Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-11-18
Il HUMAN WOLF.
ohio's Latest LynchiDg-Terribie
Fate of Tom McDaniel-The Way

| Iour correspondent took horse and
buggy and drove to the scene of the
tragedy, and procured full history of the
outlaw and the details of the summary
manner in which be was launched into
eternity. The village is in the eeptra Of
hne farming country, which is threaded
In all directions by system of fine woods.
| The country for miles around. from
Dsrbysville to Mount Sterling in Madison.
and from Harrisburg and Bonors Corners,
IN franklin, TO Commercial Point. in
Fickaway, Is populated 10y one of the most
prosperous class Of farmers in Ohio. The
roadsides are dotted with brick houses and
fine barns, such as ore seen in the fiue
farming country about York, Pa. They
are lawabiding and social and have been
happy until the last 10 years, during which
time Tom Mcdaniel has terrorized this
whole region of country, engaging in all
sorts of deyilish and oiabolical tricks with
impunity. His chief passion has been to
cut, carve and shoot. His greatest weak
ness has been for brass-handled pistols
and two-edged knives. He came to this
country when q lad IL years old. His
home WAS formerly at Falmouth, Ky. from
whence he tlsd to escape arrest for engag-
ing in a cutting scrape. He knocked
around ut odd jobs, and about 10 years ago
he began work for Mr.. Decker,a large land
owner, as a farm hand. He was fellow
of fine address,, and at that time was
handsome. He beguiled young daughter
of Mr. Decker's-Aliee-and ran off with
her when she was only 16, and was mar
ried TO her. The elopement created great
scandal and excitement in the neighbor-
hood, and the girls brothers, Boene and
Peter d. acker, swore they would kill Tom
on sight.
| Notwithstanding their threats Tom re-
turned in week from his bridal trip, rode
into the Point with his brass pistols and
his BRIDE, painting for gore and eager for a
fray that would enable them to decimate
the Decker heirs, aud thus increase his
wife'a share of her fathers vast property.
Decker owned 300 acres of land. He set
apart about 100 acres for Alice aud her
husband and built neat little cottage on
the edge of the woods just to try Torl
and see if he would not do better. Tom
rewarded his wife's fathers confidence by
Immediately beginning to do worse. He
refused to work, aud the condition of the
outhouses on the farm shows that agricul.
ture WAS not his forte.
Shortly after his marriage he attended
wolf hunt at Bloomfield, and on his way
through the Point he became offended at
Thomas Beckett dry goods merchant,
and, getting of his horse, he proceeded TO
hammer Mr.. Beckett. "a hundred persona
standing by afraid to interfere. A by
stander finally pulled him off and pre-
vented him Draining B scket with piece
of buggy shaft. Several years ago there
was house warming near Barron's
Cavern, in the southern part of Franklin,
and Tom went down without an Invitation
to help warm the house and the guests
In the midst of the dance he provoked
quarrel by stepping on the toe of couutry
gentlemen who was fastidious enough to
| object, and, whipping out one of his pis-
tolls, he began firing into the crowd and
brought down man named Hook Breck-
enridge by shooting HIM in the thigh.
| Tom WAS not arrested for this eccentric
contribution to the evenings entertain
ment. Later he turned detective and
| went 10 arrest man named Crawford
near Mount Sterling, who was charged
with throwing stones at a train ON the
Muskingum Valley, near Washington
Court House. He rushed into the room
where Crawford was eating meal, shot
him in the face and then arrested him.
He was never mclested for this little
pleasantly by ths officers of the law.
|
a fair maiden of doubtful repute at the
American House, in Darbyville. He never
stepped to inquire whether his intentions
would be agreeable, but called on her one
night when tho village was wrapped ia
slumber, by climbing on a pediers wagon
and going through the window. On the
inside he fonnd gentleman, called
sport, named o. s. Renick, who gave Tom
a warm welcome, They fought over the
room and stairs until the house was as
bloody as butchers pen.
His last esospades are numerous and of
recent date. A short time since he was
taken to Circleville aud put in Jail for
stealing buggy. He went to neigh
boris house, hi,ched his horse to new
buggy and drove of
Toms latest ambition has been to thrash
the entire population of Commercial
Point, and he has threatened after doing
this to lay the place i ashes. This spring
he WAS ont squirrel huuting with un old
fashioned shotgun In firing it piece of
the cap few into his right eye, which ran
out Of the socket. He paid no attention
To it, and went about o. i nothirg had
happened. He didn't seem TO know what
pain was. About u month ago he went
into Martin Beavers place AT the Point.
Martin runs grocery aud threshiog
machine, aud is one of the local nagnates.
He IL q magnificent specimen of physical
manhood, and relative of Toms wife.
Tom had taken dislike to Mart because
he would not let him turn everything
topsy turvy when he got filled up with
liquor. Tom informed him that he meant
to shoot him down. Mart did not wait
for him to execute his threat, but grsppled
! md shau all IA
Mcdaniel gotting the worst If it, and
Beaver took his pistols from him.
Last Monday Tom played his last act
dc entered Beavers place with knife Ia
his hand and announced that he had come
to wind up Beaver mortal career. Beaver
grapplsd him fore he could execute his
threat, kuccking the kuife out of his hand
ard then they had 1t rough and tumble,
poun ing and pummeliug. Beaver tried
to ROuge Toms good eye out and thus
terminate his powers for mischief. A
! bystander says he had it cut two or three
times and tried 10 pull il out but it would
, snap back with report of cork flying
out of a champagne bottle, and all this
time Tom never WINGED. One man says
Il have been in the army and all over the
South and seen all sorts of characters, but
Tom Mcdaniel was the most desperate
: and gamest mau | ever saw" Mcdaniel
was taken home to the care of his dis
tracted wife, whose devotion never fal-
tered, and under her care, with medical
aid, Tom was slowly recovering the use OF
his only eye.
Last night, about II 30, his wife got up
to lathe cloth and lay it on lis eye.
. She had just done this and was closing the
door, which had stood open during the
evening. when about eight armed men
appeared and ordered her to leave the
room, She complied without word oil
t screaming. She knew the end had come
D There wss no attempt at disguise. As the
wife went out loan was surrounded in
bed. and as he Strengthened up he said
v "Boys, are you going to kill meS"
There was no reply. His hands wer:
! bound and a moose, made out of a haltei
Y rope, was slipped over his head and tight
ened about his neck. He was led out
a No. he was dragged out Eight stout mel
a laid hold of the rope. Not q word wa,
: spoken. The programme had beer
a arranged, the tree selected and the leader
with a cooked revolver, bossed the job il
y silence. They dragged him over a raj
\ fence, over logs, through bushes for abou
400 yards to little red oak near the roaC
. side, where he was strung up. He neve
. spoke after he left the house. This morn
ing the early passers-by were horro
q stricken to see the nude body swinging Il
limb. II was after O'Clock before tn