Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-20
ADA ATKINSON AVENGED.
THREE HUNDRED MEN LYNCH
HER AGED MURDERER.

he Meets Them at his Cell Door with a
BraVadociO Air and Expresses his
Willingness to Accompany Them-The
Execution Accomplished near the At
kinson Residence.
FOWLER, IND, Nov. 19.-About 10 80
O'Clock last night a man on horseback
slowly rode to the Jail from the southeast.
After riding around the court house he
turned rapidly in the direction from which
he came. About an hour after about 800
masked men rode into the town. They
hltched their horses, posted guards to
warn away the citizens, and went to the
east door Of the jail, where they
soon gained an entrance by breaking
down the doors with sledge-hammers.
Ihey then quietly, but with great de-
termination, proceeded to break in the
iron doors leading to the corridors. This
took perhaps half an hour. They were
after Jacob Melting, who SO brutally MUIR
dered Ada Atkinson some weeks ago.
lie met them at the door of his cell al
ready dressed and ready to go to his doom.
lie was quickly walked to a carriage, in
which was rope. The only remark he
made was: "Go little slow, gentlemen; !;
am older than some of you." He was
taken to Oxford and hung Immediately.
Nelling, after being placed in a carri-
age, was driven to spot within a quar-
Ter OF a mile from the scene of his crime.
After being removed from the vehicle he
was told that he must die. He was given
i've minutes to make confession, but he
stOlidly refused to do so, saving that he
had already acknowledged committing
the murder, and it was unnecessary to
repeat his former story. A
rope was quickly thrown over
fhta lft,,l Of l.
stepped forward and placed the moose
around the old mans neck. In doing this
the collar be wore was torn, and another
attempt to make him recite the story of
the murder was rewarded by a sneer from
the defiant man. Fifty men then grasped
the rope, and in moment the body was
swinging in the air. After Melting had
been pronounced dead, the crowd quietly
dispersed.
Ada Atkinson was the pretty 15-year-
old daughter of a wealthy stock farmer
living near Rockville, Ind. The murderer
was employed as hand on the farm. One
day while the family were away Nellng
entered the house and literally cut Ada
Atkinson, who was alone in the house,
INTO bits, causing almost instant death.
He then fled, leaving the girls mutilated
remains lying on the floor. No motive for
the crime has ever been assigned, the
unable to account for his deed.
CINCINNTI, Nov. ia dispatch from
Fowler, Ind, says: "Wheu the mob got
into the Jail, Melting met them with an
overcoat on, and said: How are you,
gentlemen? l know what you want. / am
ready go They put him in an open two
seated buggy aud drove him ten miles
southwark, to within hundred yards Of
the Atkinson dwelling, in a small ravine.
They stopped under a walnut tree, a limb
of which projected over the road. over
this they put their rope and adjusted the
other end around Nelling's neck as he
stood on the rear seat. The Captain
asked him if he did not 90 to ravish Ada
Atkinson. He answered no, and said
that no one assisted him in killing her.
He was asked if he had ever committed
any other great crime, and he answered
no. The order to drive out was then
given, the buggy was moved and Nelling
fell whirling in the air, with scarcely
tWltch of the muscles. After a few
minutes the Captain ordered the body to
be lett until taken down by the proper
authorities, and the mob dispersed.
Nelling was the coolest man in the whole
paTtV,r