The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-09-13
A KENTUCKY HANGING.


Four of the Henry County DesPeradoes
Swung OF by Citizens Committee-The
Probable End of n Dangerous Gang OF
Thieves and Murderers.
From the Cincinnati Enquircr.l
NEWCASTLE, KY, Sept. daylight |
this morning revealed the bodies OF old
Jim Simmons, Bob Goodrich, James
Goodrich and Sam Goodrich dangling
from a bridge just upon the outskirts OF
this little town of Newcastle, within an
hours ride of the scene of their crimes.
A "mob''-not a mob in the usual sense
of the word, but collection of outraged
citizens, who felt that forbearance had
ceased to be virtue, and that justice to
themselves, their families and their
State, required that they should take the
law in their own hands, and, while admin
istering a wholesome lesson and rebuke
to all law-breakers and murderers, rid
themselves and the country at large OF
the great danger which existed in their
midst.
One week ago the four members OF
the Jim Simmons gang of outlaws, who
had undergone preliminary examIna-
ton for one of their many crimes COM
mitted in this vicinity during the past
ten wears, were committed without bail
to await the action of the Court in Jan
nary next. There had been, after the
arrest of the men and during the early
part of the trial, disposition on the
part of the people to make sure work in
the disposition of the men who had dis
graced their State and county and rem
| dered life so uncertain; but the action
of the examining Court in holding
the criminals over without bail some
what allayed public sentiment, and 1t
was thought that the good citizens would
await the action of the law. This belief
however, proved incorrect, for the
slumbering fires of the volcano of pub
lie sentiment again burst forth last
night, and the wretches who have so
/ long escaped justice were overtaken by
its fiery torrents of Indignation and the
hempen halter, which in public opinion
these men have so long and so richly
/ deserved, did
A TERRIBLE WORK.
The first indication of the presence o
the mob was seen at about O'Clock
when about 20 men on foot, and witt
double-barreled shot-guns in thel
, hands, were observed by some citizen
who were on the alert, to move quietl.
upon the main street of the town from
, ,e west toward the house occupied b.
the Jailer. Arousing him, they com
/ PEELED him to accompany them to th
: Jail and unlock the door. The momen
l this was done about thirty men rushe
| inside, and, lighting candles which the
had with them, rushed into the cells oC
cupied by the men whom they wished
f ordering them to get up and dress. Tn
2 men seemed to fully realize their cor
dition, and prepared to meet their fat
with that stoical indifference which ha
! characterized their conduct from th
e first.
O OLD JIM SIMMONS,
o the leader, and, it is believed, the IL
e stigator of the crimes, received I'll
e summons without a word or sign of di
e pleasure, and dressed himself with a
the carelessness with which he wOul
! prepare for trip to his tObacco-patcl
, Sam Goodrich, while being tied by h
:, captors, asked permission to give h
money to the Jailer, to deliver to h
=. mother, which privilege was Above
=, him, with the injunction that he
quick about it. He turned over S43
- the Jailer, and then, turning to the mo
- gave himself again into their hand
:. Joe Goodrich, with the exclamatiO
- go, Lordy! they've got u.s." allow
> himself to be bound. Bob Goodric
who was generally counted the worst
ot the lot, at least in point of cruelty, as
lie ed his captors to grant him time to pra
l' The reply was, ''You didn't give On
10 time to pray! You can't have time ne
p yourselfl" His hands were quick
IN tied, and the rope, ready tied, W
he thrown over his head, and he W
~ forced from the cell. 1t will be remel
S; bered that Shuck, in his confessio
IN states that Bob was one of the croV
=" that drowned John Oman in the he
IL tuckey River, after shooting him throu
H. the arm, and that he refused to allC
Oman time to pray, though he begg
er for that privilege. In less than t
s. minutes from the time the doors we
as thrown open the men had dressed the
st. selves, their hands were tied, moo;
at were thrown over their heads, and fir
a ly grasped and guarded at each side,
v. front aid rear, and with drawn pist(
ed at their heads they were marched frc
,st Jail down the street leading to the We
W. OF town.
h SCENE OF THE EXECUTION.
p Following down the road at raj
pace, they soon came to bridge ov
of a branch of Drenan Greek, just Outsi
Nv the western line of the town. L
in bridge is about u feet high, an arch
al culvert and about % feet long. Alo
he either side was railing, supported
u heavy locust posts. This seems to ha
u been the spot agreed upon befOreha
We for the execution. Arriving there
so mob stopped, and, lighting candl
d; placed one upon each end of the bride
re They then tied the ends of the roI
n, which were about the victims necks
be the posts at the side of the bridge, a
on prepared, at the word of command,
pitch them over the bridge. Old j
r. Simmons and Bob Goodrich were Civ
sill places side by side upon the north 81
nd of the bridge, and Sam, and Joe Goo