The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-01-26


John Wagner, in jail at Ironton. Lawrenca
County, Ohio. charged with the murder of DIR.
Joseph Beggs, of that place, last November,
was taken from Jail by fifty masked men on the
the night of January 10 and hanged to q tree in
the courthouse yard. The crime of which
Wagner was guilty was very atrocious and
unprovoked one, and was committed, il has been
thought, for the purpose of robbery. DIR.
Beggs was bookkeeper for an iron company,
and was assaulted and murdered while on his
way home from the mill, after dark had set in.
Wagner and man named Zaaksz itewsrd-
there was little doubt remained as
10 their guilt, were arrested charged
with the crime. On the night in question, .
few minutes after 10 o'clock, a knock was heard
ut the Jail, and the Sheriff responded by open
ing the door. He was seized, oyerpowered and
with cooked reyolvers the mob demanded the
keys of the jail. The Sheriff firmly refused,
and seeing that he would not yield, he was
taken into the room of his wife where the de-
mand was repeated in similar manner. His
wife, frightened almost out Of her senses, sur
rendered the keys, and in . moment the door to-
the cell in which Wagner and Zeek were con-
dned was swung open and the prisoners were
led trembling from the cell. "I didn't mean
to kill him, protested Wagner in tone of
agony, but his words were unheeded and he
was hurried into the yard and hanged without
any ado. Zeek was so thoroughly frightened
that he was scarcely able to stand and was
| terrorized into a confession. Zeek thought his
time had come, and with countenance ashyl
pale, related the circumstances of the killing as
best he could, His confession was to the effect
that he was an accomplice, and that Wagner
did the killing. After Beggs had been struck
down, Mrs. Zeek (Zeek's wife) and . Mrs. Hall
carried the body Of the dead man from the
| scene to where it was afterward found. After
Zeek's confession he was returned to his cell
| and locked up, evidently the mob desiring to
keep him for further testimony respecting those
whom he implicated. What Wagner had to say
| in his last moments is not known. It is sufi-
| cient to know that in two minutes after he was
taken from the jail he was suspended by the
neck under tree only q few feet from the
courthouse. The mob was very orderly in
their work, being headed by leader and all
answering promptly to their numbers, showing
that they had all been well drilled for the job
in advance. Several belated citizens who hap
pened to pass while the mob were carrying out
their work, were halted by the guaIds stationed
about and kept prisoners until the work was
completed. The mob then quietly dispersed,
going in all directions. The body Of Wagner
was allowed to hang until morning when
it was viewed and cut down by
the Coroner and handed over to an
undertaken. Wagner was said to be rather
good looking fellow, with mild blue eyes, aqui-
line nose, mustache and well shaped face.
| Bis features bore no evidence of hanging. Mrs
Hall and Mrs. zeeh were arrested In the morn.
ing On the strength Of zeek's confession, but
at the time of their arrest they had no knowl.
edge of Wagoner's fate, or Zeek's confession,
and asserted their innocence and entire willing.
ness to go with the officers.