Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-08-23
The Murder Quickly Avenged.

BLAIR, Neb., Aug. 1G.-One Of the
most deliberately planned as we'll as
most coolly executed lynchings in the
history of the state was carried out
about a mile from this place shortly be-
fore midnight.
1t was just 1880 when q crowd OF
mounted farmers rode into the town,
and were speedily joined by fully zoe
citizens. No time was lost and they
proceeded TO the Jail, where the sheriff
and about fifteen deputies were keeping
guard over Charles Pratt, the murderer
of n. II. Towne.
The sheriff ordered them to stand
back and positively refused to turn over
the prisoner. The mob was heavily
with their weapons. The p~arleying was
of short duration and the sheriff was
o~verpowcred and his keys were taken
from him.
A rush was made for the cell room
and in IN incredibly short time Pratt
was jerked outside the Jail. He was
SURROUNDED BY II LYNcHERs,
who at once started with him for q
small grove about a mile from town.
The l~ynching party vas led by Harry
Towne, son of the murdered man. Ar
irving at the scene of the intended
lynching, young Towne was given the
privilege of tying the rope about the
murderer's neck and also Of ha wing the
first pull on the rope.
Towne was not bashful about accept.
inn thn hnnnpc nffnrn1 and ttn1 n EnnF
that would have done credit to a pro-
fessional hangman. The end of the
rope was thrown over q limb and hauled
taut.
Pratt was then told that If he had
anything TO say he had better say it
quickly. He replied that he would say
a few words If the rope was loosened a
little, and then they might pull away
Just AS HARD AS THEY D--D PLEASE"
The rope was Stacked and Pratt then
stated that he had killed Towne, and
meant to kill the whole family. Hede-
clared that he came up from Missouri
purposely to do the job, and firmly in
tended to kill every one Of the Towne
family. lie vas sorry that he had
failed. He said that he had owned a
farm near the one owned by the
Towne's, and worked hard to make a
living, but the Towne family imposed
upon him to such an extent that he
could not save a cent.
At this j%uncture some one of the
crowd wanted to know what he had to
do with the girl. Before Pratt could re-
spond the rope was given a pull, and he
was
JERKED INTO II AIR
He struggled frantically for a few
seconds, but the lynchers grimly held
his neck tightly against the limb, and
In two or three minutes the lifeless
corpse of the murderer was swinging
slightly 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 for
their homes, but little knots OF citizens
gathered on the corners and discussed
the event.
No one was heard to regret the occur
renee and the general verdict was one
of satisfaction.
The sheriff, Frank Hartman, followed
and was
A TO TIE
None of the lynchers made any effort
to conceal their identity.
Not a mask was worn, and no endeavor
was made to keep the affair quiet. The
lynchers were determined and it is not
believed that a company of militia could
have saved Pratt's life.
Pratt stated in Jail that he had no re-
grets for what he had done, and public
indignation ran so high that it would
have been possible at any time to have
raised a crowd inside of five minutes
to have done the work that was not
done until last night.
The body of Pratt was left swinging,
and no n here will cut 1t down before
morning.
1t was just ten minutes before mid
night when Pratt was lynched, and ut
/ o'clock the town was almost as quiet
and peaceful as II nothing had hap.
panad.