The daily gazette., 1880-07-28

his captors and said:-"You must all be
damned fools. ALI you can do is te
hang me, and. if you do, tell you now
that my death will be revenged. You
are damned towards to take man out
and hang him without giving him a
chance to get lawyer"
BY this time large black heart cherry
tree, which suited the purpose admirably
had been found and Diggs was
notified that his hour had come.
A LAST FIGHT FOR LIFE.
A short rope was produced and three
of the lynchers approached him to pinion
his arme, which up to this time had
been left free, when suddenly the rufian
turned upon his captors. With a
tremendous blow he knocked one Of them
down and quickly seized another by the
throat, checking him until he was nearly
black in the face and compelling to shout
for assistance. When another of the men
attempted to loosen the fellows grasp he
seized him with his teeth by the hand
and bit him severely. BY this time the
crowd closed around him and fighting
with the ferocity of tiger, he was fore
ed to the ground and by sheer force Of
numbers was overpowered. Then his
arms were securely pinioned behind
him and he was raised TO his feet. But
the fellow was game, and darting q
look of ferocity at those around him he
almost Lissed through his teeth
"Oh,you - towards; just take these
shackles off of me and I'll show,you. what
lean do"
While this scene was being enacted
the rope had been passed over limb Of
the cherry tree, with the moose dangling.
A horse was then led under the moose,
and Diggs was lifted on his back. This
plan die not work and the horse was
stand under the limb and the moose was
placed around his neck and tightened.
The leader was about to give the order
to swing him up, when one of the
lynchers asked and obtained permission
to offer up shortprayer for, the unhappy
wretch whose soul was so soon to be
ushered into eternity.
THE EXECUTION.
The prayer being ended the leader
shouted .'Now, pull away men," and in
an instant the body was dangling in
space. Strange to say, he made not the
slightest movement from the time he
was hauled up until life was pronounced
extinct, which was in twenty-five
minutes afterward, death having ensued
from strangulatiOn. Some of those pre-
sent wished to discharge pistols into the
culprit's body, but this was not counte-
nanced.
Every precaution to prevent disclo-
fotr nj
was made to hold up their hands and re-
peat after the leader the following oath:
"I do solemnly swear in the presence of
Almighty God that Will never reveal
the names of those present, or disclose
what was done here this day."
After all had satisfied themselves that
the wretch was dead, they quietly dis
persed and went back to town by differ
ent roads. Your correspondent saw the
body about one hour after the hanging,
and as 1t swayed to and fro 1t presented
horrible and sickening sight. The eyes
were wide open and staring, while the
large mouth stood agape, with the tongue
swollen and protruding between his
teeth. The Deputy Sheriff notified the
Coroner of the county, and jury of in
quest was summoned. The Coroner's
jury met about quarter to nine at the
place where the body was hanging, and,
persons, the body was cut down.
THE ooRoNER's INQUEST.
After an examination the jury came
to the unanimous verdict, "That John
Diggs came to his death by strangula-
ton at the hands of parties unknown.
Sheriff Kelchner stated this morning
that Diggs made full confession of the
crime to him previous to the Jail being
forced. DiRgs stated that he left the
house of Mr.. Tschiffely barefoot, carry
ing his shoes In his hands. He put these
on when about ten miles from Darnes-
town. He also related to the Sheriff all
Of his movements from the time of COM
mltting the crime until he was captured.
was very reticent. He told the Sheriff,
as he told others who conyersed with
him, that he was drunk at the time.
There is general feeling Of appreciation
here at the course pursued by the Vigil
lance Committee. A feeling of security
prevails now that the county Is rid of
this black-hearted scoundrel, whose bru-
tality made a happy home suffer, and
laid a respectable lady almost at deaths
door, besides uisfigurinE her for life. The
farmers in this section of the country
had become afraid to leave their homes
for an instant while wives
or daughters were at the mercy of vii
lains under the guise of negro laborers.
Therefore general satisfaction is express
ed that this case has been made an ex-
ample of. Mrs. Tschiffely is still serious
ly i'll, but there are strong hopes OF her
recovery.