The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-21
Sundays Dispatches.
cRIME's CALENDAR.
Lynch1ng OF the Laprads Murderers-
other Criminal Doings.

NASHVILLE. Tenn, Feb. I9.-The
american Springfield special Gays: The
mob which lynched the Laprade murder
ers retarIed home. It was composed OF
two hundred men. When the mob came
to the court room door they met the
sheriff. presented pistols at his head and
ordered the light put out. Taking the
prisoners upon the execution of this order,
they hurried them to the east room door
Of the court house, where ropes were
awaiting them, and they were drawn up
quickly by those who had been selected to
accomplish this part of the plan already
laid out. They died without struggle,
except J i'm Elder, who had by force TO be
thrown heavily to the floor. tied, and then
hanged. Hundreds of shots were fred,
but none at the prisoners. The bodies
were guarded by the mob until they were
sure they were dead. and the leader then
gave the order: ''Dispsrse. nv men. to
yeur homes" and they imm ediatsly
departed, going in three directions. They
came in on horssg, but went to the court
house on foot. and were not discovered
till they met the prisoners at the door. 1t
10 thought that the cause of this trouble to
night was the missing Of Billy Murphy
and Anthony Duffy at l2 O'Clock last night
when they went right into the vicinity
where they com mitted their horrible crime
They were seen there to day, and the
people feared the prisoners would appeal
from the verdict of the jury. and then If
the c&se was sent back they would have
no witnesses. They were deter
mined there should be no escape. for
beyond a doubt the men were guilty
This is the verdict of every citizen who
heard the testimony, 1t is also thought
L.k h.r-hr nDG1 x-,n H. L.. .,,I
lynche0 to night 1t was not generally
known that Murphy and Duffy were
released, but when they were seen to-day
the news spread rapidly and the people
came in to night and wreaked a terrible
vengeance upon the remaining five. There
was no whiRkey in the crowd. They were
under strict discipline. The only demon
stration was deafening yell and the die
charge of ire arms when the Ave were
launched into eternity, No outsider was
allowed to approach the scene until all
were pronounced dead, and then it was
announced that the man who cut them
down did go at his peril. When the
writ er went to the square the second time
be had no trouble to get to the court house
and examine the bodies. They were all
suspended from the small veranda close
together. Higgins and Elder in their
death struggle got their ropes twisted. and
they now hang seemingly from tbs same
rope. This makes ten men lynched in
Springfield within Lhe last two years Two
OF them, Sadden ard pearson. it is be
lieved were innocent. Ramsay was killed
for shooting young lady who is now alive
but the last seYen were guilty aud deserved
their fate, end jury would have said so
had they been given few more hours
time. but an outraged community could
wait no longer, and 20 night put to death
the perpetrators of the most horrible
crime that ever blackened the records OF
our county.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. 19-I. is re-
ported that Duffy and Murphy, the Lap
rade murderers who turned States evl-
dence, we're found hanging to tree near
Guthrie, this morning.
OTTAWA, Feb. 20,-While 10 a process
sion of Sunday school scholars at Hull,
girl named Garrett was abducted by her
brother in law, aided by over hundred
French Canadians who attacked the pro-
cession. Her conversion to Professionalism
is the only known reason.
ST. Louis. Feb. 20,-Henry ID. kothe.
a wealthy farmer living near Glasgow,
No., suicided yesterday morning BY shoot
ing himself through the head he was
prominent church member aDd highly es-
teemed No cause known.
The Criminal Court. in session short
time to day. received the report OF the
jury In the case Of Antonio Parafi. the
Italian who has been on trial several dafs