The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-11-26
Lyncling of Ed, Maxwell.

A week or two ago 1t was mentioned that
instead of the boy Publ of Metamors, who
was having big scare up in Wisconsin on
account OF having been mistaken for Lon Will
liams, one of the Wisconsin desperadoes, whom
justice was IN hot pursuit Of for half dozen
of murders, the real Williams boys, alias Max.
well, Ed. and Lon, had been encountered not
far from Omaha, Nebraska, where Ed. was
captured but Lon made his escape. Ed, after
some delay, was fully identified, after which he
owned up both to his identity and the murder
of the Coleman brothers of Pepin county, Wis,
in July last, and then was conveyed to Wis
consin for trial IN the county where the muir
der was committed. He arrived at MenomOnee
on Thursday of last week, where an immense
crowd had gathered to greet him, on whose
exhibited and then lodged IN Jail over night,
after which, on Friday, Sheriff knight con.
veyed HIM to Durand, and lodged In jail to
await his trial 1t was arranged that he should
have preliminary examination at 2 o'clock
on Saturday, but he waived 1t, and up to that
hour people from the surrounding country
came locking into Durand so that the court
house yard was thronged with men and wo-
men.
Then, proceeds the Times dispatch, the prs-
oner made a statement, confessing the shoot
ing of the Coleman brothers. and what he
claimed to be the facts connected with the af-
| fair, and that he should claim that il was done
in sell.detense. Immediately thereafter arope
was thrown over his neck. He made a feeble
hut momentary effort To release himself but
was instantly jcrked down, then through the
aisle down the stairway TO the ground and
dragged to tree few rods distant. The rope
was thrown over limb and Ed Maxwell
was left swinging between earth and heaven.
1t appears that the lynchlng was preconcerted,
and If not participated III by the masses re-
ceived their tacit consent. The widow OF
Charles Coleman and Henry Coleman and his
wife were present aud witnessed the taking of
Maxwell from the custody OF the law. When
the Times correspondent left Durand the body
was still hanging. So rapid were the move
ments of the vigilants that death from strangu.
lation ensued before they reached the tree.
There was intense excitement at Durand, and
even those who did not approve of the sum.
mary method by which Maxwell was executed
,, did not give expression to their disapproval
The following is Maxwell's confession:
1--WE killed the Coleman boys in selfde.
tense, but didn't know them from Adam. We
were sitting in the grove up town when We
saw them pass us. They had guns with them,
and looked around often, as IL searching for
something. We knew there was no game
ABOUT there, aud that they wouldn't go hunt
ing Sunday if there was; SD We knew they
were after US, aud kept sharp look out.
When they got past us they started to run.
Then we got over the fence and followed them
up the road, thinking we were surrounded and
caught 10 a trap. We had not gone far before
we met them, and the one nearest the fence
(Nichol Coeman) fired first, his shot hitting
Lon in the face and arm. Charley fired at me,
and me at Kim, a second later HIS shot struck
my arm, and he tell to my bullet, but got on
his knee and fired again. Lon had shot the
other one before that, and both men were
down. Then we turned and ran"
He sent for reporter IN the morning and
said to him: II haven't any friends here; |
guess haven't anywhere; but you don seem
particularly hostile, and I'd like 10 ask you
what you think about my waivig an exsmins-
ton. They told me | was to be examined at
0 O'Clock this morning, but now | hear the
district attorney says be won't be ready until
e O'Clock In the afternoon. l guess II | waive
a hearing he won't have much to get ready.
What do you think about it!" The reporter