Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-16
LlNHlM AL DLAIK.
The Cold BloOled Murder Of N. R. Town
Speedily Avenged,
CHARLES PRATT DANGlES FROM A ROPE.
One ofthe Most0elberatoly Planned Lynch
ingsin the History of the State.
sfARMERS BREAK INTO THE JAIL.
A Son Of the Murdered Man Leads the
Vigilantes.
TIE SHERIFF QUICKLY 0vERPOWERED.
With the Rope Around His Neck FRA It
Expresses His Disappoin tment
at Not Being Able to Kill
the Whole Fa Inily.

IoLhlfks N'D a u SWSl ~ tpp''lu 'ltb a III
to TnE BEE. J-Oneof the most deliberately
planned as we'll as most coolly executed
lynchingsin the history Of the state was
carried out about mile from this place
shortly before midnight
Itwas'ust ii 80 whcna crowd Of mounted
farmers rode INTO the town, and were speedily
Joined 10y fully two hundred citizens No
time was losta and they procecdcdt to the Jail,
where the sheriff and about fifteen deputies
were keeping guard over Charles Pratt, the
murderer of N II. Town.
The sheriff ordered them to stand back and
positively rcmsedto turn over the prisoner
The mob was heavily armed, but made no
demonstrations with their weapons. The
parleying was of short duration and
the sheriff was empowered and his
keys were taken from him.
A rush was made for the cell room and in
anncredibly short time = RAFT was jerked out
side the Jail. Hewas
SURROUNDED BY THE LY NCuERs
who at once started with him for q small
grove about a mile from town.
The lyn chin & party was led by Harry
Town, son of the murdered man. Arriving
atthe scene Of the intended lynching young
Town was given the privilege of tying the
rope about the mrderer's neck, and alsoof
having the first pull on therope
Town was not bNshfu about accepting the
hOnors offered, and tied a knot that would
have done credit to professional hangman
The end of the rope was thrown overa limb,
and hauled taut
Pratt was then told th atif hehad any thing
to say he had better say it quickly.
He replied that he would say few words if
the rope was loosened little, aud then they
might pull away
Just AsHARD AS THEY D--D PIEAsE.n
The rope was Stacked and Pratt then
stated that he killed Town and
meant TO kill the whole family.
He declared that he cameup from Missouri
purposcly to do the job, and firmly intended
to Okillevey one of the Town family. He
was sorry that he had failed. He said he
had owned IL farm near the one owned
by the Towns, and worked hard
to make a living, but the Town family i'm
posed upon him to such anextent that he
couldnot save cent
Atthis juno ture some one in the clOy q
wanted to know what that had to do with
the girl. Before Pratt COULD respond
the rope was given pull, and
he was
JERKED lNToTH AIR.
Hestruggled frantically fora few seconds
but the lynchers grmly held his neck tightly
against the limb and in two or thrre minutes
the lifcless corpse of the murderer was swing
ing slightly toand fro in the night wind
The rope was made fast to the trunk Of the
tree and the crowd of vglautes came
quietly back to town. In about fifteen min
utcs the farmers left for their homes, but
little knots OF citizens gathered on the cor
ners and discussed the event
No one was heard to regret the Occuwen &C
and the general verdict was one of sasfac
ton.
The sheriff, Frank Harri man. followed the
crowd tothc scene of thtlynchiug and was
WITNESS TO THE HANGING.
None of thelynchers make any effort tc
conceal their identity.
Not IA maskwas worn, andno endeavOr was
made to keepthe afairquiot, The lynchers
Were determined, and lis not bclevedthat
company of militia could have saved Pratts
life
Pratt stated In Jail this afternoon that he
hadno regrets for whathe had done andpu bliC
Indignation ran so high that iIwould have
petn possible at any time to have raised q
crowd nsideof five minutes to have done The
work that was not done until tonight.
The body of Pratt was left swinging, and
noone here will cut it down before morning
ID was just ten minutes bel fore midni ght
when Pratt was lynchCd, and at o. clock the
town isalmOst as quiet and peaceful as il
- nothing hadhappcncd,
Tho crimeior which Pratt waslyn Ched was
the murder of N. H. Town, an old resi-
dent Of Washington county, living south
west Of Bernard, and the probably futa
woundhg of his daughter.
Pratt who worked for Mr. Town foul
years ago, came upon themaoout sunrise mC
commenced shooting. They were out doors
near the COW shed, y son ofTowns ran in III,
houseprocured ashotgun and followed tn
man on horseback, never losing sightof him
and ran him into crowd of men that wer
TIRES hing. He gave up and wa!
bound and brought TO Blair aud place,
+ in Jail The murderer admits he did it
: When asked why he did it hesaid Il an
even now. expect to go to he'll aud may Il
we'll go now as anytimen
Pratt talked freely said he came all tn
way up from Kansas City to kill Tow
and
WAS NOT SORRY HE DID 1T.
lie claimed he had an old grudge agains
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