St. Landry democrat., 1882-05-27
Lynch Law.

Several recent horrible outrages in different
parts of the country upon the persons OF little
girls have been summarily avenged by the cit
liens taking the law into their own hands and
at once effectually disposing of the perpetra-
tors of the terrible crimes. A st. Paul (Minn.}
telegram of the 2Sth ult. gives the following
account of the lynchng affair ut Minneapolis:
The excitement in Minneapolis over the out
rage perpetrated upon little Nina Spear by
tramp yesterday afternoon increased, without
any appearance of concerted action, until
about midnight, when squads of men began to
assemble on the street corners and gradually
converged down Third street and Washington
avenue in the direction of the county jail.
There was no sound heard except the tramp Of
feet, and the attempt, so far as it succeeded,
was conducted with remarkable discretion.
The Vigilance Committee, now numbering
about sixty persons, proceeded without
noise by sundry routes to the county
Jail, which they reached shortly before,
l:3O. There was a noiseless consulta-
ton, and, headed by picked men, they
marched to the door of the turnkey room and
demanded entrance which was refused by
Sheriff Eustis in person. The demand WIS re-
peated and refused. A few brawny shoulders
were placed to the door, and it gave way with
a crash. The Sheriff still resisted but was
taken in custody by the mob disguised with
QdnukGfCn1eIS. ana was 1OrCeu INTO SuDmlS-
sion in the corridor leading to the cel-room..
Then commenced a search for the prisoner,
from cell to cell. by a dim light, but up to
two o'clock without result. The committee
made various demands upon the Sheriff to
give up the prisoner, but he stoutly refused.
About three o'clock access was obtained to the
third tier of cells, where the prisoner was Or
dered to be confined. Two men suspected of
being the one looked for were taken out. A
hurried investigation resulted in the partial
identification of one, giving his name as Cron-
V. (.n M fhn irS
tier. He showed the utmost nerve while he
was being questioned by the yigilants,
making no effort to conceal his face, and gIibly
answering the questions which were put to
him. 1t was exactly $40 when he was
brought into the corridor, and, escorted by the
entire company, of vig.lants, the prisoner was
marched to the house of Mr. Spear where were
gathered several ladies who had seen him be-
fore the commission OF the act. No sooner
was he presented than all the ladies de-
clared positively that he was the culprit, the
agonized mother exciaiming: ut is the man!
Take him away!' While this dramatic scene
was gong on IN one room, the victim of the
outrage lay dying in an adjoining room.
The positive identification of the villain by
the ladies was the signal for action, and with
out noise or any demonstration, the prisoner
was taken to large oak tree on the southeast
corner OF the block diagonally across from the
high school. The moose was prepared one of
the members of the committee climbing up
ana placing the rope over the limb. While
this was In progrs IS of performance the prs-
oner was asked if he had anything to say, and,
Without WI the least M sign of fear, he replied that
his name was Tim Cronley, and that he was
from Boston, and had been here four
months. When he asked how he came
to perpetrate. the crime of which he
was guilty. he denied it. but afterwards con-
fessed, and said it was done while he was
drunk. His hands were thereupon tied behind
him. The rope was then put over his neck
and carefully adjusted under his right ear.
and at 1851, with his hat and boots on, he was
swung into eternity. the vigilants giving a
long pull and strong pull which brought the
hEi no nxrros
securely tied to the trunk of the tree. The
remains were left dangling in the air, where
crowds inspected them, as the news spread
| rapidly over the city to the early rsers