The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-04-02
LYNCHlNG.
Wallace Taken from Hall by
AN Infuriated Mob.
A NOSE ~ PLACED ABOUT HIS
NECK, AND HE ~ DRAGGED
4 LONG DISTANCE.

I
NECK, AND HE ~ DRAGGED
a LONG DISTANCE.
Special Telegram to The Inter-ocean.
WHEELING, w. Va, March "A. The
prophecies OF the lynching OF John
Wallace, the man who committed the
triple murder at Littleton, w. Va, on
the 18th inst, have been fulfilled in a
most horrible manner, aud his soul has
been suddenly hurried into eternity.
This feeling was further aroused by
the evidence Of the physicians, who
swore positively that both Mrs. George
Wallace, alias Baker, and Miss Church
had beer outraged, and that the out
rage had apparently been repeated
several times in the case OF the latter,
who was only n school girl about II or
10 years Of age.
PARTY or FIFTEEN REsoLUrE MEX
met in a building on the outskirts Of
the town and laid their plans carefully
TO take the prisoner from the house
where be was confined and hang him.
They were all armed with revolvers.
aud were determined TO fight the
guards il necessary. They marched
singly through the streets to the house
IN question, where they we're joined by
ten more men, also armed. They APP
preached the first guard aud demand
ed admittance. He refused, and they
drew their pistols and fired several
shots in the aiT, and the man ran of.
catering the front door noisily, they
began knocking of the lamp chimneys
with their pistol barrels, and, as the
wind was blowing strongly, the lamps
were soon extinguished and the place
was in utter darkness. Then the mob
began firing into the ceiling and shout
ing as IL they were SO many devils.
They fired about in such reckless
manner that several OF their party were
slightly wounded. When Wallace
heard the uproar he began sobbing
and praying, and as the door OF his
room opened, and the first OF the
lynchers made bis appearance, he
sprang behind one of the guards and
screamed, my Cod don't kill me.
Save me- Save mel" The mob laugh
ed at his cries, and after knocking the
guard down and tramping on him, they
IHRRw WALLACE on HIS BACK AND BE-
GAN To TIE HIS ARMS.
Again he screamed in agony, as great
drops Of perspiration rolled down hls
face, Don't murder, don't kill me-
For Gods sake give me time 10 pray!
| want 20 see n minister" One Of the
men yelled: "You God d-n murderer,
Miss Church wants TO see you, and by
God she shalll' After placing the rope
firmly about his neck, they dragged
him down stairs headforemost, and out
OF the house onto the railway track,
where he uttered the most horrible
cries--cnrsing, praying. and begging
them to let him go. They paid no at
tention to him, but began
RUSNING WITH HIM AS IP HE WERE A LOG
OR BARREL.
They took places one behind the other,
and presently began to run. Wallace
did not stop crying until he had been
dragged nearly n quarter OF a mile.
He vainly tried to regain his feet, and
stand mp. but whenever he did so, the
mob would pull the rope the rope sud-
denly, aud jerk him on his back. After
khAhb AAAAAo hNAON islltttNOns
they stopped
AND HUNG THE BODY TO TREE.
IL ia supposed, Of course, thst Wal
lace was dead by this time. At 6
o'clock lie was found dangling from a
limb Of an apple tree along side Of the
railroad, his feet about three feet from
the ground. When the early passen
ger train on the Baltimore and Ohio
passed the place. there was great com
motion among those on bord, and the
train Stacked speed in order to give the
people n chance TO look az the lynchcrs'
work. When the body was examined,
the
SPINE AND NECK WE'RE POUND TO DE
BROKEN,
the body horribly mangled and bruised.
A Coroner's Jury was at once summon
ed. and they returned n verdict 10 the
effect that he came 10 his death by
hanging, at the hands Of unknown per-
sons.
FOLLOWING LETTER WAS FOUND
in his pocket written TO his wife, Mrs.
Mary Wallace. from a husband TO n
wife: II will probably never see you
again. am n prisoner and expect TO
be hanged for the murder Of those who
I confessed 20 have killed. Dear Mary
cannot tell the reason / did it, only
through the hatred I had against
George for the way he talked about
yon when we were staying at his house
what they said about you after we went
back to your fathers. That is, what
Mary said that they said about you. /
am sorry to say that / was persuaded
by Henry Nillars more or less, and was
drinking some. | was committed TO
Jail for further examination. Dear
wife, l would like to sec you, but |
cannot see unless you get well and
come. Come to see me, darling, il you
can, come and see me, comel Write
me line or two and send TO me right
away. II / live TO get to Jail, / will
write 20 you and tell YOU all have 10
say. Write soon. From Your hus-
baud, JoHS WALLACE.
"P Sd will trust in God to save
my soul Good-by, dear wife, good-by,
your once loved husband, and / hope
you will never forget me. Let God
be your comforter. God forbid that
any shall do as L have done. j."
The corpse is now waiting burial al
Burton. Hundreds of people have
looked at il. and not one expressed any
regret.
When some women approached il,
they seemed 20 act as though il we're a
dead snake or wild animal, and were
afraid il would come TO life.
The dead Wallace accused Henry
Villars of suggesting the murder when
he was on his trial. and he repeated
the same thing just before he was taken
from his room by the mob, as Villars
had n quarrel with George Wallace.
The story is beginning to be believed,
and there is strong talk OF lynching
| NIllars.
Nothing has as yet been done toward
arresting those who hung Wallace, but
some action will be soon taken by his
father and by the officers OF the State.