Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-02-12
THEIR LAST SLEEP.
The Slumbers Of Three Culprits
Disturbed by Lynchers at
Audubon, Iowa
Two of the Men Shot Dead, the Third
Being Hanged in Public
Place.
Audubon aowal aneoial !

audubon Qowa) special
Early this morning a mob killed Joel J. VII
son. John A. 6mythe. and Cicero b. Jefferson
confined I'm the County Jail awaiting trial fol
hanging Hiram j. Jefferson, on April 20 last.
On Saturday last Judge Toofbourn granted |
change OF venue In the case. on motion OF the
prisoners counsel, and trial was set for Monday
next AZ Atlantic. This action enraged the peo-
pie TO such an extent that masked mob organ.
lied and proceeded to the County Jail at about
O'Clock this morning, and demanded the KEYS tC
the ceii; Inc Sherin refused, and endeavored "a
alarm the citizens OF the town by firing off his
pistol. This the mob had guarded against by
statoning outposts over the city and
residences to retire indoors The crowd re-
turned the fire of the Sheriff and at once pro-
ceeded with picks and crowbars to make an
opening in the brick wall of the cell-room large
enough to permit two persons to walk In abreast.
Through this the crowd poured and commenced
breaking the locks and bolts admitting them to
the cells. One OF the leaders, dressed in white
and wearing white mask, TO distinguish him
| from the crowd, who wore black dominos,
conducted the work OF forcing an entrance. Once
inside the wrought iron corridor In front OF the
two cells, the leader demanded that the three
Jefferson murderers-Smythe,W Wilson, and Jel-
lerson-come out and gave assurance TO the
otner prisoners, four in number, that they only
wanted the Jefferson murderers. Smythe made
lunge with broom handle through the
barred door OF the cell at one man standing
~ inJuring him, and at this man carrying a
lantern held IL up, and the leader shot Smythe
through the left eve, killing him.
One OF the persons confined in the cell with
the murderers was next ordered TO step out
After this prisoner was once out. Wilson pro-
tested his Innocence OF the murder, but refused
taking effect Immediately below the left
shoulder, and he, was hit In the mouth
them to XIII him him outright, ne1 and ES not
to torture him. Another shot was fred
taking efiect In the upper part of his chest. and
over the heads of Smythe and Wilson and their
bodies dragged to the jail-yard fence, where
they were strung mp. The second cell was then
opened and Cicero Jefferson ordered to step out.
As soon he appeared q rope was thrown
around his neck and he was taken by the crown
TO band-stand In the public square, about
II he was guilty of the murder of his father He
replied that he was. The rope was then thrown
around the Flagstaff surmounting the stand. and
he was drawn up. while the leader said in loud
tones: AS you swung your father mp last
April, so you swing now between heaven and
earth" After this hanging the Sheriff was mott
ned that the mob had done its full work, and
that the other prisoners were safely locked in
their cells. The crowd then quietly dispersed.
with a n e heaS SI two stories high
fftf fffeif ysii f6Defe ffisfrer aft haf
wrought iron cage consisting Of two cells and
corridor In front made Of bars closely inter-
opening the cells and corridors are In steel
box, and this had to be OF ened before the
prisoners could be gotten at The work of I
opening this was done quickly. The number
comprising the mob is variously estimated at
from fifty to 500 1t was well disciplined, and
every avenue OF approach was guarded, and no
one was allowed to approach nearer the jail than
q full block. When each shot was fired in the
first cell, Cicero would exclaim, "Oh, my GodI"
an and when Wilson was heard to fall Cicero said
TO one OF his companions: IF live through It,
don't tell on me; but what confessed to last
spring was true. We killed father"
wilson's three sisters arrived tonight from
yuQa IN
witness as they viewed the remains of their
brother. His body was turned over to them by
the coroner, and taken by train to their home
for interment. The Coroner's jury rendered
known.
