Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-08-02
SHOCKING TRlerpy.
A nan at Wahpetoa, Dakota, Kills Youns lad,
nnd Il Sammartly Iv.,hea

AN ~ oaumarliy iyached.
Miss Moliie korbell. Of wahpcton. Doko+a
T,.s murdered by deputy sheriff S. i. Elmer
Nh. was respected domestic in Sberia
liiiei Htniiy aud was entrusted with the
neuna cement Of the household dnring tbe
ialiilly temporary ahsencc aud at the tineaf
.hs mnrder had just given the t,risoI,.srs III ~
jan Their supper Elmer and other ennIoyas
=, .he shs1h boarded With him, and after
supper Elmer asked the deceased II she In.
.,iueu going out. She replied TINT II she felt
IKE Y, she w0usl do So ii tliis Elmer ,o,il.'d
lts revolver and shot her three timcs-in the
ntn below the ear ana in the meek T,l,o
murderer Immediately gave himself nm n, nm.
other deputy sheriff, who locked him in a
eeh. \ great crowd soon gathered aud he
t 81 ' ri prepare ropes and TO break into the
sdt, Inc ponce were active and undar m
rection OF the mayor several men yera a.
rested and locked up. The latter h,.longed ~
the lre department, and some firp,os1 r,,n,,
nc me Dell Almost every member of the
~. ~ .il'eht sathered and the mob made a
rusu Tor the rity hall To tear il down
A masked mob OF 100 determined men tho,
oferpowered Sheriff Miller and Deputy Rrnnte
through tile cages and took the murderer
Out LIE mob was well organized and HEADED
~ fesointe men OF Whapetou atd Rr,..ks,-
rdEe The sheriff offered all the phys;cal
r,sistonce nus eco pound afforded. Init aid
not attempt 20 shoot or fight l,,a,,sa
me mob were all his friends and said tbe ~
oi the murderer not worth the life of n friend
AFTER the hanging the mob quietly disnerscd
and the hundreds Of men and women wbn
W the hanging went home SATISFIED
r .ir sa'd ne did not know why he killed th,
sii,@hd Massorty that he haddone so. When
asked u wished tn prey he said. ''No"
Miss korbel was twenty-one wears old and
MS vi, nightly respected by oil who know her.
Elmer had never kept company with her
~ "a had no claim to her Alteration, and why
ne should murder the girl is q mystery.
=, me murderer came from Massachusetts 10
Minnesota in 1862 and enlisted AT Fort
Smelling lie has been about Wabna-
ton Two years And has borne n
good character though froncutly
eNhibitihY u weakness for stropi.
urink; but he was sober when the murder
was Committed. He formerly lived in Fargo
en- = wen known throughout the county
ON years ago he was employed by Holm
hagyart- sheriff OF Cuss county. and served
as deputy sheriff, Previous TO his arrival
~ Fargo he had been deputy sheriff nj
Rochester, MINI. He was given 10 drink,
i1g' more or hess, and four yeaes ago Mr..
liha!Sgart discharged him. He remained a
white longer and then went TO Jumes
Powers Helendale stock farm From there
he went to Nahpet1n. and has since acted
as deputy under Sheriff Miller.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The bohemian farmers began to gather In
town towards night. After some consulta.
ton II was decided To use strategy. and the
Boleminns withdrew In the middle of the
night "A sudden outburst Of voices near the
lail reused the whole town. An the citizens,
aud those Of breckenridge as well REMARKED
10 the scene. About the Jail was gathered
mob OF about seventy-five masked men.
They made a rush for the Jail but al the
command Of Sheriff Miller they halted Ii
was only for q moment, however. They sur
rounded the sheriff aud his twelve deputies,
and firmly, though without harsh trent
ment, hustled them 10 one side.
with erowbars aud sledge hammers
they then attacked the cell Of the prisuuer
The wonderful nerve OF the murderer was
admired even by the most desperate of his
iynchcfs- Elmer sat "n his cot in his cell
and watched the progress made by the work
eI-s Si,o were battcring down the OH doors.
az If he doubted their skill in such work Not
woTd tsrapcd his lips. but when the third
steel door tint separated him from the mob
teii he stood up and presented his head for
the moose 20 bc slipped over. When the mob
len the jail. ElEIer elaspcd the rope with both
hands TO keep from being jerked down and
appeared perfectly cool After leaving the
court yard, the mob quickened its pace and
was soon in swift race for the bridge
The immense crowd pressed closely about
the running prisoner when one partially
tIiPped him aud Elmer said: Don't do
that boys, I've got the worst of the deal
now. When the mob stepped on the bridge
aud the rope had been thrown over striuger.
Elmer was asked fine had anything to say
NO, guess not, " he replied. why did YOU
Kill the girl was asked II did il in the
heat Of passion" he said. Elmer was asked
il be wanted to send any word TO relatives, OF
II he wished to pray lie said not, aud asked
the mob if they wanted to tie his hands ia
front or behind his back. They were tied be-
hind his back Arc you ready" was osked
Yes said Elmer "hoist away" The hor-
nd deed was done; blood atoned for blood.
The body was cut down at 1 o'clock by the
coroner. The parents of the murdered girl
watched every movement of the lynehers
with delight