Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-11-23
LYNCHED Blk A MOB.

A Fierce Battle Betwecn tho Lynohers
and tho Court unicers for the Possession
of tho Criminal Ends in Favor of the
Mobilize Wretch Hanged by a Hundred
Hands.
OTTuMwA, IA, Nov. 2i.-An excited
and angry mob hung Fred. Gustavson
to the stair railing of Justice Truths
court room this afternoon. Gustayson
outraged the 4-years-old daughter of
Jonas Sax about 10 o'clock last night.
The brute was promptly arrested shortly
after committing the crime, and lodged
in Jail. This morning he was taken to
the Sax house and positively identified
by the little girl and u companion who
was enticed TO room together with the
the little Sax girl, but was permitted to
leave after getting inside the room.
Gustavson kept the little Sax child and
by the foulest means succeeded in his
purpose. He then turned the little girl
out and with much difficulty she REACHED
home in a terrible condition and related
her experience to her parents. Her
father went to police headquarters, and
soon Gustavson was behind the bars OF
the county jail.
At 2 o'clock to-day Gustavson was
taken quietly to Justice Truths office
for arraignment, The news that the
man was in TRUTHS court spread with
wonderful rapidity, and in less than 90
minutes a crowd Of perhaps thousand
was surging round the stairway leading
TO the court room, trying to get at the
prisoner. The mother Of the little girl
succeeded in getting TO the top of the
stairs and from the platform in front OF
the court room swung u rope, and, to-
gether with her aged father, appealed tc
the crowd below to haug Gustavson.
Sheriff Mcintyre and Mayor Forse
appealed to the crowd for peace and
silence, but all in vain.
A MOB IN THE COURT ROOM.
A number Of men, after a great effort
succeeded in gaining admission to the
court room. No sooner were they OF
the inside than they attempted to oper
the doors to admit their friends. Thii
precipitated fight with the court off
GERS, which was carried on with DIES
perate determination for several minutes
The superior numbers of the lyncher
finally won the battle, and as the door
were opened the men poured into thu
room. The leader of the mob seizet
the rope from the hands Of Mrs. Sax
and as the court attaches were power
less to interfere, placed it about Gustav
sons neck in a twinkling.
With a yell of rage the rope wa
seized by hundred hands and the quak
ing wretch was dragged from his chat
across the floor TO the door, where h
was lifted over the railing until the rop
had been secured, when he was let &c
He hung suspended above the pavemen
on the principal street of the city TO
fully 10 minutes, tho contortions Of hi
body being extremely revolving.
Suddenly the rope parted and tn
body dropped to the street below, and
concerted rush was made by the specta
tors for its possession. The police, how
ever, were first to reach the prostrat
form, and, hastily throwing il into
farmers wagon standing near by, drov
rapidly to the Jail, being followed b
the mob. The lynchers again demande
the body of Gustayson, nor would the
desist when told that the man was deat
A truce was patched up by the appoint
ment of committee, who examine
the body and pronounced life extinct,
, The mob then quickly and quietl
dispersed, and the city is now as qui,
as though no thought of the terribl
affair of the afternoon had ever entere
/. the mind Of any citizen of the place.
The little girl remains in precario,
condition, with the chances of Ii
greatly against her.