Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-17
CRIME AND CASUALTY.
Exciting Jail Delivery at
Somerset, Pa.
ESCAPE OF TWO MURDERERS.
They Are Pursued and Captured.
Talk of Lynching-Disaster
on the Erie Road.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD
SOMERSET, Pa, September 16.-The
Nicely brothers, confined in Jail here
under sentence of death for the murder
of Farmer Umburger, this morning over
powered the Sheriff, and when the
Deputy Sheriff went to his assistance,
one of the brothers with the Sheriff's re-
volver shot the deputy and made good
their escape. The Deputy Sheriff's wound
is serious one and may result fatally.
The crime for which the Nicely broth
ers were under sentence of death WAS
committed last winter. Two men came
to Farmer Umburger's house one even
ing, and, representing themselves to be
officers in search of stolen goods, pro-
ceeded to search the premises. The
honest farmer, believing them to be
genuine officers on the wrong scent,
offered no resistance. But when they.
began meddling with two big pocket
books, containing his hoard of years,
about SIG, 900, which they found in one
of the bureau drawers, the farmer
| thought it was time to interfere. Because
he tried to defend his property, one of
the villains put bullet through his
brain. They then pocketed their booty
and made good their escape. No one
else was present but the wife OF the far
mer, little granddaughter and a
female domestic. They were terrified with
fear and unable to give the alarm until
some time after the robbers flight. Num-
erous arrests followed on suspicion, but
all proved futile until circumstantial evil
dence led to the arrest and conviction of
the Nicely brothers. Their trial was q
most exciting one and they were de-
Tended by several of the best criminal
lawyers in the State. Public prejudice
WAS strongly against the pris-
oners, but lately decided re-
action had set in, owing to new
evidence which was developed, and
strong efforts were being m de to secure
a new trial, with reasonable hopes of
success. But this outbreak on the part
OF the prisoners will now be taken by
the infuriated people as conclusive evi-
dence of their guilt, and their doom is
certain.
The whole town was soon alarmed and
500 persons, with all sorts of weapons,
were soon in hot pursuit. The Nicelys
| AhFIuS Sdiucu tuo WOOuS, ulSIppo8T6u
from view in the dense foliage. Shortly,
however, a shout went up that Dave had
been discovered up tree. This proved
true, and the scoundrel WAS speedily
captured. An hour later Joe was cap
tured, and the procession, now number
ing about 800 excited people, headed for
town. Ropes were procured and strenu-
GUS efforts were made to lynch the GRIM
inals, but through the active efforts of
some determined people the design was
frustrated, and the Nicely boys are again
safely landed in jail. The Deputy Sheriff,
brave and estimable citizen, lies at the
point of death from the wounds inflicted
by the murderers. An excited and in
furiated mob mas surrounded the Jail,
and it is liable to be broken into and the
criminals hanged before morning. A
careful search Of the cells and p :isoners,
made directly after the recapture of the
Nicelys, unearthed three more revolvers
in the hands Of the prisoners,