Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-12-01
A True Account Of the Capture and
Death of Ed. Williams.

The following account of the cap
ture and hanging of Ed Williams at
Dnrand, is taken from the Pepin Co.
Courier published in that city:
"From Sheriff Killian we get the
following account of the capture:
Monday night, Nov. 7th, two men APP
Piled at the house of German farmer
in Merrick Co. for lodging and food.
He did not ike their appearance and
sent them to the next farm house, that
Of German who had recently arrived
in this country and could understand
no English. After they had departed
the first mentioned hunted up an old
copy of a Milwaukee paper and COM
pared the description it contained Of
the Maxwells with the appearance of
the two men who had just left. Sat-
lsfed that they were the desperadoes.
instead of 'goose hunters from Hast
ings" as they claimed, he hurried to
Grand Island and notified Sheriff Xii
Ian of his suspicious. Killian sum-
moned three men that he could depend
on. They reached the house about 4
o'clock and called for some coffee,
stating that they were out after geese,
and had taken an early start from
home so as to be on the ground when
the geese commenced to fly. They
found Ed. and Lon. in bed, their Win
chesters near at hand They soon got
up and killian entered into converse
ton with Ed. The boys were soon
satisfied that they were not officers
and were entirely thrown off their
guard. Ed says that he was tempted
tie shoot Killian several times, but
''there was SO much Dutch gable that
he thought it was only goose hunt
after all" Lon stepped out of doors
leaving his Winchester in the adjoin-
room. Killian's plan had been to
capture them while eating breakfast,
but Ions departure changed his plan
and walking up to Ed. who was hold
ing his rifle, he took hold of it saying,
81 want to talk with you" a strug-
gle for the rife then commenced, the
other men joining in and Killian soon
wrested the gun from Ed. took it out
into the other room and hid that and
Ions also. He did not suppose they
had any other arms, but returned to
the struggle to find that his men had
Ed. on his back on the floor and he
had worked himself along to the bed
where he got both of his revOlvers,
but they were taken away before he
could use them Putting handouts
on Ed, Killian rushed out of the
house to find Lon. and found him
sooner than he expected. Lon. had
heard Eds cries and came running
around the corner Of the house with
two revolvers He fired at Kiilian
but missed, and the latter jumped in
side the door. Lon. tried to get in
but was confronted by doubled-bar
relied shot gun, which failed to go off,
and he thus escaped Search was
made for him, but so far without sue
seSs.
THE EXAMINATION.
Saturday afternoon the prisoner was
brought before Justice W. B. Dyer,
in the court room. The house was
crowded with men, women and child
rem from nearly all parts of this and
adjoining counties, anxious to get a
view of the notorious criminal. He
gave his name as William E. Maxwell,
and to the charge as read by the JUS
tice, entered plea of "not guilty"
He also waived an examination and
was committed for trial. Without
delay the officers started to conduct
the prisoner back to Jail.
THE TRAGEDY.
Just as the prisoner, in charge of
Sheriff Peterson, Deputy Knight, Dep
uty II. Coleman, of Dunn county,
Sheriff KilIian, of Grand Island, Neb.
Marshal Seeley and Thos. Garvin,
reached the bottom of the stairs, some
one cried, chang the s-n of b-h,"
and dozen or more determined men
tackled the officers. A man with
moose lodged in the door and soon
had it over the murderer's head with
a regular "hangm4n's knott under the
left ear. The officers made a desper-
ate resistance, but were overpowered
by superior numbers and hurried down
the hal! away from their prisoner.
Maxwell fought like tiger, but he
fought without his favorite weapons,
against men as determined as himself,
and in less time than it takes us to
write these lines, the rope was securely
round his neck, cry from the lead
er of "haul away - and the rope
frightened with a jerk that landed
Maxwell on the porch outside the
building, another jerk and he reached
the ground. from where he was dragg-
ed to aD old oak tree east of the court
house and quickly suspended 80 feet
in the air, with his handouts still on
and heavy pair Of shackles hanging
from his left foot As soon as they
could possibly get to him about Is
minutes) the officers cut down and
took charge of the body, which was
inferred in the Potter's
field of our cemetery.
While our citizens generally do not
countenance the lynching, we hear no
regrets. Mob law should always be
l. -. -.