The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-09-26

follows:
The details of the mob trial under
lynch law of Alonzo Edwards and his
wife Mary, at Rosalla, Kansas, are of
the most revolving character, and
shows the most inhuman treatment,
seldom met with even in the admins
tration of border justice. Mr.. and
Mrs. Edwards and Henry Boomer and
wife were engaged as farm hands on
the farm of George Dudley. three
miles from Rosalia. MIR. Edwards was
left in charge of the house while the
rest of the farm hands were sent to
the fields to work. To her was en-
trusted the care of the threeyeaF- old
child of Mr.. and Mrs. Boomer. When
the party returned to the house for
supper in the evening the child was
missing. a search was instituted, but
no trace of the child could be found.
The nearest neighbors we're summoned
to join IN the search, and all that
night they trampsd over the fields.
Mrs. Bioomer was most active in
the search and when morning came
and no trace of the child had been
found, she fell exhausted IN The field
and had to be carried to the house.
Not until to-day did she recover suffi-
GENTLY to raise from her bed and only
then when the good news was brought
Alive and well. All day Wednesday
and Thursday the search was kept up,
and still no trace of the child was
found. By this time tbs whole country
had been aroused. and fully 1,000 men,
women and children had joined the
party. Thursday night the crowd was
organized in a different manner and
placed four feet apart and the whole
country was trampled over for fully
two miles in every direction. During
all this time the Edwards DISPLAYED an
Indifference to the child's fate that
aroused suspicion and they were Ques-
toned closely. Their answers seemed
to be iudidnite. and they were taken IN
charge by the mob and arrested under
lynch law. The mob divided itself in
to two parties, and one took charge of
Mr.. Edwards and the other was given
the wife, Mrs. Edwards is large
woman of emotional character, and
when commanded to confess the crime
under penalty of being hanged if she
did not, she finally said she had killed
| the missing child. She had thrown a
stick of fire wood, she said, at rat in
the kitchen and had hit the child by
mistake, killing it Instantly and had
| thrown the body in the creek. She was
| told to lead the party TO the place
! where the body had been thrown. She
went to a place about half mile
from the house and indicated it as the
right place. The creek was dragged
but Mrs. Edwards statement could not
be verified. She was taken to the
nearest tree AMI rope was placed
around her neck. She was told the fate
that awaited her if she did not tel
where the body of the dead child wa:
to be found, she repeated her former
statement. She was given opportunity
| to offer prayer and was drawn up from
the ground. She was allowed to re-
main suspended in the air for a minut'
until her face became black from i'm
pending strapgulation, she was thel
| lowered to the ground in an uncOn-
.scious condition. When she reviveC
sufficiently to speak she was asked i
she was ready to tell the truth. I'll
you are not, the leader said, 'yOu vii
be hanged the next time until you ar
dead. Your husband will be burned a
the stake"
The poor woman was actually too
frightened to speak and assuming he
silence to be voluntary, the mob agaii
fastened the rope about her neck ant
she was again suspended in the air
This time she was pc Irit ed to remain
longer, and when cut down she wa
more dead than alive. The mob wa
about to hang her third time whel
Boomer, the father of the miSSin
child interfered and persuaded tn
mob to desist .-enly however, because.
Mrs. Edwards life should be take
the body of the child could not b
found. Mrs. Edwards was then take
to the house and placed in charge of
guard.
mob which had Edwards in charge ha
attempted to extort confession froE
him but he protested his innocenct
He too was Hanged from a limb of
tree and was cut down. Still he main
tanned that he was innocent. Agail
he was strung up and again cut dow
He could not be made to confess. Fri
day night the prisoners were brough
to the city and placed in the Jail un
der guard of the sheriff. From tina
time until this morning mob varyin
in dimensions from 500 to 1870 ha
continually surrounded the Jail clam
oring for the lives of the accused. Tn
sheriff barricaded the door and arm
ing himself and jailors kept the mob q
bay.
Early this morning the missin
child was found alive and we'll Sittin
on the door step of farm house nea
Rosalia. Where it had been all tn
time is mystery. 1t is too young I
speak plainly and can give no accouu
/, of itself. 1t is supposed that it wa
kidnapped and returned when it wa
found what excitement its disappear
ance was causing.
When the news of the finding of th
: child was brought to this city, the mo
{ could not be made to believe its trut
until the child itself was produced an
was recognized by the mother as he
own. The prisoners were then released
3 They are still suffering from the effect
: OF their harsh treatment. The mark
: of the rope where it had cut into the
3 necks are plainly visible and indicai
r the suffering they must have endured
: An attempt will be made to prosecut
2 the leaders of the mob.
Laws Adopted.