Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-02
were surrounded by a crowd Of exa.pcra
u.xerurui u,Sn rurni


the hands of the officers and lynched on
the spot. A somewhat cllmer feeling
scame over the crowd; not that the feeling
was any less intense but the desire to do
THE job up Ia more buslness-like style was
greater.
AL afternoon little knots Of quiet, deter
mined men could be seen and all over town
was that peculiar hush which bodies the
coming storm. Little was said but the inn
(pression was prevalent, that before many
hours the bodies Of four murderers would
Swing in the soft night air.
So ended the most exciting and most sor-
.rowful day in the history OF Medicine
Lodge. No bank robbery ever ctronieled
la the annals of crime was ever holder In
lin It's design or accompanied by more cold
blooded murder in its attempted Execution. ]
That the desperadoes failed in accomplish
ling their full purpose was not the fault of
their plan but was due to the courage and
,promptness ola number of our citizens|
aud others, a promptness and courage inI
fact which has rarely been equalled on any
similar occasion anywhere.
JUSTICE ADMINISTERED.
About nine o',lock the stiffness OF theI
might was broken by three shots fired in,
rapid succession and at the signal a crowd,
Lof armed men advanced on the iail and de-;
,manded the prisoners. This was refrsed'
but notwithstanding their spirited resist.
,ance, the sheriff and posse were overpower-!
,ed and the doors of the Jail opened, when!
the prisoners who were In the inner cell
Lunshackled, made sudden
DASH FoR LIBERTY.
In moment the air resounded with the.
,crack OF firearms, and bullets flew likeI
hail. Ii is almost a miracle that 10 oneI
was seriously injured except the prisoners.I
Brown ran few PAGES from the Jail and
He'll rlddled with bucSshot and revolver;
balls. Wheeler was captured after short
Chase, he being badly wounded. Smith
and Wesley were captured at the Jail door.
Wheeler, Smith and Wesley were taken,
BY the crowd TO an elm tree In the bottom
east Of town and told If there was any thing
Ithey wished to say, to say it now for their,
tlne Of life was short. Wheeler at the last!
showed great weakness and begged pite-;
Iously for mercy. Wesley was also shaken.
but managed to answer TO inquiry that heI
was born in Paris, Texas, in 1858 and re-
tquested that word Of his fate be sent friendsi
In Vernon, Texas. Smith displayed great
nerve and gave directions coolly, to sell his
horse aud saddle and some few other trim,
kets and send the money to his mother in
Vernon, Texas.
After the remarks the ready ropes were
fastened around the necks OF the robbers,
the end tossed over n limb and i'm momenti
more their bodies swung in the wind. So
lends the chapter. Mob law Is to be de-y
Iplored under almost any circumstances,
but In this case the general sentiment of the
community will uphold the summary exc;
IcutioE of justice by taking Of these murder;
ters' lives.
The following is In substance the
CORoNER's VERDICT,
We find that Henry n. Brown came to-.
his death by gun or pistol shots; Ben
Wheeler came to his death by gun or pistol
shots or hanging; Billie Smith came to his
death by banging, and John Wesley came
ITO his death by hanging Said parties came
To their death at the hands OF mob OH the
s3Oth day of April 1884, composed of persons;
unknown to this jury.
X. HAMILTON. DE. SHELDON.
). B. VAUGHN. l. w. SToUr.
L. II. CHAPLIN. BURD LACY.
j. w. SINGER, Coroner.
THE VICTIMS.
George Geppert who was shot down in,
.cold blood Wednesday, was born in Ger
many in 1912. He was reared In Pennsyl-I
svania, and removed with his pareRts in 1859
70 Allegin county Michigan, where he lived,
with them on farm until 1862, when he;
! was employed in general store, In Allie.
gan, Michigan. In 1867 he became the
sbook-keeper and In 1850 a partner in the.
Sconcern. In 1870 he came to Kansas and,
settled in Medicine Lodge in the hardware!
and lumber business. January IL, 1881
Pie accepted the position of cashier OF thee
Medicine Valley bank, still retaining his m
Itcrest in the hardware and lumber firm OF
SGcpport & Stone. In 1868 he married Eliza
stone, Of Michigan. lie leaves his wife
and one child, Frank s. Geppert. lie was
widely known and universally respected
and loved by all his acquaintance. Al
man Of excellent business capacity he had
alrcady accumulated handsome compe-
Stcnce. In The prime Of life and vigor of
DIS manhood with a most comfortable
home and pleasant family, the future SEEM
ri to have in store for him abundant years
filled with golden fruitage OF happiness.
The respect Of his fellow-citizens was
shown by the fact that the business houses
8of the town, without an exception, were
Ilnped in mourning. His death has arous-
ed the deepest and most general sympathy.
We have lost most excellent man, kind
husband and father, and one Of our most
cnterprising citizens. His funeral takes
place to-day, Friday, at 3 p, NJ, at the Pres
byterian church. Serviccs by Elder d. A..
Quick. The pall-bearers are Judge B.,
Lacy, II. c. Thompson, c. w. Ellis D..
Van Slyke, A. L. Freeman and ID. Stith.
II
GRAND PUBLIC SALE.
.nF