The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-09-11
Plans Were Well Prepared.

BlOOdChlrSty as their spirit was the
avengers had their plans carefully pre-
pared and they were carried out with
out hitch. The early part of the
night was occupied with the arrange
ments of the plans and shortly after
midnight the mob marched on the Jail.
The turnkey at the Jail had no intima-
ton of the presence of the vigilantes
until they had overpowered him.
Guards, too, succumbed to the force of
this sudden attack, for such was the
fancied security of the authorities that
the Judge at whose bar one Of the
prisoners was so soon to receive his
sentence had scoffed at the necessity of
extra guards only the previous day. A
sledge hammer soon forced the doors of
the cells where the frightened men,
conscious of their inevitable fate, cow
cred in the corners.
Bound and gagged, the prisoners
were taken through the streets to the
bridge over the Buffalo river, at the
east end of town. The place had been
chosen well, the men were not molested.
The moose was slipped over the head Of
each of the captives. The ropes were
securely fastened to the ratings of the
bridge, one on either side of the road
way. Scant ceremony was shown the
criminals. Each was seized by party
of his captors, lifted over the rail, and
Dropped Into the Depths Below.
There was slight splash as Cinqmars'
feet struck the water, 10 feet below ;
the bodies swung to and fro as the rope,
stretching to it's full length, slipped
over the projecting boards of the mar
row footpath with a doleful, creaking
sound. The vigilantes dispersed as
quietly as they had come, leaving their
victims in the throes of death.
Meantime the guards at the Jail had
succeeded in giving an alarm, and not
knowing which way the party had
gone, it was some time before they
succeeded in locating the prisoners, who
were dead when found. Coroner
Miller was at once notified, and, pro-
ceeding to the scene, had the bodies cut
down and removed to the city morgue,
| where an inquest will be held.
County Attorney Allen at once tele-
graphed to Attorney General Childs in
forming him of the lynching and ask
| ing his presence at the inquest.
Lynching Had Been Feared.
The trial of Musgrove ended Satur-
| day afternoon with verdict of murder
in the second degree. w. W. Erwin of
St. Paul defended the prisoner, and,
hearing that there was probability of
an attempt to lynch the prisoners, had
spoken to Judge Caldwell relative to the
animation he had received, but the
Judge made light of the matter and
| told Mr.. Erwin that there was not a
particle of danger from any lawlessness
on the part of the citizens.
The crime for which the men were
lynched took place June "a last. On
that day the two men, strangers in the
vicinity, killed dog belonging to Ben
Matthews, farmer residing near Glen.
coe Matthews swore out warrant
| for their arrest and it was placed in the
hands of Sheriff Rogers to serve
Rogers overlook the men four miles
| from town and was shot and instantly
killed in attempting to place them I'M
der arrest. The men were captured by
posse after lively chase and taken
to S.. Paul for safekeeping, being re-
turned to Glencoe about the middle Of
August to stand trial. Musgrove is g
native of Alabama and Cinqmars' par
| ents reside in Wisconsin.