St. Landry democrat., 1884-11-29
SPEEDY JUSTICE.

IIurderer's wish to Have the Matter
Speedily Settled acknowledgements
Witness the Final Act in the Tragedy.
SAVANNAH, Mo-, November 81.
At 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 black cap
with remarkable courage.
HIS LAST NIGHT.
Last night the parents Of young Bate
man visited the jail and babe him farewell.
The scene was very affecting, the mother
and sister weeping bitterly, but the pris-
oner was unmoyed. He frequently reiter-
ated his confession, and sad he had no
accomplices. Devotional exercises were
held last night by Rev. Hawkins, of the
North Methodist Church, and Elder Voss.
Bateman was member of the Baptist
Church.
THE SCAFFOLD.
was erected several days ago, about one
mile south of Savannah, and a large
police force and Deputy Sheriffs assisted
the Sheriff at the execution and in pre-
serving order Hundreds of people came
into town last night, but could not obtain
sleeping accommodations, and many
camped out To-day the crowd swelled
into the thousands.
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Oliver II. Bateman
paid the penalty on the gallows to-day
was committed near Flag Springs, Andrew
County, Mo-, twelve miles eastof Sayan-
nah, on Sunday afternoon, August 3lst,
1884. 1t was one of the most heinous
crimes known to the criminal law, and
was perpetrated by a young man twenty
two years of age, who was not hardened
criminal but was locked upon in the
neighborhood in which he resided, until
that eyentful day, as an unsophlstlcated
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 Sun
day morning of the 2lst 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.
When the little girls failed to arrive
at home their parents became uneasy,
the neighbors We're notified and search
commenced at once which was kept up all
night Sunday, and until their mutiat-
ed bodies were found at nine O'Clock
Monday morning, about half 4 mile from
Al IN f,a finI1 Cf II pI
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 8th
was found to be a bullet-hole.
The younger girl was found about l75
yards east of the older one and her Jugu-
lar vein on both sides of her neck was
severed, and there was also a cut on her
right side. After the finding of the bod
les Squire VIM. Elrod, acting Coroner,
had q jury subpened and an Investigation
took place which lasted for several days
and the jury returned q 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 a number of
active citizens of the county, were all
the time discovering new evidence that
appeared to fasten the guilt on Oliver Il.
Bateman, and the body of Austie, the older
girl, was eXhumed Oh the morning of the
8th of September, and what was thought
to be an abrasion was found to be bull
let hole. A post norton exam
nation was at once held by Dr.. E. 3. En-
sor, of Savannah, and Drs. Lockett and
Kirk, of Flag Spring, and 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 umbillicus and passed downward
and backward through the left intestine
and lodged near the spine.
The finding of this ball dispelled 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 norton examination
and the finding of the twenty-five ball,
he at once acknowledged his guilt and
made full confession, the sickening de-
tails of which have already been given IN
these dispatches.
THE TRAIL.
After making his confession, Bateman
,.1.n1n.,.+od thnt crnncinI 4n1.1rn of the Cir.