The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-06-08
NEGRO. STRUNG UP.
BUT THE ENTREATIIGS OF A WO-
MAN SAVES HIS Week.
A Negro Tramp Enters IA House In
St. Paul nnd Attempts to Assault
a Young Lndy-Iie ls Captured
After IA Long Chase.

st. Paul. June 4.-HouSton Osborne,
a negro tramp now locked up ut the
Rondo street police station, KNOWS
how it feels to he ~half-han%cd. Early
yesterday morning Il alf-doZen en-
cited men strung him up to a tree at
the :nrne of Iglehart street ana Lex
ington venue and would nave lett
him there to perish lad it not been
for the prayers of Il woman. just as
the negro was losing Consciousness
the rope was slackencd and his lie
preserved. His crime was IN at
tempted criminal assault upon MISS
Frefa Kctchell. an eishtce -!year-old
girl who lives with her two sisters at
1907 Iglehart street.
Osborne is twenty-eight years old
and bears the stamp OF the tramp les
peralo. He is of good size, strong
and active According to his state
nent. made to Capt. Lowell. of the
Ropdo street station. he spent the
most of Saturday night in 4 vacant
house in the Midway district. Before
daybreak he started to walk into the
city. 1t was 4:3O o'clock and quite
light when he reached the corner
of Lexington avenue and Igleha:t
street. 4 little back from the street
stands the one story frame house in
which the three sisters were sleep
ing. About fifty feet distant on lyle
hart street is the two-story frame res
idcnce of D. w. Horst, the brother Of
Charles Horst, eX-city treasurer. One
of the uppcr rooms of tire house is oc-
cupicd by young Anton Ketchell, the
brother of the girls.
The negro could not have selected 4
more favorable spot for his dastardly
attempt. 1t is wholly outside of police
patrol. Osborne. in his survey OF the
little house, discovered Il window On
the west side pushed partly up and
held in place with Il flower pot. He
stealtllily raised the sash and entered
the room where the girls were sleep
ing. Maggie Ketchell, aged twenty
one, and Katherine, aged fifteen, were
sleeping in a bed. while. Freda occt-
pied a lounge on the other side Of the
room. lie attempted to assault Frcda,
when she awoke and screamed. The
negro then jumped out of the window
and fed, followed by Anton Ketcheli,
who had been awakened by the noise.
Ketchell was soon followed by d. w.
Horst, NJ. Thompson, Il ncighbor. and
four men who were milking cows Il
short distance away. The negro was
captured after a run of a mile and q
half.
Stretched Up.
The walk back did not consume
much time. 1t was after 3 o'clock
when the men arrived at the hous
| with their prisoner. The girls a
| dressed and were out in the yard with
| their sister, Mrs. Horst, when the
tramp was brought up. At MIR.
Thompson's request a rope was
fetched from the house and Osborne's
hand securely bound behind him. In
the meantime the three girls were tell
ing the story Of what happened in the
house. The men looked at each other
for a moment, and then n of them
said: "Retter get a, rope"
Anton Ketchell disappeared and a
moment later returned with a stout
| clothesline about thirty feet long. The
negro began crying for mercy as soon
as he saw the punishment that was
being prepared for him.
"My God" he exclaimed in agoniZcd
tones, "take me into the city; give me
up to the police; do what you will
with me, only don't lynch me-
His appeals were Of no avail. The
men proceeded with their work with
| out q word. Not one of them fiinched.
| When the moose was ready it was
| put around the mans neck and drawn
tight. Osborhe's knees began to give
way. His whole body shook with
fear and his eyes fairly bulged from
their sockets. Still the men worked.
When everything was in readiness
Osborne was taken to the res of the
house where the girl had been sleep
ing. The loose end of the rope was
passed over the limb of a large cot
tonwood tree. Tighter and tighter 1t
was drawn until the mans feet left
the ground. AS he swung clear his
body turned halfway around.
Perhaps the spectacle was more hor-
rible than the men anticipated. Mrs.
Horst had. from the start. begged the
men to spare the negroes life, and
when she saw him hanging from the
tree she %redoubled her prayers in his
behalf. The men relented and slowly
loosened their grip, allowing Osborne's
feet to once more touch the ground.
He could hardly stand, but was so
thankful for his escape thai" he made
no complaint. The rope was pulled
back over the bough and used MS a
halter with which to lead him away.
The line of march was again taken
up, and in half an hour the men
ton. There Osborne was placed in a
cell, after the cords were taken from
his wrists.