The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-11-29
NELLING LYNCHED.
The Murderer Of Ada Atkinson Taken
from Jail by Mob and Hanged,
The Prison Doors Broken Down, and
the Victim Summarily Dispatched.

! Jacob Nelling, the murderer OF Ada Az
kinson at oxford, Ind, some weeks ago, was
taken from the jail at Fowler, Ind, on the
morning of Nov. 10, conveyed to Oxford py
q masked mob and hanged. It VIII b6 re-
membered that after Melting confessed 20
the brutal murder Of the innocent girl ne
narrowly escaped execution ut the hands
OF the infuriated fUpulaca. ana was
spirited away to Lafayette ana con-
fined in the strong prison Of that city,
for better security against mob vengeance.
It appears that the Tippecanoe county
authorities got tired of looking after MS wei-
fare, and. as the excitement over the TRAGEDY
had apparently died out, II was deemed saIe
TO take him back to Fowler for confinement
in the Benton county Jail, which was accord
ingly done. Two days after the return OF the
prisoner the neighbors and friends OF the
murdered girl proceeded to organize them
selves for the work OF vengeance, ana dld "
SO quietly and secretly that the officers OF the
law were kept IN supreme ignorance
Of the movement, and were taken completely
by surprise. The mob was perhaps the most
orderly ono that ever strung up man.
While none of the men arc certainly known,
their actions showed that they were deter
mined and rcsolute men. An eyewitness
thus describes the affair: . "A solitary horse
man was seen to come from the east and
ride quietly roand the Jail. Then
he rode rapidly away I'm the diroc-
ton whence he came. About an hour
aftcrward about 10 masked men, IN wagons
and buggics and on horsci ack. rode quietly
up TO tho jail from the south and posted
guards ut all the avenues OF approach. They
then proceeded to divide their forces,
portion going to the entrance to the Sherins
residence adjoining the Jail, and part 10 the
east door Of the jail. After demanding the
keys to the jail. they proceeded to batter the
outer door with s.cdgcs. Then with cold
chisels, prepared especially for the purpose,
they cut the locks from the doors, ana IN
about an hour gained entrance TO Nclllng
cell. The old man had In the meantime got
mp and dressed himself ready to receive them.
They hurried him out to a wagon that stood In
wal ing, the old man simply remarking that
they ought not TO be SO rough. that he was
older than some OF III I'm. Then they departed
With their prisoner In the direction OF
the murder, near which pace he was
executed. Everything was done IN
busincss-like manner, having very
much the air Of funeral The Jail officials
made no determined resistance, owing TO the
number and character of the mob.
When Melting was taken from Lafayette TO
Fowler few days ago for trial II was given
out that he would enter plea of guilty and
accept Il sentence OF death on condition that
his execution be stayed sixty days. This
anticipated delay in the course of the law in-
cited the mob.
Melting killed Ada Atkinson i'm her room
some nine weeks ago. She was almost q
child and he had been her fathers laborer
for many years The case excited great
deal of attention, and was for several days IN
mystery. Another man was arrested on the
word of Melting. but aftcrward Melting ad-
mittcd he lied and said he did il himself. he
barely escaped lynching ut the time, and, as
stated above, was removed to Lafayette to
avoid the fury of the mob He was to have
been indicted and tried in few days.