National Republican., 1883-06-11
sTRINGING THEM UP.
The Barber Boys Hanged By An Infuristed
Iowa Mob.
The Doors OF the jail Battered Down.
Meeting Their Fate FvarIessIy.

WAvERLY, Iowa, June 10.-Tho Barber
boys, who were brought back to this city from
tho Independence Jail, were lynched at mid
night in Murphy's grove, about half a mile
east of the Jail, and just outside the corpora
tion limits of waverly. The work was done
by mob Of men from East Bremen and Fay
cite counties, led by Dell Sheppard, the
brother of the deputy sheriff of Fayette
county, whom they shot last fall, and August
and Henry Tegtamiore, who were wounded at
the time the boys were captured on Tuesday
evening last. The mob gathered around the
Jail soon after dusk last evening. At about Q
o'clock the front door Of the jail building was
broken in, and the mob soon surrounded the
cage in which the prisoners were confined,
which is q chilled steel apartment, twelve by
sixteen feet in size, and containing u corridor
and two cells. The boys were confined in the
north cell. When the mob reached the cage
the boys crawled into tho darkest corner. In
order to reach them IL was necessary to get
through two iron doors. At about 9;A5 the
first blow was struck upon the cage by Dell
Sheppard. Tho tools used wero two crowbars
and u sledge hammer which were obtained
from q blacksmith shop.
In the meantime several attempts wero
made to get the keys from the sheriff, but in
vain. In about half an hour the outside door
was broken in, and n few blows upon tho lock
of the second door broke It. This door was
about two and half feet wide. This being
opened it admitted the lynchers to the cell in
which the boys were confined Ike Barber
fought with tho desperation of despair, but
Bill quailed, and one man put the ropo
around his neck. The mob then seized tho
rope and dragged the boys through tho hall
ways and down the stairs TO the sidewalk in
front of the Jail. Here the boys were allowed
to stand up and the nooses around their
ncGks were lOosoned. Many advised hanging
to trees in front of tho court house, whilo
others suggested tree across the street. !
While here some of the enraged people struck
tho bandits, but the leaders stopped this at
once. The sheriff requested the mob not to
hang them in the Jail yard, and it was finally
agreed to take them to the front steps and
brought together and bid each other good by.
The crowd, which numbered fully 1000 per-
sons, became silent and listened TO their last
words. As they stood looking down upon the
upturned faces they could SEQ in none of
them ray of hope. They were prepared for
their doom. Ike was the first to speak, and, |
after asking for a chew of tobacco, he said:
Gentlemen. l am going to tell you the
truth, as l know am going to die in short
time. l am going to tell you all about our
deeds. We never killed any one until last
fall and within the last two weeks. [ A voice
That is enough.'l This report in regard to
what was done in Illinois is entirely false. 1t
was told me in the Jail at Independence chat
we confessed killing man in Illinois. That
is mistake. i am very thankful you have
allowed me to say these few words"
In answer to the question whether he wanted
his body given to his family, he said: "No,
bury me If you take the life out of my body.
Don't make any one any expense in bury
ing it,"
Bill then said that he knew nothing about
the killing in Illinois, and never killed any
one except, perhaps, last week. He closed by
saying: Hang me dead and hang me right
and don't let my body be jerked to pieces"
He then offered to shake hands with several
persons, who accepted the offer, and finally
offered his hand to Dell Sheppard, but it was
refused.
Then John Mack, city marshal, requested
the mob, If they were bent on hanging tho
boys, to take them outside the corporate
limits. The mob acquiesced, and the boys
were led through the street eastward, with
their hands tied behind them, until a little
grove just outside the city was reached. Be-
fore starting, however, Bill took a silk hand
kerchief from his neck, upon which was u
gold pin, and gave it to u bystander TO give to
his little girl. Ike also took Off his handker-
chief but did not give any direction as to its
disposal.
When tho grove was reached tho two were
placed under n Eastwood tree, and there the
crowd took of their hats to allow the boys to
pray. No supplication passed from their lips,
and when they were asked in regard to their
folks they said they would like to have them
informed Of their fate. They also requested
that tho money which was in their coats,
which amounted to about S45, be sent to their
wives at Fayette. They were informed that
this had already been done, and then Bill
said:
well, that is about all have TO say, only
don't let us be torn to pieces"
He was assured that this request would be
granted, and then Il voice at his elbow was
heard above the murmurs of the crowd:
"And may God have mercy on your soul"
The rope around Bill l'sneck was then thrown
over an Ovcrhanging limb and eager hands
raised him until his feet were four feet from
the ground. Ho slowly strangled to death.
In three minutes he was unconscious, and in
nino minutes he was pronounced dead.
As Bill was swinging Ike stood doggedly
watching his brother. Then the cry was
raised, Here is good tree" Another bass
wood tree about two rods away was selected,
and at 1881 Ike, too, dangled from an over
hanging limb. In two and a half minutes ho
was unconscious, and in six minutes his pulse
was "a. In seven minutes 1t was 1O2, in eight
minutes Ia in nine minutesSl, and ten min
utes 7S, and in eleven minutes 66 In eleven
and three.quarter minutes there was II feeble
huttering of the heart, and in twelve minutes
1t ceased to beat.
As soon as the boys were swung up the
greater numDor OF LnObe VINO nhu Deeh lnOSb
active in the lynching disappeared, but large
crowd remained for some timo and then
quilted the grove, where the bodies will hang
until morning, and until the county coroner
takes charge of them.
The mobwas throughout q very orderly one
Not u shot was fired, and after getting out
side the court yard no indignities We're
offered tho prisoners. One man who walked
close behind Bill, said;
eve know that 1.-THE chances are that tho
laws of Iowa won't hang them, and SO wo
take the law into our own hands"
AS tho two bodies swung in the midnight
air, Dell Sheppard said 81 saw them shoot
my brother, and | can stand and see them hang
without any remorse."
Another one said; eyes, and they shot my
brothor-in-law, too"
While tho mob was largely composed of
people from western Bremen and eastern
Fayotte counties, yet there were large num-
bor of the business men of this city among
them, and no one took any pains TO conceal
his identity. Tho mob was not boistorous ex-
cept on one or two occasions. The boys met
| their fate without tremor.
EIngT of thn n a q Snpcial Excurgions IN