The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1890-08-18
One Of the Most Deliberately Planned
Lynohings In the History
Of Nebraska.
A Son of the Murdered Man Leads
the yigilantes--Histcry Of
the Crime,

0idn1Rht OF TIE ADAh.
Ii was lust 1i.3D when o crowd Of
mounted farmers rods into the town, and
were speedily Joined by fully 200 citizens.
No time was loss aud they proceeded TO
the lail. where the sheriff and about iifiesn
deputies were keeping guard over Char.es
Pratt, the murderer Of N. n. 1owne.
The sheriff ordered them TO stand back
and positively refused 10 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 overpowersd
and his keys we're taken from hlm.
A rush was made for the cell room and
in an incredibly short time Pratt Was
lsrked outside the jail He was surrounded
by the iyneaers, who At once started with
him for smali gtoYe about mile from
town. The lynchiag party vas led by
Harry Towns, son Of The murdered man.
Arriving al tho scene OF the intended
lynching, Towne was given the privilege OF
tying
The asope About the Maraercr's Neck.
and also Of having the hrst pull ON thc
rope.
Towne was not bashfal about accepting
the honors offered, aud tied . knot that
wonld have done credit 20 q professional
haneman. The end Of ths rope was
thsown over limb and hauled tant.
Pratt was then told II be hal anything
20 say he had better say II quickly. He
replied that he wonld say few words IL
the ropo was loosened littles aud then
lhey might pull away
..sass ms Hard ms They Did Please
ahs.xops COS sal.ske<a and Erass@&hsn
stated that he killed Towne and meant TO
kili the whole family. He declared that
he cine up from Missonn pnrposely to do
the FOB, aad firmly iasended 10 I'LL eyers
one Of the Towne family. He was sorry
that he had failed. He said he had owned
. farm near the one owned by the Townes,
aud worked hard to make living, but the
To sne family imposed upon him 20 such
an extent that be could not save cent.
AZ this iuncture some ono In the crowd
wanted 10 know what that had to do with
the girl. Before Pratt coala respond the
rope was given pull, and he was
Jerksa Iasa she AIR.
He struggled franticalIy for a few sec
onds, but the lynohsrs grsmly held his
neck Rhtly against the limb, add in tso
or three minutes ths life.sss corpse Of the
murderer was swinging lightly TO and
fro 10 the night wind.
THE rope was made fast 10 the trunk OF
the tree and the crowd OF yigilantes came
quickly back to town. In about hftsen
minutes the farmers left for their homes,
TN ffftig knots OF cEffzsuE KEtheTua on tins
corners and discussed the event.
No one vas heard 10 regret the occur
renee aud the general verdict vas ONE Of
satisfaction.
The sheriff, Frank Hartman, followed
the crowd TO tue scene Of the lynebing and
was witness to the hanging. None OF
the lynchers make any efFoit to conceal
their idensy.
Not a mask was worn, and no eudeavof
was made to keep The affair qaset. The
lymchers were detarm ned. and u n not be-
lieyed that a company OF militia could
have sAved Praii's life.
Pratt stated la jail IN the afternoon that
he had no regrets for what he had done,
ana public indignation ran so high that Il
would have been possible At any time to
have raised crowd inside Of fi,e minutes
10 have done the work that was done n
night.
The body OF Pratt was left swingi0e un-
tIl this morning..
IL was just ten minutes before midnighl
when Pratt was lynehed, and aa o'clocl
the town vas almost as quiet and peaceful
as If nothing, had happened.
why shs Crime Was Committed.
When asked why he did Il he said: =
am even now. Iexpect to 20 TO hsli ans
may as welt 40 now as ans time.
Pratt talked freely. said he came all th'
vay mo from Kansas City TO hili Town'
and was moi sorry be did Il. lie claime'
lie had an old erudec against Towns 70
the way he vas used when In bis emp.o
In 1886.
Three doctors examined Pfais and the
ali thought he vas sane. Pratt said D
came mp DO Blair on the Sioux Oty pas
sengsr, got TO Blair at p. M, walked aar
log she night out 10 Townes residence an
reached there in tbs moninR; saw Iown
and his daughter ont doors, Tqairsd
that waa Tawns and then shot him; sal
ihs girl started % fnn aud scream and
shot her; sasd be didn'a know Why he shs
the girl, ~ hs had noshing against her.
III IL not known yst whsther tha Girl vi
hss or not. Tie doctors fail to find a