Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-05-23

OF six men, selected by the Sheriff,
was placed over them. Then the
mob hung two of Chisholm's negro
servants up to trees with bride reins,
and tried to make them confess that
they had heard something to impli-
cate the Judge in the murder but the
poor fellows knew nothing, and were
| finally allowed to run to the woods.
AT 3 o'clock in the afternoon Gill
mer and Rosenbaum came INTO the
village with the Deputy Sheriff, dis
mounted and started to walk down
the main street to the Jail. They had
not gone dozen rods before a shot
was fired at Gilmer from the crowd
of armed men hanging about the
store doors. He ran down narrow
passage to the rear of the buildings,
only to find himself penncd in by
another detachment Of the mob. Es-
cape was impossible. and the defense
less man was killed like a rat in a
trap. Two balls were shot in his
head after he lay dead on the ground.
When the firing began Rosenbaum
clung to an acquaintance in the
crowd named Hull, and begged for
him and he was allowed to escape un-
harmed.
When Judge Chisholm went to Jail
/ all the members of the family-his
wife, a daughter Is years old, son of
l6, and two younger boys-knowing
that his life was in danger, and hop
ing that their presence might soften
the hearts of the mob, went with him.
After they were locked in, the daugh-
ter, Cornelia, fonnd that the guns of
the six guards were not loaded, and
that they had no ammunition. I'm
der pretense of going to procure
food for the family, the courageous
girl left the Jail, passed through the
crowd OF angry men, and returned
home where she hastily secreted n
powder-fask, bag of shot and some
newspapers for wadding under her
dress. Then taking some bread and
meat, she went back to the Jail. The
mob, leaving the stores and saloons,
now began to press around the build
ing and clamor for Chisholm's life.
Among the guard there was but one
republican, a cool, courageous Scotch
man named McLelland, who was n
personal friend of Chisholm. This
man stationed himself at the door of
tho Jail, and told the mob that if they
killed the prisoners two of them
should die for every life they took.
While eXpostulating with the mob,
and threatening them, he fell, shot by
five pistol balls. Three of the re-
naming guards now deserted their
post, and leaving their guns and TAX
ing with them the two Hoppers, they
went out of the Jail. There seems to
have been little personal animosity
against the H0ppers, and they min
gled with the crowd and got away
unframed.
The furious mob filed the lower
hall of the Jail, and broke open n
door at the foot of stairway leading
to the floor above, where the prison.
ers were confined. At the top of the
stairs there was another door with a
grating in it. The lock was broker
off with axes. While the blows were
falling upon it, Cornelia implored the
two remaining guards, Overstreet
and Wall, to fire through the grating
upon the mob pressing up the stairs,
but they refused. She then carried
the guns left by the other guards to
her father. After the lock yielded
the two guards tried to hold the door,
and the second son of the Judge, a
boy of l3, in aiding them, was shot
in the wrist. The mob pushed the
guards aside, and the men in advance
gained the upper landing, fired and
killed the poor wounded boy, who
was clinging to his father. First in
the brutal crowd came David Rosser,
planter and practicing physician.
He was instantly killed by the Judge.
AS soon as he fell the men, cowardly
as all mobs are, rushed out of the
building. There was lull for few
minutes; then the crowd outside be-
gan to yell, "Fire the Jail, burn them
out y Afterward they shouted, "The
jail is on fire!" 1t was strategem
worthy only of savages. Judge CHS
holm, believing that the wooden
building was already in flames, de-
termined to fight his way out and sell
his life as dearly as possible. He
came down stairs with his wife an d
three surviving children. The dea
bodies of JOHNNY Chisolm and DR..
| Rosser had previously been carried
out by Oyerstreet and Wall, who left
the Jail to get out of harms way. AT
| the foot of the stairs the hunted fami-
ly found the hall full of armed men
One man stuck his gun through the
grating of the door against the brea st
Of Judge Chisolm, but Cornelia
thrust it aside. Avolley of shots were
fired against the door. The Judge
pushed it open and got into the hall.
Mrs. Chisolm fired both barrels out
Of shot gun, and wounded one OF
tho assailants in the face. The mur-
| derous mob closed in around their
victim. His daughter clung to his
neck with one hand and with the 9th.
er thrust away the guns aimed at him.
Her hand was shattered by ball and
five shots struck one of her legs
Judge Chisolm fell, wounded in elev-
ell places. The mob believing the Y
had accomplished their purpose, left
the Jail.
The wife and son of the Judge, aid.
ed by a citizen, who, for wonder
showed spark of humanity, carried
the wounded man to his home, a few
hundred yards across the commons.
A body of men stopped them on the
way and were about to fire on the
Judge, when Miss Cornelia, with the
remarkable courage and self posses.
sion she showed throughout the
whole tragedy, assured them that her
father was dead, that he had died in
her arms in the Jail and persuaded
them not to mutilatc dead BODY
The bleeding and unconscious man
was then got within the shelter Of his
own house. Toward evening the
murderers rode out of town.
Judge Chisolm is still alive. but his
recovery is scarcely within the
bounds of probability. visited him
this evening. He said: II want to
live for the dearest wife in the world
for my children and for my country
| am dying for my country The
sturgeon forbade him to talk more
| The brave young girl, though suffer.
ing severe pain from her shattered
right hand, is cheerful and hopeful
The surgeon says he never saw a wo.
mann with such nerve, and that she
bore the severe pain of extracting Tho
shot from her leg and dressing hel
hand without groan. She has a
sweet, intelligent face, dark brown
hair, and pair of large resolutc blue
eyes. The Chisolms are people of 1
refinement and culture exceptional