Evening journal., 1899-08-26
RAINSBARGER GANG.

on the worst runHs eJ OUTLAWS tAat that /
country has nyer graduced Knoyyn as tie |
"lialnsbaHer Gang,' they terr0eszed Rlc
country With murler and rapine. ksHks
were robbed, tIains held up, Peofie sfot !
down, counterfeit money floated, and gen
eral fear instiiled into every law.ebuing
citizens heart as TO bis personal safety.
This gang. composed OF five brothers and
numerous following, lived in the noun
famous regions Of Hardin county, Ia, in
thick forest OF hickory and red oak, where
dense underground sheltered them from all
observation
AT the time ! wish 30 spealaoi, however,
four Of these brotheis had been captured.
Two had been placed IN strong steel cages
in the Jail at Marshnlltown, ard Manch and
Finch ineartented in an oldfashivned jail
made Of cross logs, spiked with irons, n
Eldora, the county seat Of Hardin The
Right following the capture Of the latter
two, | was awakened by piercing cries Of
"Helpl helpl Murderl People Of Eldora,
for Gods sake, helnl helpl" evidently CONS
ing from the jail ] quickly dressed myself
aud rushed downstairs. When / opened the
frontsdoor ] was suddenly confronted by a
revolver, tArpst within three inohes Of my
face, accompanies by a porcmptory com.
mand to Go backl" The man wore q mask,
and his very attitude indicated a resolution
! could not mistake, SO I closed the door and
hurriedly returned to my room. On ores.
ing the window ! could distinctly hear the
thud, thud, Of some pondorous instrument,
used with great force. ..hattering at the prison
door, acroA the public square. From its
slumbers The town WAS awakened. The
screams Of terrified women, the walls Of
children, and the anxious voices oi men could
be heard upon the Hir from every side.
Armed sentinels walked the streeta. stern
and determined, calling out; Stay in your
homes-stay I'M Judge Lynch is out ts.
night, and holding court. Stay in, stay in"
accompanied By yolleys from their guns a.
a warning 20 those who disoheycd Being an
artist, / made up my mind % venture out,
Ind by some circuitous route try and get near
she jail IS sketch the scene. / climbed from
a back window Of the hotel, and. after many
narrow escapes, managed TO sssrcte myself
on the roof of an unused one-story house,
within 30 feet. quite unobservcd IL was
with great difficulty / dd 80, for ] found
guard had been placed by the virilsnts 10
watch an avenues leading TO the jail, and
thus prevent any interference with, or idcn-
tilicationAof, any Of those Ho'desporately at
work there. Seating myself as best ! could
upon the Shingles OF the root, behind a Sig
sign board. / could see very distinctly All
that was going on. Not far away fully 100
horses, saddled aud bridled, were hitohedsin
vacant lot; while below me, across the
I street. big crowd Of armed men, al wear
/ ing red bandanna handkerchief across their
faces. were silently at work, trying to break
/ open the jail door. Not a word was spoken.
but ike spsosEes theyfmoved about. each
one intent on a desperate deed. As
/ watched them, ! could See about 20 men
/ swinging a huge tree, fully 30 feet long
against the door. The branches had bocu
sawn offtwhiie spikes had been driven in
along its length, for willing hands to hold
There was one man standing among them
/ evidently a lcader-a fne-looldng follow
with a slouch hat placed ON one side of BIZ
head-who, by the motion of bia hand, gavl
orders. Everyone seenaed to obcy ham, and
at a given sigDsl. : miastg egost waF aisde
aHd witk gn4 trcnisndoue rush tse dsSr va
81 Last bssst. .tfota Its hiusts. and a oOfruao
made, int She dark parssga .,pthin... Te
no. a word was uttenedrae exuitetini
shown. A stern. dehbente body Of ma
nhrraed( in, and only their tread codd b
heapd as' thoy gpoPed thar wax ldlong tH'
wgils TO TIE csl, wherel in deianee, Mancl
3 AAA AANNaNANtAAAArHAAH HNA NNNEN n4NAAAnN NIlANM
curdling execrations. The very atmospherl
seemed to reek with blasphemy from thosl
desperate men. Soon the sledge hammer
we're at work beating at the cell door, but
ewing TO the narroWness Of the passage, vorl
little force could be used Blow after blow
fell, and when at last Il began TO give way
with e desperate leap, both brothers threw
; themselves with superhuman strength
sgainst it, and with their feet bruced agains
the cots, and thair hands on the wall, frus
irated all further efforts 10 free it.sBalkei
IN their attempts TO break open the door,
: consultation was held. Suddenly q dozei
men emerged from the passage, and wen
, round 10 a narrovNwindoW which iookel
mo the cell. Each one IN turn fired ST
chambers from bis revolver through the iroi
gratings into the darkness. Not SCUM
came from within as round after round wa
fred. In the distance ] could still hear tn
! shrieks OF women and children-but al
] else relapsed into stiffness as these men rl
turned to the passage aud rejomed thoi
{ companions. For q long time heard moth
) ing-moments Of suspense which seeme
Z ages to me. But suddenly there broke upo
] the air shouts and the scufiling sound of mtr
: which made the Jail shake 20 its very foundl
s tion. The cell door had given way, and, lily
/ A tiger springing from its lair, Finch Rains
e barger had leaped through the opening, anC
o midst oaths and desperate struggles. wa
( fighting bis way along the passage, calling {
= his brother to follow. But Manch lay moi
= lally wounded on the damp floor Of his eel
e with his blood ooziug out, and his life pas
{ .ng away, from bullet wounds receive
G through the iron gratings Of the. window
o and made no response. Through a livin
j. mass Of men who sought his life, Zinc
fought his way TO the front door, calling, q
e be went, to the other criminals in the jail
3 Tell the boys / died like a mani" Wit
# oaths pouring from his lips, he stepped ov,
L the threshold; and, while the stars twinkle
e and the glory Of heaven shone from immune
j, able worlds, he Strengthened himself, ant
n with a quick gasp, fell to the groundSpiercc
Il with many balls, and bis spirit fed ava,
? Almost simultaneously, shots were fire
q from the cell, as the heart and brain
:, Asanch we're pierced with lead; and &
- Fether'these two brothers, whose lives hu
n been stepped in crime, crossed the borde
: land 70 face their God. I cannot descril
u my feelings as I looked upon the solcm
.e scene Of silent men, grouped around the pro
trate body Of Finch Rainsbarger. Stern
the very embodiment of vengeance SCENE
y 10 mark their actions as they stood ther