q mittimul
was issued to return him to prison.
took him by his left arm, told tn,
Deputy Marshal to cleaf the way. 81
then took hold of the prisoners RICH
arm. After getting down stairs and
leaving the Hall door Is OF. 30 feet
the crowd rushed in and took him
away from us by force. Who ID,
crowd were, or Whist, l did mot know
Had no anticipation Of what was I.
come. The crowd was no larger thar
might be expected under the cir
cumstances. He fought the yer,
best he could to retain possession o.
the prisoner, but could not retain him
Did not know who was leading thu
crowd. Conld not say who The crowd
was composed Of Some persons came
up behind me, put their hands ovei
my eyes so / could not see. Tn,
crowd was not drunk or b0isterous
There was no personal violence, bat
severe struggle. The crowd cam,
partly after me from the jail
part we're staying around the Hall
There was probably five hundred
or six hundred persons around The
Hall. When / started with the pris.
oner for the jail, there were yells Of
Hang him y" Lynch him i" "Strinp
him up!". The crowd jerked him
loose, threw me down andrtramped
on me. ] overdid myself in The
struggle; did not get hit did not sec
the rope put oyer his neck /; the crowd
kept my face from towards the prison.
Ter; resched for my pistols, but my
hands were jerked away tried to gel
to the body to cut it down, but the
crowd kept me back. Informed thu
prisoner at the jail that he had . RICH,
to waive examination, and need no,
come out He was anxious TO come
ont. Ho said / was the man he wa,
after; said so in the presence Of ton 0,
fifteen persons. He never spoke aftel
.