The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-01-11
BARNES BAD BREAK.
His Crookedness Causes Him
to be Strung Up bya
Masked Mob.
He Was to Have Baeu MarrIe6 in
Sedslia on Tuesday Eve-
ming Last.

In Tuesdays BAzoo brief mention was
made that the store OF Frank NJ. S,otir. at
Prairie Ridge, Saline county, had been en-
lie, ed Sunday evening. she ith inst, hy n
burglar, who mad secured $3.50 in cg-h and
a revolver, but had subsequently, been ar
rested, having been traced hy tracks n the
snow. The thief proved 10 be man
named Thos. Barnes, travelling photo
grspher, who had beer doing business for
| a month OF 80 In teDi IN Prairie Ridge,
having come 10 that place !.Um Pi,o,
Grove, Cooper county.
Yesterday Mr.. Stotts, the ge:.iis man
hcse money Yves stOlrn, MAS IA Ssdaiia
and gave ihe RAzoo a cali. lie related a
story in connection with ihe affair Ina; IL
| full! OF interest.
Ate. satisfying himself thai Barnes WAS
the thief. he placed him under srresi, and
word was sent 10 Sheriff John Cason, al
Marshall, TO Come and get ;he prisoner.
Although there WAS 10 positive proof against
Barnes, all felt confident that he was
guilty and they biz upon a novel plan 10
wiring from him Confession.
Sam Cockreii, 4. Is. Buckle, and about
twenty-five others, all among the best o.
Saline's citizens. organized themselves in:o
a band for that purpose. and entered into
sn understanding with Sheriff Csscn, Who
was 10 remove the prisoner TO MARSHALL,
:hst on the way GU. the party, masked.
would be lying in ambush, and
have in charge smother prisoner
whom they wculd be pretending to hang.
after which they would seiz, Barnes and
90 through the performance Of hanging
him also, and thus, If lac was guilty, obtain
his confession.
Thursday night, when about three miles
ives; Of Prairie R:'iee. As the -her Il arr his
prisoner were passing on their wAy Ia
Marshall, ihsy ran acres the masked
party, who had in charge 8 man n-msi
Jasper Smith, who had hsen informed cf
what Was up sEd had been prepared the
| occasion. Sireps were securely ias.ered
under his arms, ana Ia these the rope was
attached. after which he WAS suspended
for brief p,riod, Barnes. IA :hs meantime.
being in The custody Of the sheriff. some
thirty yards distant. After four or Eve
!; minutes hsj elapsed, Smith " SIS pronounced
dead. when the rope WAS Gu; AMI lie Was
ist - the ground. Oh course ne had no:
been hurt in ihe least. on, il had TIE ;ls-
sired effect Of soaring Barnes badly: ani
when, few minutes later, TIE NIB seized
ard gave him 10 understand that be, too.
mus, suffer dssth, a. they knew him ~ one
81 the thieves. he weakened percepiio!y.
The rope WAS plsCsi srOgrd I.s neck ia
snyihirg but a gentle manrer, and the sup
posed mob was about to proceed 20 work,
chen Barnes. frightened nigh unto death,
inquired il they did no: intend 10 give him
a show for his life he was Told to pro-
coed and tell all he knew of the burglary.
At FIRST lie claimed that Jasper Smith,
whom he supposed 70 have been
hanged until dead, and smother
man named Joseph Smith, we're
implicated with him liz the theft. He
signitied his willingness 10 return 10 Prairie
Ridge and turn over a portion Of The stcie;l
money and revolver, ard his offer was &C
cepted. In charge Of four guards he re-
turned TO the Ridge, when ) o of the $3.50
was recovered, snd also The revolver. The
other $50 he had lost lie was then in-
formed of the ruse that had been PLAYED
upon him, and admitted, after learning
that Jasper Smith wss net dead, thai he
alone wss guilty. This was all the masked
party desired, sna the prisoner w1s again
turned over TO Sheriff Cason.
Friday he Was removed to the Jail az
Marshall, and at the next term OF court
will receive his sentence.
1t seems that Barnes was to have been
married III this city on Tueslsy last TO
widow lady with one child, Who resides in
Lincoln. Benton county, snd who w.s 70
have met him on that day. Tie vas prob
ably short of cash, and resortsd TO the
above method Of msking a raise, and will
now suffer the penalty of his crime.