The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-08-22
MURDER IN NEBRASKA.
A FARMER NEAR ARLINGTON
cRueLLv SHOT DOWN..

1872 @~~O
the Murderer From jan and Hang @i,n-
History u the Crime.
One Of the most deliberately planned u
veil - most cody executed lynchtnes In
the history Of the state VA carried out
about . mile from Blair shortly before
nidaieht Of the 18th.
Il vas Just ll:S0 whom . esowd Of
mounted fasmers rode into the town, and
were speedily joined BY fully 200 oisissns.
No time was lost aud they proceeded to
he 5ail. whore The sheriff aud about Aftesn
deputies were keeping guard over Charles
pfate, the murderer OF n. r. 1.owns.
The sheriff ordered then to stsnd baet
and positively refused 20 tara ovee The
prisoner. The mob vas heavily asmsd,
but made NO dsmonstrAtions With their
weapons. The parleying was of short
duration end The shsri@ was ovsfpowered
and his keys wess taken from him.
Asush Wa made for the coll room end
IN ~ incredibly short time Pratt was
Jstked outside the jail. He vas surrounded
b. the lynehsrs. who Of ones started with
him Tor Q small grove about . mile from
town. The lynehio9 party Vas led BY
Harry Towne. son Of the murdered man.
Arriving at the scene Of the intended
lynching, Tovns was given the privilege Of
tying
The Rope About the Murdsrsr.s Neck,
and also Of having the first Dull q The
rope.
Towns Was not bashful about aoesptins
the honors e6sred, and tied knot that
would have done credit TO . professional
hansman. The end Of tAs rope vas
thrown over . limb aud hauled taut.
Pratt Wss then told it he had ANYTHING
TO cay hs had better say IL quickly. he
replied that he would ray . few words II
the rope was loosensd Q little, aud then
they might pull away
''Jast ss Hard - They ID Pleass."
The rope vas Stacked and Pratt then
stated that he killed Towne aud meant to
kill the whole family. He declared that
hs came up from Missouri purpossiy 70 do
the job, aud firmly intended TO Kill sverv
ono OF the Towne family. He IVES sorry
that he had failed. He said he had owned
. farm near the one owned BY the Townes.
and worked hard to make Q living, but the
Towns family imposed upon him TO such
an extent that he could not save . cent.
AT this juncture soms one in the crowd
wanted to know what that had to do with
the girl. Before Pratt could respond the
rope was given . pull, and he was
Jerkcd Into the Air.
He struggled frantically for few sec.
cnds, but the lynchers grimly hold his
neck tightly against the limb, and in two
or three minutes the lifeless corpse Of the
murderer was swinging lightly to and
fro in the night wind.
The rope was made fast to the trunk OF
the tree and the crowd OF vigilantes came
quickly back to town. In about fifteen
minutes the farmers left Tor their homes.
but little knots Of citizens gathered on the
corners md discussed the event.
No one was heard to regret the occur.
renee and the general verdict vas one Of
satisfaction.
The sheriff, Frank Hartman, followed
the crowd to the scene Of the ~lynebing and
was . witness TO the hanging. None Of
the lynchers make any sfott 20 conceal
their identy.
Not q mask wal worn. aud no hndeavor
vas made to keep the affair quiet. The
lynchers we're determined, and it 10 moi be.
lieved that . company Of militia could
have saved Pratt's life.
Pratt stated in Jail in the afternoon that
he had no regrets for what he had done.
and public indignation ran 90 high that il
would have been possible q any time to
have raised q crowd inside of ave minutes
to have done the work that was done At
night.
Tho body of Pratt was left swinging I'M.
Gil this morning.
II was just ten minutes before midnight
when Pratt was lynched, and at I O'Clock
the town was almost a. quiet and peaceful
% If nothing had happened.
Why the Crime Yves Committed.
When asked why hs did il he said: Il
am even now. Iexpsct 70 go TO hell and
may ~ we'll 60 now o. any time"
p~Atk A~1A~A 4~~>e- .~xa A.