Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-11-27
SPEEDY JusTfcE.

der O4 AU3t10 M0Q ,A0e118 ASA<1u&nAA
Near Flag Springs I'm August Last-The
Murdcrer,s wish 70 Have the Matter
Speedily Settled Gratifed-ThousnndA
Witness the Final Act In the Tragedy.
SAVANNAH, No., November a.
AZ 1880 O'Clock this afternoon Oliver
Bateman was executed in the presence Of
thousands Of people, for the murder Of
the Mclaughlin children. He assembled
the steps firmly, and faced the bleck cap
with remarkable courage
HIS LAST NIGHT.
Last night the parents OF young Bate
man visited the jail and bade him farewell.
The scene was very Affecting, the mother
and sister weeping bitterly, but the pris-
oner was unmoved. He frequently reiter-
ated his confession, and SAID he had no
accomplices. Devotional exercises were
held last night by Rev. Hawkins, Of the
North Methodist Church, and Elder yoss.
Bateman was q member of the Baptist
Church.
THE sCAFFoLD.
was erected several days ago, about one
mile south of Savannah, and large
police force and Deputy Sheriffs assisted
|
serving order. Hundreds of people came
into town last night, but could not obtain
sleeping accommodations, and many
camped out. To-day the crowd swelleo
into the thousands -
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Oliver 81. Bateman
paid the penalty on the gallows to-day
was committed near Flag Springs, Andrew
County, Mo-, twelve miles caste of Savan-
nah, ON Sunday afternoon, August slst,
1884. 1t was one of the most heinous
crimes known to the criminal law, and
was perpetrated By young man twenty
two years of age, who was not hardened
criminal but was looked upon in the
ncighborhood in which he resided, until
that eventful day, as an unsophisticated
country youth.
The murdered little girls, Austie and
Adella, daughters of John Mclaughlin,
aged respectively nine and seven years,
left their home near Flag Springs on Sum
day morning of the 2Ist of August last
and went to the residence of Thomas
Bateman, the father of the young man,
about mile and quarter west OF their
home, for the purpose OF visiting the
Bateman girls.
W men the illtIc SlTlS 1dliEN " dIIiSS
at home their parents became uneasy,
the neighbors were notified and search
commenced at once which was kept up all
night Sunday, and until their. mutilat-
ed bodies were found aft nine O'Clock
Monday morning, about half mile from
their home, in the cornfieid of DIR. Lock-
EFT.
The older girl was first found. A pis-
tol-ball had entered her left temple, her
mouth was bruised, a small abrasion was
noticed on the right of the umbilicus
which at the time of the burial was
thought to have been made by a sharp
instrument, but which after the body was
exhumed and examined on September Sth
was found to be q buliet-hole.
The younger girl was found about 175
yards east of the older one and her jugu-
lar vein on both sides of her neck was
severed, and there was also cut on her
right side. After the finding of the bod
les Squire VIM. Elrod, acting Coroner,
had Jury subp9ned and an investigation
took place which lasted for several days
and the jury returned verdict that the
girls died by the hands of some party or
parties unknown to the jury
FEARS OF MOB.
During all this time the excitement In
and around Flag Springs was intense, and
in fact the whole section Of country was
aroused. Several parties were suspect
ed, but the strongest suspicion seemed
to point to Newton Bateman, the brother
of Oliver, and it was thought for several
days that lynching bee would take place
in that neighborhood, so great was the
excitement.
Sheriff Lincoln and Prosecuting At
torney Booher, assisted by number of
active citizens of the county, were all
the time discovering new evidence that
appeared tc fasten the guilt ON Oliver III.
Bateman, and the body of Austie, the older
girl, was exhumed on the morning of the
Sth of September, and what was thought
TO be an abrasion was found to be bull
let hole. post norton exam
Ination was at once held by DIR. T.. B. En-
sor, of Savannah, and Drs. Lockett and
Kirk, of Flag Spring, and a twenty-five
ball was found in the body which fitted the
barrel of Oliver Bateman's pistol. The
ball entered a little above and to the right
of the umOiilicus and passed downward
and backward through the left intestine
and lodged near the spine.
The finding of this bah dispe.led all
doubts as to the guilt of Oliver Bateman,
and when he was confronted by Sheriff
John Lincoln and Deputy Circuit Clerk
Thos. FL. Ensor in the Jail that evening,
and told OF the post mortem examination
and the finding of the twenty-tWo ball,
he at once acknowledged his guilt and
made a full confession, the sickening de-
tails of which have already been given in
these dispatches.
THE TRAIL
Alternating his confession. Raieman
requested that q special term of the Cir
cult Court be called. as sooa as conyen-
lent, 50 that he could plead guilty and have
the matter settled at once This Judge
Kelley granted him, and set Thursday,
October III. the day for the trial Court
convened on that day, grand Jury
was lmpaaelietis and after examin-
ing number Of witnesses. two insiict-
menss we're found, ~eharginx Oliver HI.
Batemsn With the murder OF both the
little girls. The Judge oRersd to an
point COUNSEL 10 defend him. hut he
didn't desire any. The indictments were
then given to him. ard Court adjourned
until the Monday following.
On Monday Bateman was brought into
court and pleaded guilty, refusing TO ac-
cepe counsel. and the Judge sentenced
him TO be executed on the slss day of No
yember.
Asrsaaac sx.Asdy.
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