The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-05-01
1YacH1ra At PIERRE. DAKOTA.

and co~ntinuances are unknown. The last
act of this drama in real life was enacted al
2 o'clock yesterday morning. A masked
mob of twenty-five men entered the town
from the cast early Thursday morning, pro.
ceedea to the jail, took from thence the
murderer, J. w. Bell, and hung him to a flag
pole in front of the court house, tie whole
transaction occupying less than fifteen min
utes. Some time ago Bel was arrested for
the murder of Forrest G. Small, near Harold
on Dec. 4, 1854. The evidences against
the accused was chiefly circumstantial.
This was strengthened by the confession
of one Bennett, who claimed TO have
been an eyewitness of the affair. In add.
ton to this on the 18th of April Bennett led a
sheriff's posse to the place where the body OF
Small was found buried in a grain field.
This fastened the guilt SO firmly on Bell that
the further examination was gone through
with only rs a matter of form. The accused
was bound over to await action by the grand
jury, and Bennett was also bound over as q
witness in the sum of $4,000. In the mean
time public feeling ran high, directed as
much almost against Bennett Us against
Bell Rumors of anticipated lynching were
rife, but as nothing was done a great deal OF
the interest in the case wore of.
THE FATAL NIGHT.
Wednesday night last no unusual stir was
noticeable about the court house. Judge
Smith held an evening session Of court until
nearly midnight, and when he left the build
Ing there only remained Deputy Sheriff
Barck and Turnkey Deringer. About 2
o'clock in the morning a sharp rap was heard
on the outside door, accompanied by a call
for Jack Brck. The deputy sheriff replied
by asking what was wanted. The man on
the outside said: SWe want the keys
Barck told them he had no keys, but that the
sheriff had them. The crowd outside then
told Barck and the turnkey to remain per-
fectly quiet under penalty of death, and
they soon demolished the lock on the out
side door with a sledge hammer. Advancing
to the jail, which is in the basement of the
court house, they smashed the lock, went
destroyed tie lock, and, placing a
moose around the prisoners neck,
commenced dragging him out. Bell
EGG AND PRAYAD FOL HIS LIFE,
but to no purpose, after which he began
screaming murder" at. the top of his voice,
fighting every step OF the way to the hastily
hnprovised gallows. Residents in the neigh.
borhood Were awakened by the noise and
viewed the proceedings through the dark
ness. Arriving at the flag pole, which is
about fifty feet in front OF the court house.
a cross bar was nailed at about fifteen feet
from the ground and one end of the incl
hemp rope WAS swung over the bar, and in
a twinkling the alleged murderer was pay
ing the penalty of his crime. Making the END
of the rope fast to the flag pole, the mob dis
IN L'tN arr NaiN 'NNNN tsAh N viz az.
Upon the first approach OF the mol the turn
key called up Sheriff Harris by telephone,
who was at his residence, and in.
formed him Of what was going
on, and a moment after, the lynchers
hearing the telephone bellring. cut the wire.
Sheriff Harris arrived Immediately on the
ground, where quite a crowd had assembled.
and cut the body down Life was not quite
extinct, but the man was so far gone that all
efforts to revive him were f~ruitleSs,
BENNETT NARROWLY ESCAPED
1t was the evident intention of the mob to
hang both Bell and Bennett, but the dis
turbance created caused them to leave. and
escape detection. Both ropes are in posses
sion Of the sheriff. and are about twelve feet
long, one inch in diameter, and are brand
new. The knot tied is the regulation hang
mans knot, prepared by n skilled hand.
Bennett was nearly paralyzed with fear, and
after passing. through the ordeal he appears
ten years older this morning. While it is
generally conceded that Bell was guilty, q
great deal of indignation is expressed
over the commission of the lyncbing.
1t is regarded as an outrage
and an insult to the court which is now In
session here. There was reason to expect
that the prisoner would receive a speedy
trial, and the act of these midnight
marauders is almost as dark as the deed Bell
was accused of committing.
BELL FEARED
Your correspondent paid Bell a visit only q
few hours previous to his death. He was
feeling very nervous over the rumor that a
mob was liable to enter his cell on any night
and asked the reporter if such sentiment
prevailed. When told that there was, he re.
piled:
If they hung me they would hang an innocent
man"
1t looks like a clear case against YOU" said
the reporter.
4 admit that it does, replied Bell, but can
establish my innocence. What part Bennett
played In the murder OF Small, 1 do not know,
but I shall prove at the proper time
that on that December day, at the hour speci.
crime"
Are you ready to go to trial?"
Yes, any day." said Bell. Il am anxious to
settle this mystery: and all I ask is a chance fI
my life"
The coroner's inquest. which was held to.
day, returned a verdict in accordance with
the above facts. T grand jury is now IL
session, and Bennett was indicted for being
an accessory to the crime.
j. H.. Bell and F. G. Small were both Young
attorneys in the town of Harold. Last fall
Small was nominated by the Republicans OF
Hughes county for prosecuting attorney. This
made Bell jealous of him, and he and a fellow
by the name of Ferdinand Bennett, who was at
the time an employe of Bells, set to work to
remove Small from the town, and thereby
have q clear field in the law business them
selves. On the Attn Of last December Small
left Harold on his pony for Blunt to attend q
lawsuit, aud nearing OF THIS Bell and Bennett
started after him in a buggy. When
they overlook Small, Bell asked him
how much he would take to settle a suit for
Sl6 then pending between them. Small
told him he would settle it for just the exact
amount Bell told him he would give him
SIS, and Small said he would never quar-
rel with n man over a dollar, and Bell
asked him to get off his pony and write out
an agreement. While Small was writing on
the buggy cushion Bell stepped up behind
him and pulled out of his %overcoat pocket a
small Ratchet and struck Small in the back
Of his neck, and buried the Ratchet SO that
it could not be seen. After pulling it out
he struck him once or twice more and
Bell and Bennett then lifted the corpse into
the buggy. After driving around for two or
three miles they came to some breaking four
miles north of Harold, where they dug a
hole about two etdeep with a spade which
Bell had in the buggy, and then chncked the
body in. They drove back to Harold and on
the next day Bell went to Huron, and to fur
ther the idea that Small had Skipped" he
swore out a warrant for his arrest on a charge
of perjury. Bell and Bennett left Harold fl
nally, and gradually auspicion began to be
aroused. Bennett was traced to Fairbank and
the story of the crime wormed out of him. He
and Bell were at once arrested and placed in
the Jail, where the lynchers found them.