Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-06-06
THE KICKAPOO TRAGEDY.
The Murderer of the Drake Family
Arrested at Viroqua-He Makes Con-
fession of the Horrible Crime -TaKen
from the Jail and Hanged by "a Mob.

RGCHLAND CENTER, Wis, June Am
drew Grandstaf, a young man of
bad, repute, who owns forty acres
adjoining the Drake place, was
captured six miles from the
scene of the late murder last night by
Vernon County deputies and confessed
to the aw ul crime of xii ing of old
Reuben Drake, his wife and two grand
children. He is now lodged in tie Yer
non County jail.
VIRooUA, Wis, June 1.-Great excite
ment prevails in this city this morning
over the arrest Of a young man
named Andrew Grandstaff, sup
posed to be connected with the
murder of the Drake family. The
arrest was made about 8 o'clock last
night, one week after the murder oc-
Cured. Grandstaff is 25 years of age
and has borne an exceedingly hard rep
utation in the Kickapoo Valley. He
has made it his Headquarters
for several years Many depredations
have been laid at his !ioor, but he has
never been arrested for them. During a
school meeting at Kickapoo Center, in
February, he was shot III the bowels
with charge of common shot, but ow-
ing to his strong constitution he recov
cred.
The arrest of Grandstaf was made by
c. J. Farrell, of Pinkerton's Chicago
force, who has done good work during
the twenty-tour hours he has been on
the ground. Farrell was assist
ed by ex-Sheriffs Goodell and
Morley. They brought the prisoner to
this city, arriving here at o'clock this
morning. He was closeted in room at
a hotel with the officers until 10 O'Clock,
where it is rumored he made full con-
fession.
By 10 o'clock matters had worked to
such heat that a lynching party was
assured had not better councils and
cooler judgment prevailed.
Grandstaff was born in this county.
He is an illegitimate child and
is ignorant and daring. The detectives
are earnestly at work and more inter
estlng developments are almost sure Il
come to light within twenty-four hours
MADISON. Wis, June 1.-The sheriff Of
Vernon County has telegraphed the
Governor that he has arrested the sus-
pected murderer of the Drake family
and that he cannot protect him from the
wrathful populace without help. The
Governor has taken 10 action about the
matter as yet.
VIRoQUA, Wis, June 2.-Surrounded by
a mob of fully 1000 determined men,
the murderer Of Reuben Drake, his wife
and their two innocent little grandchil-
dren, found retribution on an impro-
vised gallows in front of the Jail at an
early hour this morning. His name is
Andrew Grandstaff Being suddenly
pounced upon by the authorities he
{,,11 20 70 h
cious quadruple butchery. and be-
fore night the men Of the vicinity
gathered in ominous fashion to mete
out swift Justice. Recognizing the ne
cessity oil securing reinforcements if the
life of the prisoner was to be preserved
for the process Of law, the sheriff wired
Gov. Rusk to call out the militia. 1t
was, of course, too late to comply i'm
mediatelv, as no trains would bring the
nearest company of national guards to
the scene this night, and so the governor
telegraphed in reply that the sheriff
should swear IN all the spe-
cial deputies he might require to
protect the prisoner until he could
get company of militia to the place.
Every man within a ladius of twenty
miles and more, however, was in sympa-
thy with the fast multiplying mob and
tie authorities were unable to obtain
any reinforcements worth mentioning.
1t is doubtful if even company of mill
tia could have saved the life of the
prisoner. for Judge Lynch ruled su-
preme this night, and he had
thousand men to do his bidding
and a reserve of thousand more.
The authorities suppressed the fact that
Grandstaff had made confession.
knowing that the possibility of taking
the life of an innocent man was the
only thing that prevented the mob from
making quick work with the murderer.
Had they been absolutely sure of their
man, Grandstaff would not have been
alive at 10 o'clock tonight. There were
rumors of confession, hut those who
alone could substantiate the reports
would not do so. The prisoner, howev-
er, was finally taken from the Jail after
bloody struggle and hanged.