Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-05-03
RETRIBUTION.
Citizens of Minneapolis avenge
n Crime Most Foul.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, April 2s.-
Yesterday afternoon tramp entlced
,way the little four-year-old daughter
Of Mr. Jason Speer, respectable and
well-to-do citizen of this town. Little
Nina, the child in question, was missed
bv its parents and could not be found
The neighbors joined in the search
during the afternoon, and while prose
cutting it came across tramp, who
gave the name of Frank McManus,
about 20 years of age, haIllng from
South Boston. His hands and clothes
were stained with blood. Shortly af-
ter the searcher5 found the little girl IN
a clump of bushes by the roadside
She was insensible, and an investlga-
tion disclosed the fact that little Nina
had been the victim of q most brutal
assault She was
HORRIBLY MUTILATED.
The Mortified neighhors gave the
alarm and they at once concluded that
the tramp was the perpetrator OF the
foul crime. The police were notified
and soon had McManus under lock and
KEY in the Jail The mutterings of the
crowd were loud and deep, and reached
the ears Of the Sheriff, who immedi-
ately placed strong guard oyer the
prisoner. A crowd of enraged citlzens
determined to obtain possession of the
wretch and take him to the timber.
Shortly after midnight band of lynch
ers organized and marched to the jail:
In the meantime it was ascertained
that the real name of the prisoner was
Timothy Crowley.
The scene at the Jail was remarka-
BILE one. FAe determined crowd made
demand on the Sheriff for the Iris-
oper, but he refused to comply. The
official was then mado q prisoner, but
refused to point out the cell in which
Crowley was confined. The
GUARDS WERE ovERpowERED,
and the mob then made thorough
aaarch of the Jail, breaking open every
cell on the 6rst Goor without finding
the prisoner They then ascenaed t9
the floor above and repeated the cere-
mony. The work was prosecuted
quietly and without excitement, but
With terrible earnestness. When the
cell door was finally broken, the prison
er was brought down to the office,
where he calmly surveyed the crowd,
but gave no sign of fear or sorrow nor
spoke a word. Handouts were slipped
around his wrists and the crowd start
ed. They left the Jail at 3:20 a. m.
In 90 minutes they were in front OF
Spears residenGe. 4 committee was
appointed to have the prisoner ideqtl-
fed. The ladies who lived in the
neighborhood who saw him in the af-
ternoon were called from their beds
and recognized him.
BEFORE THE AaoNIzED MOTHER.
At last he was taken into the house,
when Mrs. Spear instantly cried out in
an aeonized tone: That's the man
take him away take him away. Oh
those ewes shall never forget them y
"It's mistake" was all the fellow
said.
The committee emerged from the
building at IA minutes of 4 o'clock,
and simply said Hes the man I"
"Now, for tree!' Hang him !"
Hurry up with him !" and similar
calculations were heard. One man
suggested that he be allowed to pray,
but he was Informed that
PRAYERS WOULD DO NO GOOD
to such o wretch. 1t was decided to
take him out of sight of the house, and
tbs crowd started up the avenue
which bends just above the house.
Proceedin e around the bend a tree
!oomed up before them. Before the
prisoner had reached the place man
had ascended the tree and impatiently
awaited the end of the rope The
prisoner was asked why he did it, to
which he replied, ~ didn't"
"You lie p came from one, while
another rejoined: eve are going to
make terrible example of you"
By this time the rope had reached
the scene.
THE WRETCH CoNFESsES.
The man up the tree was becoming
impatient, but finally the rope was
handed to him and be passed it over a
stout limb. The mans hands had
been tied behind him, and as the moose
was about to be slipped over his neck
he asked to say something to one Of
the leaders Being granted the privi-
lege he stepped aside and confessed
that be committed the crime, but that
he was drunk And now all was in
readiness. The moose was adjusted
and strong hands grasped the rope.
LAUNCHED INTO ETERNITY.
Crowley clinched his hands and
Strengthened his legs, evidently deter
mi ned that if he could not live like
man he would die like one. Creak,
went the rope over the limb, and he
swung clear from the ground. Two
more pulls, and he was whirling
around and around in the air. The
end of the rope was fastened to the
trunk of the tree, and at precisely 4
o'clock sign of relief went up from
the crowd. Some started away, but
others remained to see the brute die.
Five minutes later there vas Q con-
vulsive twitching of the legs, and all
was over.