Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-10-20
WANT THE MILITIA.
Sheriff Fears He Cannot Protect
Negro Payne, Who Killed
John Beaman.

Fond du Lac. Wis, Oct. Isl Spe-
cial. l-NVill Payne. the negro who muir
dered John Beaman, proprietor of inc
Beanan hotel, early yesterday morning.
WAS captured at 4 O'Clock this morning
about fifteen miles northeast of this city
by Sheriff Schaefer and his deputies.
Payne made no resistance.
As soon as word was given that the
crime had been committed Sheriff
Schaefer, with a posse of deputies, start
ed on the trail of the murderer and never
left it until Payne was in sight. At /
o'clock this morning the officers were ap~
preaching Calvary station when suddenly
they saw the negro coming toward them
on the railway track. Every officer lev
eied his gun at Payne and Schaefer
called out: Halt there and throw up
your hands"
The negro appeared scared to death
and Immediately complied with the sher-
ifs request. He was handcuffed and
brought back to the city in a rounda-
bout way, as fears of lynching were en-
tcrtained The sheriff succeeded in COM
ing in the back way and landed his man
behind the bars before the citizens were
aware Of the capture.
There was great Indignation among
the residents when the capture became
known and threats of lynching were
made. The sheriff teiegraphed to Gov.
Scofie!d, asking for permission TO call
out the local militia to protect the pris-
oner.
Had Payne been captured yesterday
there is no doubt that he would have
been strung up by the enraged citizens.
Hundreds of men searched for the muir
derer all day and well into the night.
he crime was one of the most brutal
III the history of the state. One of the
men who was present at the time says
that Payne had been creating a disturb
ance before he murdered Mr.. Beaman.
1t seems he was angry at the landlord
of the hotel, claiming he showed pref
erence in calling some of the other guests
III the morning. Once he made the re-
mark that he was going to get even with
someone and flashed q razor i'll the face
of one of the occupants Of the bar-roOm.
About 3:45 o'clock he went to the bar
and called for something TO drink. Mr..
Beaman refused to give him anything
more, remarking something like that he
had about all he could stand. Al this
point Payne caught hold of Mr.. Bea-
mans beard and-pulled his face forward
over the bar. The landlord succeeded in
getting free and started for the end of
the counter. Payne ran forward and
met him at the icebOX. Catching hold OF
the flowing beard, he forced back his
head and drew the razor across the neck,
cutting a cash from ear to ear, and
through all the cords of the neck. The
fore the injured man could stagger more
than a dozen feet he fell dead.
In less than half an hour word was
flashed over the wires to all the neigh
boring towns that crime had been COM
united and a request that a watch be
kept for the colored wretch who did the
deed. In the afternoon over 500 people
were out securing the city for Payne.
Last night squads of men in charge of
deputies were assigned to various blocks
in the city. The full company of guards
were out and assisted in the search.
4 reward of $500 was offered-$200 by
the county and $500 on the part of the
state.
Madison. Wis. Oct. 1S.-LSpecial.l-
A telegram was received at the COVER
nor's office this afternoon from Sheriff
Schaefer of Fond du Lac county asking
for the aid Of the militia in preserving
order. as he feared an attempt would be
made tonight to lynch his negro prisoner.
Adjt.-Gen. Boardman will go to Fond
du Lac from Oshkosh this afternoon to
look over the ground. 1t is probable that
two companies of militia-FOnd du Lac
and Oshkosh-will be ordered to the
scene this evening.