The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-14
Murderer of Assistant POStmas-
ter at Strong City,
Captured and Lynched by a
Maddened Mob.
PUSHED OFF BRIDGE.
The Victim Had No Complaint
to Make.

STRONG CITY, Kan, May 14.-Karl
Kuhl, assistant postmaster at Cotton
wood Falls, Chase county, was shot
dead Friday evening last, while dis
tributing the mail in the Office by
George Rose, printer in the employ
of w. e. Timmons, the postmaster,
who is also editor of the Courant-
Both offices are in the same building.
Rose, it is claimed, expected the APP
pointment given to Kuhl, and being
disappointed in obtaining it went to
drinking. While on his sprees he
made frequent threats of killing some
one, and had two fights with Kuh1.
who was a young man of about 19.
On Friday Rose entered the postofice
and without warning, placed a pistol
to his victims back and shot him, the
ball passing clear through the
body near the heart and killing him
instantly.
The tragedy was almost Immediate
1y discovered, and in few minutes
over 200 men were hunting the as
sassin, who had fed The search was
successful, and about IL o'clock the
court house bell was hurriedly rung
announcing the fact that he had been
captured. He had quietly given him
self up to the she riff.
Almost Immediately the place was
ed The sheriff refused and stood the
mob off with shotguns
Saturday morning the excitement
was intense and was kept up until
noon, when it subsidized, and it was
supposed better counsel had prevailed
and no further attempts at lynch law
would be made
At IL o'clock. however, the court
house and jail were quiz tly surround
ed, every avenue of approach or exit
carefully guarded by masked armed
men, and Sheriff Murdoch was called
to his door by a few low raps, only to
be dragged outside, where several pis-
tolls in the hands of masked men were
thrust into his face, accompani ed by
the demand that he open the cell
door and surrender. Rose. He at
tempted to argue the matter, but was
instantly si1enced, taken to the cell
and forced to open the door.
The masked mob took their prisoner
out, surrounded him and started to-
ward the river.
Everything Done Quietly and Coolly.
Everything. was done quietly and
coolly as if by military orders, each
man seeming to know what he was
expected to do When outside the
Jail yard, a large crowd which
had congregated antime, made a
rush toward the prisoner and his
the air, and stern voice commanded
the crowd to stand back The order
was obeyed, and guard and prisoner
quietly proceeded about quarter of a
mile east to the center of a railroad
bridge over the Cottonwood river,
where a halt was made The prison
er's hands and feet were tied and a
moose placed over his head. He was
then asked if he had anything to say.
Nothing, gentlemen" he replied
coolly. you are here TO hang me, and
it looks as if you would do it. L
should have preferred to have been
tried by law, however"
He was then asked if he wished to
say anything else
mo, I guess not" said he, Except
I hope God will have mercy on my
SOUL
Hurled From the Bridge.
He was then hurled from the bridge,
dropping about twelve feet. His neck
was broken and his head nearly
severed from his body He died in
stantly and scarcely a tremor was OBJ
servab1e. For a few moments the
mob stood and watched the dangling,
turning piece of inanimate clay which
but a moment before was a cool, calm,
nervy, living man, then quietly dis
persed to their homes The body re-
manned dangling over the water. just
WITHIN the city limits, until nearly 10
O'Clock Sunday morning, surrounded
by curious, commenting crowd. It
was then cut down, coroner's in
quest held, and a verdict rendered,
''Death at the hands of unknown
parties by hanging
The men who did the hanging were
all masked. They are supposed to be
leading citizens Of the place, and pub
lie sentiment is almost unanimous in
sustaining their action, as there is no
law to hang murderers in the state.
Four murders have occurred in this
vicinity within the past few years,
which practically have gone unpun-
ished.
Rose was formerly from Syracuse,
N. Y, where he has a mother and two
children. His wife is dead. Kuh1
was considered one of the best young
men in the place, and exceedingly
popular.
Presfdaut at Forfres9 nTouroe.-