The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-26
NAN HUNT In CONNECTICUT.
Fifteen Hundred Men and Boys Engage
in Pursuing the Murderer of Girl.
The Wretched Criminal, Seeing All Hope of
Escape Cut OFF, Hangs Himself-A Strange
Scenein Field of New England Farm.

crowds of men and boys slept in the woods and
secured around in the thick underbrush and high
trees that surround the open fields near farmer
Randall's house, in the town of Morris. Fifty
men came from Plum & Atwoods shops, IN
rhomaston, yesterday and one hundred men
same over, with crowds of men from Water
town, Bethlehem and Litchfeld, max
ing altogether motley army of
1900 men, armed with guns, pistols,
Iwords, and, in fact, every conceivable variety
pf weapon. They brought their food with them,
and the farmers house was turned into store
house. This morning the crowd started through
the patch of woods that have been vainly
searched for the past three days to find Lock-
wood. The boys were in the mems way, so they
were sent back, but in skirmishing around on
The side of where the largest number of the
searchers were, three of them suddenly came
upon Lockwood. He hung from rotten limb
Of a small chestnut tree strung up
by q rope which had been stolen from
Johnston's barn. with pail full of
food the day before. As soon as the boys saw
him they set up shout, and as if by magic and
of one common accord. the whole 800 men con-
verged into the place where the murderer hung.
It looked like an army of battle-stained veterans
marching over the hills The body was cut
down and carried out into big field. There it
lay while man after man came up to look at the
murderers stiffened form and rigid features.
The crowd had more subdued air than would
be expected of lot of men who had been spend
Ing two days hunting for the man who lay
stretched at their feet, with the avowed deter
mination of stringing him up to the nearest tree.
The body was dressed in blue overals, boots
and workman's jumper of a dull gray color
When the ], 500. spectators had satisfied them
selves with gazing at the body it was carried into
barn, and the rope, which was tied in knot
under the left ear, was seized upon by relic
hunters, but the presence of the coroner re-
strained many of them.
Lockwoods reason for remaining in the neigh
borhood was probably that he was morbibly at
tached to his victim, aud could not bear to leave
the place where her body lay. He could easily
lave got away had he started through
the woods the night after the MUIR
DER He soon got out of food, and when
he saw George johnson leave his homo for
the funeral, he darted after food. He found
a pailful of cake, one and half pound OF cheese,
and six pounds of mutton. The fact that he
was so quick in taking advantage of his oppor-
turiEv to make food raid strenethans the be
lief that he was never. more than mile or two
from the house, roaming around in the woods
climbing up a tree when closely pursued and
watching his pursuers from his perch as long as
they were in sight.
If Lockwood had not been found to-day, reg
lar old time slave-hunt style would have been in
stituted to-morrows Yesterday the question in
all directions was, 'Have you boodhoundf
question whether Lockwood took his own life or
whether he was saved the trouble
of tying the knot is a mooted one. Those
vino think he was lynehed say that it
UoRUy anlra HlH hat %ta hNln
party should have been concentrated within half
mile of whore his body was found hanging,
espscially as they all were the house,
and that would seem about the last place
for. a murderer to hide-the scene Eof his
awful crime It is now notorious
that the people who were looking
for him did not intend to spare him. and that a
bullet or a ropes end would have certainly saved
Connecticut long and costly trial. On the other
hand, those who say that he took his own life
turn this last fact to their own advantage. for
they say Lockwood no doubt saw that all his pur-
suers were armed, and that they were infuriated
at him. Hence, what was more natural than
that, finding escape impossible. he ended his own
ltfeI Deputy Sheriff Goodsell, of Thomaston,
had charge of the hunt, and he would have been
careful 70 see that no lynching was done if he
could have helped it, and in any case 1t might
have been uncomfortable for those who were i'm
plicated in it. The body was found hanging
from limb fifteen feet above the ground, tied by
short rope. Lockwoods neck was broken.
Miss Matte Randall. scarcely fifteen years
OLD, was found dead by her mother, near her
homo at Morris, Thursday noon, with bullet
hole in her breast By her side lay mans hat
and a rife. Suspicion was directed to
Charles Lockwood who was last
seen in her company. and to, whom
the hat and rifle belonged Lockwood was a
farmland employed by the girls father, one of
the best known and respected farmers of Nor
ris. me CIR. was great favorite with all her
acquaintances, and was the belle of the little vii
lage She was thrown much into the company
OF lockwood, and he appeared much attached to
ner. Iney We're seen together at the place
where Miss Randall's body was found, lust be-
fore the murder. Lockwood soon disappeared.
and q band OF citizens began vigorous search
for him.
Labor Candidate for Congress
ST. LoUIs, July % Judge advocate J. j. Nc