The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-13
A RAPIST ROPED.
A Brutal Tramp Strung Up to Tele
graph Pole by Missouri Mob.

! CARROLLTON, Mo. March 12.-Yesterday
afternoon while Mrs. Perreton, wife of
John PerreUon, A farmer living four miles
! from town was alone at her home, IA tramp
approached the house and asked for some
thing to eat. Mrs PerretOn told him that
she had nothing for him. He then asked
for drink of water and Mrs. Perreton gave
it to him. The tramp then turned, as If to
walk away, but returned and, with blow
upon the head, felled Mrs. Perreton to the
ground. He then drew a revolver and,
presenting it to the victims head, told
her that he would blow her brains out if
she made resistance. He then crimihally
assaulted her and escaped to the woods.
Perreton, who was plowlng a field some
distance from the house, was attracted by
the screams of his wife. On arriving at
the house he found her in an unconscious
condition, but as soon as she revived she
told the story of the assault. Perreton
came Immediately to town, aud a sheriff 5
posse was formed to search for the assail-
ant. The search was kept up all night
and today, until a dispatch WAS received
from Wakenda stating that a man had
been arrested there answering the descrip-
tion of Mrs Perreton's assailant.
1t was supposed that the prisoner on be-
ing brought to town. would be taken to the
Perreton place for Identification, and a
party of lynchers ambushed themselves to
surprise the officers and take the captive
from them and hang him. The prisoner,
however, was taken Immediately to Jail,
where he confessed the crime. An un-
organized mob attacked the jail with the
Intention of securing the prisoner and
lynchtng him, but Sheriff Lewis had an
ticipated such move and had placed
strong guard heavily armed in the jail.
The mob became discouraged at the dispo-
stion of resistance shown by the sheriff
and dispersed. Another mob was formed
tonight with better organization for
another attack upon the jail.
The sheriff concluded this evening that
he would attempt to outwit the mob by
spiriting the prisoner out of town. He
formed plan to smuggle the assailant out
of Jail and take him on the Wabash even
ing tram to some neighboring town. He
placed the prisoner in charge of two depu-
ties, who got out of Jail undetected. They
were making for the Wabash station, and
had got as far as the Santa Fe tracks,
when they were surprised by the am
bushed mob. Resistance was useless, aud
after a slight struggle the deputies We're
obliged to surrender the prisoner The
mob made short work of him. He WAS
asked if he had anything to say and
replied:
Nothing, except that l am guilty"
In jitfy rope was thrown over the
arm of telegraph pole, and IN another
dangling at its end, dead man.
Before being taken from jail the prisoner
made a full confession 10 Sheriff Lewis.
He said that his name was Lewis Gordon;
that he was - years of age, and that be
had relatives in Independence, Mo.
Mrs. Perreton tonight is in critical
condition, and is not expected to live.
The lynching took place at 8 O'Clock
tonight, and it was II O'Clock before the
sheriff cut the body down, after it had
been viewed by the coroner Thousands
of people visited the spot during the even
ing to see the dreadful sight.