The Grand Jury was called before Acting |
Judge Henderson, and after few WE'LL chosen |
words and able structures on the mob he gave |
the case into their hands for consideration. |
Probably nothing as to the composition Of the |
mob will be developed. The bodies of Smythe |
and Jefferson are still unclaimed.
local nanar this eve oirfS axnressad IL it's
would have shared the same fate as
the murderes. While the mob was working
to gain admittance they reapetedly as
sured the prisoners that they only wanted
the Jefferson murderers. As soon as |
2 hole was made through the brick wall
The lock to the iron door leading from the resi- !
1ence part to the cells was spiked so that the
Sheriff could not enter by that route. Peter
Ryan, now in the County Jail for the murder of
kleever, was brought before the Coroner's Jury,
md % an witness his evidence may be in
'ereeting He said: Il was in the jail last night,
n the west cell. The mob came there about
''clock. and heard a noise Of firing and heard
ome one say to the Sheriff: Fire one more shot
,icks at the jail wall and we got up and
dressed. 1t took them twenty minutes to
an On the Entrance sst to They hey o nsn
lor,, They were quite a long time at that
While at the door Smythe shouted three times:
outside 9ad ssO ssOR Tben sSsS
anne In. Smythe poked a broom-stic into a |
mans ribs and knocked him over. All had
he shooting had handkerchief over his face:
ne man had lantern When the man was
unched in the ribs he stepped back and fred,
anne cell, said BE careful: there is one inn mo-
ent we msn out here Re wo T1hley told Crawford to
'rd went out and they shot at Wilson, and
omebody put crowbsr in his face He said:
Great God, boys, don't murder me this wayi
never killed old man Jefferson, or saw him I
ntil 1 saw him the day he was in his coffin G
man said: If innocent, why don't you come
itT Wilson said: If die, 1 die game The :
stol to shoot Wilson. He continued firing TIL 8
ilson was shot in the neck or lungs when he q
II. knew he was shot in the neck or lungs y
nythe and Wilson both out. and came back to J.
IT cell and ordered Cicero to walk out told y
m to go out. and he went. They put rope =,
is is the man we want, and walked away. :.
mt know any of them. / said to Cicero: -
our time Is about at an end. If You are guilty n
W. tell me- Cicero choked up, but after. o
lrd he said the statements he had made were ~
me brutal crime which resulted in the triple &c
aching was committed April 26 last. About b
rec miles southeast Of Audubon there resided ~
old man named Hiram Jefferson, who had IN IN
m PittsfeId, hi. ais family Consisted 70
!. his ,o,, wife, one boy. and 1--WE ~ "
ong mind. but was looked upon as kind "
sband and father, and had the reputation of 'n
ng strictly honest in all HIS dealings. About
zee years prior to the crime one OF the girls
rried John Smythe, of Greene County. He
rough character, addicted to drink, and he
n made trouble in the family. turning the w
ldren against the father He accused the old W
n OF having had Illicit intercourse with one OF ~
girls. This charge was more or less believed la
ghters. and smythe and the others at ~
time made threats against the old man. on
ally, smythe moved to Carroll County, bo
Ing with him Cicero and Lucy, the girl ia ia
'se name he had connected with that OF Jo
old man Previous to their departure an
ythe and Cicero had frequently harassed the ~
he morning Of April 20 three horsemen rode as
20 the house where Hiram Jefferson and his l.
= were YER r living alone They bosterously en- 70
were at once asked by the old woman what wi
! wanted. A rough voice replied, telling her W
eep stu, and althouehit was too dark to WI
who the visitors were Mrs Jefferson reco0 | ba
q the voice as that Of John Smythe. Disre- 10
ing the old mans demand to know their ne
ness, the murderers seized him and drag. aid
him from the bed to the floor. Jellerson's fir
Tor help were soon stihed by the
sslns, who, after pulling his shirt over his we
!, ued rope round his neck. His half-Ix, am
late body was then dragged out OF the :
% TO q maple tree about three hundred feet
mt. The murderers then pinioned their by
ms arms, threw the rope over a limb ~
e eight feet from the ground, and drew tho ~
up Then they fastened the rope, mount COY