The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-04-10
Nebraska Correspondence.
HASTINGS, NEB., March 20, 1879.

IN fIb., NldTCu l0ISs
/ presume your readers are more or
less familiar with the details of the
crime of which I. p. Olive and others
are charged, and for which a grand
them, for murder in the firss degree.
Many, however, may have forgotten
the circumstances connected with the
tragedy, and as the proceedings. of the
trial will probably rapidly follow this
communication, I will state q few cir
cumstanees which led to the arrest of
these men,
Mitchell and Ketchum lived in the
vicinity of Plum Creek, and near the
cattle range of Olive. Olive had charged
these men with stealing cattle, with
what degree of justice 1t has never con-
clusively appeared, as they were never
arraigned before q court of justice.
Stevens, a brother of Olive (who was
compelled to change his name in con-
sequence of his crimes) was deputised
to effect their arrest, but it was known
Stevens and Ketchum were sworn and
deadly enemies, and if justice had been
sought when the arrest was decided
upon, Stevens would have been the last
man in the State of Nebraska to have
called upon to effect it, for his gar
ments were already stained with MUIR
der and crimes innumerable, but he
went. AS soon as he arrived at the
ranch, he and his possee opened fire,
which was returned, and Stevens was
a corpse. Mitchell and Ketchum dis
appeared, but were subsequently cap
tured by Sheriff Gillen, of Custer, and
Sheriff Anderson, of Buffalo counties,
at what'point have forgotted. They
were brought to Kearney, where Sher-
iff>Anderson stopped, that town being
his home Gillen took a train on the
U. p. Road with his prisoners, and
went as far as Plum Creek station, but
Loup City was their destination, a viii
lage short distance from the station,
where they Were to be taken for pre-
liminary trial. While en- route they
were Overtaken by u mob, with whom
Gillen, it is claimed, eO-operated, and
Ropes were thrown around the necks
Of their victims, and they were led to
the place of execution by a band of
devilish fiends, whose c0wardice does
not entitle them even to the name of
The prisoners We're hand
cuffed and their feet shackled, and
when they arrived at the place agreed
upon, tile loose ends of the ropes were
thrown over the limb of n tree, and
they were helpless. Their clothing
was saturated with Kerosene. Prayers
and appeals for mercy, We're as power
less to thwalt their. hellish intent, as
the idle wind that famed their brows.
by rum, by inherited and
cultivated depravity, the lighted match
was applied. God in Heaven! have
mercy upon those shrieking victims of
mans debased passiOns-tbere is no
other hope their agony and horrible
despair, only intensifies the enjoyment
IF these brutes in human form. To
add If possible to their terrible torture,
knives were used to lacerate the flesh.
The story of Promethius,w who, pfor,pt-
ID by ambition, tortured by the rack"
| COrinthian slave, that he might trans
er to his canvas the picture of horrible
despair wrung from him by slow tor
ure,-was Christian noble act in COM
,arison to the crime committed by
ome one on the persons of Mitchell
md Ketchum, and with which Olive,
1illen and others are indicted.
Olive has property estimated to be
worth from $4,000 to $50, 900, and no
fort has been spared by his attorneys
o corrupt the press and suppress evil
lence leading to his conviction. Jour
lals that once denounced him with all
he bitter epithets that pen could in
'ent, remain passive and without COM
nent. Some have had the audacity to
ven publish stories of the imagina-
ion, without foundation in fact with
he view of his escape from justice.
journals whose regulations are of
more intrinsic value than all the blood
money that Olive and his cremators
an command, are not performing their
|uty to Nebraska or it's citizens, whose
lonoras law abiding State they are
,ound by every sense of honor and
ustice to uphold. SALEM PRATT.