The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-06-12
RrDpLED WIFE L
TWO OF the Notorious K~ainsbarger Broth
ers Lynched at Eldors, Hardin County
Iowa,

Two OF Gue y
ers Lynched at Eldora, Hardin County,
iowa,
FLDoRA, Iowa, Special Telegram, June "a
mob of a hundred masked men surrounded the
Hardin county jail here at o'clock this morn
ing, ovorpowered the jailer, broke down
the doors and captured Finn and Mans
RainsJarger, brothers, who were yestef-
day arrested for firing upon two prom
inent citizens who were driving over to
Steamboat Rock. After being captured they
were shot until they were unrecognizable by
the infuriated mob. The trouble which Gull
minated in this tragedy occurred last fall, when
Enoch Johnson, father of Rainsbar gers Wltte,
WAS found dead not far from his home. At
first appearance it seemed that he had been
thrown from his horse, dragged by the stlrrup,
and trampied to death. Suspicion finally attach
eel to Nathan Rains barger and his brother Will
lam. They were arrested and on eXainina-
ton were committed to jail The wife o. Nath-
an and daughter of the murdered man was a
witness, and she told a touching story of how
the suspicion had grown upon her that her
husband was the guilty man. The two broth
ers being in jail. three others began a bold aud
systematic course Of prosecuting and In
timidating all who had been instrument
tai in the prosecution. Men were am
pushed in the night, had horses shot down
under them, and various acts Of like character
were perpetrated. Finally Wednesdays at
tack made endurance no longer possible to the
citizens. Hence the mob and results narrated
above.
The facts as to the deed for which the
lynched men were arrested were these: Late
Wednesday afternoon, DR.. Underwood OF
ElQOra was called in consultation with a
physician from Steamboat Rock, over a case
near Robertson, twelve miles from Eldora.
He was accompanied by DR.. Ritenour, a dentist
of Eldora, and on their return after night, they
were fired at by four parties in ambush. The
doctors being armed, returned the fire, and the
would be assassins fed. Several shots struck
the buggy, and one passed throughD DR.. Under
woods coat, but neither gentleman was in
issued for the arrest of William Fin:
and E. NJ. Rainsbarger, brothers, and
Edward Johns, and they wero arrested last
evening, The Rainsbarger's were brothers of
the two boys now on trial for the murder OF
EnOch Johnson last fall and Johns is a son Of
Henry Johns who died recently from the EFF
fects Of the wounds received at the hands of q
mob who ambushed him near his home one
night. He was also uncle of the Rainsbarger
boys and was furnishing the money to defend
them on the charge of the murder Of Johnson.
The latter, il is believed was killed that the
mucderers might get the $4,000 insurance on
his life.
The lynching of Finn and Mouse RaiGsbar-
ger is really the result of an old feud that has
been brewing in Hardin county for many years.
1t originated in a family quarrel a great many
years ago, and eliminated last year in the muir
der of Johnson. For this crime the two Rains
bargers, Nathaniel and Frank, are, as
already stated, now, in Jail at Marshalltown,
charged with the murder. The ac-
cusation was made by the wife of
Nate, VIII is the daughter of Johnson. Among
the most prominent men in the county who
testified at the preliminary examination was
DR.. Underwood, of Eldorado. His life was
threatened by the gang. A few days ago sus-
picious movements were discovered by a party,
upon whom a watch was set. 1t was dIscov-
cred in a secret communication with the Rains
bargers. 1t was finally found that a plot
was being concocted to murder @ number
the leading citizens Of the county. These
facts developed only n day or two ago. The
attempt upon the lives of Doctors Underwood
and Riedenour drove the citizens to desper-
alton, and the Rainsbargers having been ar
rested last evening were during the night taken
out and lynched, as already told. Fin was a
pardoned convict charged with murder. The
family and their followers are hard characters,
and have given the peaceable neighbors a great
deal of trouble. Great excitement prevails.
Public sentiment, however, generally approves
the lynching. Its doubtful if any prosecutions
will follow.