New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-03
PLUNDERING THE DEAD.
ATnoc1oUs CONDUCT MEETS coNDIGN PUN
ISIAiENT.

ISHNIENT
FOUR M1scREANTs CHASED INTO THE RIVER To
pRowN-Two OTHERS LYNoHED DY ANGRY
MEN-r1RING ON THIEVES IN
THE RUINS.
Johnstown, Penn, June 2.-Tbe WY OF the
transgressor in the desolated valley OF the Cone
maugh is hard indeed. Each hour reveals some
new and horrible story Of suffering ana outrage,
and every succeeding hour brings news OIL s"llt
and merited pur ishment melted out to the hends
who have dared 90 desccrate the stir and mangled
bodies in the city OF the dead, and torture inc
already half-orazed victims OF the oruelest OF
modern catastrophes. Last night party OF thlr-
teen Hungarians were noticed stcalthIly picking
their way along the banks of the Concmaugh
toward Sang Hollow Suspicious Of their PURPOSE
several farmers armed themselves and started ID
pursuit Soon their most horrible Tears were
realized The Hungarians were out for plumber
Living upon the shore they came upon the dead
and manrled body of woman, upon whose person
there were a number Of trnkets OF iewelry and
two diamond rings. In their eaGerness to Sc
cure the plumber the Hungarians got into
souabble, during which one Of the number sew
cred the finger upon which were the rings ana
started on q run with his fearful prize The
revolving nature Of the deed so wrought upon
the pursuing farmers. who by this time were Close
at hand that they gave immediate chase. oome
Of the Hungarians showed fight. bat. being out
numbered were compelled 20 fee for their lives
Nine OF the brutes escaped, but four were literally
driven into the surgng river and 10 their death
The thief who took the rings was %mon2 TIE
number Of the involuntary suicides
.nld vail VN
who had walked from Sang Hollow, stepped up TO
O number Of men who were on the PLATFORM sIauoh
at Curranville and said:
Gentlemen. had shotgun with me hall
an hour ago. would now be n murderer. yet
with no fear Of ever having 10 suffer for my
crime. Two miles below here l watched three
men going along the banks, stealing the jewels
from the bodies of the dead wives ana daughters
Of men who have been robbed OF all they hold dear
on earth
He had no sooner finished the last sentence than
five burly men, with looks Of terrible determination
written on their faces, were on their way 70 inc
scene Of plumber, one with coil OF rope over MS
shoulder and another with revolver In his hand.
In twenty minutes so IL is stated. they had over
taken two OF their victims who were then In the
act of cutting pieces from the ears and fingers from
the hands OF the bodies Of two dead women With
revover levelled at the scoundrels, the leader OF
| the posse shouted:
Throw up your hands or I'll blow your heads
off,"
With blanched faces and trembling FORMS thoy
| obeved the order and begged for mercy THY
were searched. and. as their pockets were cmptled
of their CHASTITY finds the Indignation OF the crowd
| intensified. and when bloody finger OF an infant
encircled with two tiny gold rings was found among
| 81. in he n n.
| Lynch them! Lynch them' without mo-
ment's delay rores were thrown around their necSS
| and they were dangling 20 the limbs OF tree. in
| the branches of which an hour before were entan-
| cled the bodies Of dead father and son. After
| half an hour the ropes were cut and the bodies
lowered and carried 20 pile OF rocks in the forest
on the hill above. II is hintcd that an Allegheny
County official was one of the most prominent in
| this iustiflable homicide.
One miserable wretch who was eau ylrt in the act
OF mutlating body was chased by crowd OF citi-
| zens and when captured was promptly strung NJ
TO a telegraph pole. company Of officers rescued
| him before he was dead, much 20 the disgust OF
| many reputable people, whose feelings had been
outraged by the treatment Of their deceased rcla-
| tons Shortly after midnight an attempt was
| made to rob the First National Bank which. with
the exception Of the vaults had been destroyed.
4
patrol, which had been established during -
night, and lively chase ensued. number OF
the thieves--siX. IL is Said-were shot. 1t is not
known whether any were killed or not, as their
bodies wouh have been washed away almost i'm
mediately II such had been the case
Yesterday was pay day at the Cambria Iron
Works; that is IL would have been under or
binary circumstances. The money, $40, 900, was
drawn from the bank on Friday evening and was
placed in the vault at the company's Office II IL
still there and is constant temptation TO the
mony thieves who are on the ground.
A prominent member OF the Johnstown Safety
Committee said 10 q reporter this evening: :" For
Gods sake, tell them at Pttsburg to stop the rush
of sIghtseers TO this place. There Is enough herr
to last for weeks, and the morbid curiosity o.
these people can just as wei be gratifed later.
know. The crowds Of curious people hive greatly
embarrassed as to-day. The authorities mus
stop It,"