Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-06-15
LYNCRING IN IOWA.
A Winterset Iowa Mob Finally Ma
tered Courage to Lynch the Newell
Murder AR tho 1>1,;,,<J A,to,,n.

n WlnteFSeC IOWA MOD Finally MA
tered Courage to Lynch the Newell
Murderer at the Third Attempt.
Des Moines Special Telegram, June g..
About week ago the particulars OF a foul
murder committed almost year ago near
Winterset, Madison county. was FIRST made
public. convict. named Pugh, who was
serving out a sentence for horse stealing,
furnished the evidence which led to the dis
covery The murdered mans name was
Newell, and he had mysteriously disap-
peared on the 18th day of las, June. Push
stated that the missing man had cen mur.
dered by farmer named John Hammer
Tor the purpose of robbery, Newell having
but a short time previously received several
hundred dollars pension money, and that
the body OF the dead
man was buried in the woods
from the penitentiary to Winterset,' and in
company with the sheriff drove out near
the Hammer place and pointed out the spot.
A vigorous use of shovels soon discovered
human body in All advanced stage of de-
composition. There was bullet hole in
the head, and the skull was fractured by q
rock, and the throat was cut. There was
indisputable evidence that the remains were
those of Newell, and that he had been mur-
dered. Pueh stated that Hammer had dis.
closed the fact Of the murder to him; that
he had assisted in the burial. There was
further corroborative evidence OF an indis-
putable character, showing that Hammer
did the deed, and the coroner's jury so
found Hammer was held in the Winterset
Jail, and his preliminary examination fixed
for the coming week.
On Wednesday night a mob gathered at
the fair grounds for the purpose of lynch
ing the prisoner, and marched into tewn.
They ere met at the public square by the
police and were driven back and dispersed.
| The attempt was repeated Thursday night,
but was again defeated by the interference
OF officers. Two successive failures caused
| considerable sport among Law abiding cit
izens, but as nothing was done Friday night,
! it was supposed better counsel Lad pre-
vailed, and the attempt would not be re-
| peated. Everything was unusually quiet
IN the village last night, but
| about $50 O'Clock this morning the town
was SUDDENLY aroused by the. ringing of the
court house bell and the rapid discharge of
small arms. The mob, about seventy-fiye
men, some on foot and some mounted, had
quietly surrounded the court house. Ham
ner was in Jail, which is located in the base
ment. While most of these stood guard, q
portion rushed for the jail. The inside
doors were torn away, and tie four sets of
heavy iron doors within were pound
ed in with sledge hammers: The
given zine to dress, A rope was placed
around his neck, and ne was led out to a
tree about 100 tect fron the jail. The
doomed man was asked if be had ANYTHING
to say, and he replied that he had not, and
they might go ahead. he was then drawn
up and the rope securely fastened. At this
point guard. who had charge of prisoner
IN the upper story of the court house, rang
the bell to alarm the town. Some OF the
mob, to make sure Of their work, shot
Hammer in the back, the ball coming out
near the left breast. About hundred shot
were then fired into the air ar d the mob dis
appeared in the darkness. There is practi-
cally no sympathy for the victim of the
mob, who has long led dissolate l;:e.