Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-06-26
BIG REpDY
He Murders an Officer and I,
Hung to. q Tree.

"~-o
DETROIT, Mimi, June 23.-John Con-
,ey, marshal and Village constable, was
asst night murdered by VIM. Kellicher,
.lias "Big Reddy," 1.-THE circumstances be-
ng such that Kellicher will undoubted-
be convicted of murder in the first
A quarrel arose between the
rival agents of houses of prostitution,
md the officer lost his life in the dis
of his duty. A coroner's inquest
is now being held, the evidence all ten
ding to show that the murder was pre-
Convey was a good officer,
and had q host of friends. Great ex-
element prevails here.
LYNcHED.
DETROIT, Mimi, June 24.-The town
is wild with excitement over the lynch
ing of Big Reddy, alias Kellicher, alias
who killed the city marshal this
morning. Shortly before ten, twenty
or thirty resolute men went to the JAIL,
the keys of Sheriff Pinney,
who refused the request. He was oyer.
powered, the keys taken from him and
the prisoner secured. 1t having been
noised around what was going on a
crowd of five or six hundred people
gathered around the Jail, bleckading
the streets. The sheriff ~endeavored to
secure deputies but could get no one to
serve. He was consequently powerless
to resist the Infatuated mob. When the
party entered the cell and placed the
rope around the prisoners neck, he
swore by all that was good and holy
that he did not intend to kill the mar
shall, but that the death missile was in
tended for the gambler with whom he
had had a row. When convinced that
no pleading would save his life, he
prayed that some merciful spectator
would send his soul to hell with q gun
and not permit him to be strangled to
death. He was dragged from the Jail,
half q mile west, near his house Of pros
titution, and there swung to q tree, but
he was dead before he reached there.
After he vas swung up some II put
six bullets in the body. His death was
a cruel one, but is not regretted. A
few expressions of regret are heard that
he was not executed in a more humane
manner. but every n feels that he
met with his just deserts. In dragging
him to the place of execution most of
his clothes were torn off, and he now
hangs q nude and disgusting spectacle.
1t is thought he is the same party who
served a term in the Dakota peniten-
tiary for resisting arrest at Devils Lake,
He was released nearly q year ago.
Since that he has lived in Fargo and
Jamestown. The mob consisted of
prominent citizens, few of whom wore a
semblance of disguise. Many men to-
night proclaiming boldly what part they
took in the execution probably knew
nothing about it today. The body
will be cut down early in the morning
and an inquest held in the afternoon,
The remains of the late marshal were
inferred this afternoon in Oak Grove
cemetery, the fireman and other organ
izations taking part.
THE KILLING OF CONVEY.
Fargo Argus.
VIM. Kellicher, alias "Big Red" or
"Reddy," is quite we'll known among
the sporting fraternity here. He never
made Fargo his stopping place for more
than a day or two at a time, and is de.
scribed by those who know him as six
feet one inch tall. very broad across the
shoulders, with narrow hips, stoop shout
ders, deep.set eyes, and long overhang'
ing eyebrows and lashes. He is about
thirty-five years Of age.
From train men who came in this
morning it was learned that the mur
derer and another man named Howard
had had an alteration, during which
the former attempted to shoot the latter
but the revolver did not 80 off, although
it was snapped three times. The mar
shall quelled the row, and, it seems, lef,
without assisting either party. A little
later Kellichcr accosted Howard anc
asked to see his (Howard's) revolver
The revolver was handed TO him, anC
after examining it Kellicher remarked
ell go and do up the s. ola b. righ'
away," and he at once left the room
Pretty oon after an explosion wa
heard, and a number of citizens, OF
going to the spot, found tho marsha
lying on the ground, shot through tn,
heart. After firing the shot Kellichel
re.entered the house but soon disap
peared. A search was immediately in
stituted, and in the course of an houl
or so he was found sleeping in SOM
brush not far from where the murder
had been committed. 1t is said tina
Kellicher and Howard are both gam
blers and keepers of houses of prostitu
ton, and that the former was once con
nected with a gambling institution il
this city-being known here s"Reddy.'
Marshal Convey pulled" his house j,
Detroit Yesterday, and this is supposed
to have first aroused his ire. The trai,