Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-18
ACCUSED OF RAPE.
Edward Dawson, Of Pekay, Jailed
for Alleged Crime.

NARROWLY ESCAPED BEING LYNCHED
Says He Is Not Guilty, But Says He
Has Been Under Arrest on Like
i Charge Before-Is in Jail in OF
su'i"a' SaA4 .-ss.e,ss ssata-,-
Aws@ E5EsRl
dFrom Fridays Daily.l
With bowling mob of fifty men at
his back Edward Dawson, of Pekay,
Yves hustled on board Rock Island
tram at Eddyville this morning, and
brought to this city and lodged in the
county jail for safe keeping. Dawson
is charged with raping Katie Gala
CHER, the twelve-year-old daughter Of
Mr.. and Mira. William Gallagher, who
live about half mile north of Eddy
vile. It Is alleged that Dawson
graSned the child about the neck, and
held her upon the ground while he ac-
cofhphshed his purpose, and when he
than aiiye. made her way to her home
where she gave the alarm. 1t took
but a,few seconds to inf1ame the whole
country, and shortly men began gath
ering on all sides, with cries of 'lynch
him" penetrating the air. 1t was some
time before DAWSON was located, but
finally Marshal Beeman of Eddyville
got track OF him, and going in quietly
to his home IN Pekay, he placed him
under atTgst and spirited him to the
Jail In EddgAlle where he was kept as
quietly as POSSIBLE. All during the
night however, excited groups of men
stbgd NpoA all corners discussing the
maa#eI, and had they known exactly
w9e1a Davidson was, the officers be-
lieyef he wpaim have been lynched be-
fpre midNiBht AFTER time, however,
AA hhopfe A,tieted down and slowly
dfspefssd tb thatf homes, it being I'M
darsfQhd that they would defer the at
taHHS at lynehtnG until this morning.
ID he mshRtipe Mayor Funk telephon-
ed fpg Sheriff Cremer and the latter
YSpf 10 Hdayvt}le early this morning.
WS2lafha crowd was gathering to COM
pIHx Rs Work, Shefaff Cremer, togeth-
or h4fh Marshaa Beemer, Deputy
csUssndsn end Attorney Nelson spirit
ed Me nah TO the Rock Island depot
cod Kiaced him upon the train, which
Hdal@ dutfor this city before the mob
comb xst Aoh 81 Dawson. The crowd
a fa MaMprm numbered at least fifty,
af4 ADM ell streets leading thereto
excited men we're running from all di-
rertions, their one idea being to hang
thu Man on the spot.
TsK Of Mob Coming to ottumwa.
.Mfss from f Eddyville at noon
and e issaia that d mob is being form
ed 70 Corr Y ottumwa and an get the
SheM& 9faWar has taken steps to pro-
tsct the aMf and he will use every
means wthin his mower TO keep Davi-
son from the hands Of his avengers.
Tits Nqrning while still in the Jail at
Eddy1Ae DAWSON waived examina-
ton end was bound over to the grand
jury ulaer bonds of $4,000. The Off
GERS believe that if he had insisted up
on preliminary hearing and one had
been attempted the man would have
been iSnched despite all they could
have done 70 prevent it, The alleged
crimes lip one Of the most bloodthirsty
within the history Of Wapello county
and she pnEAts believe they were
lucky III being able to get Dawson
away from Eddyville alive.
Story Of the Crime.
It is alleged that Davidson was in
Eddyville yesterday nearly all day.
About o'clock he started for his home
IL, Dnir 10 NO 1rfx ~,
and as he left the town, it Is alleged
that he picked up the Gallagher girl
who had also been in Eddyville upon
an eTapd for her parents. AS Davi
son drove along he asked the girl to
get in the buggy and ride with him
This she consented to do, and it is al.
legged that the two rode along until
they came to the road leading to the
Gallagher home. Here the girl alight,
ed from the buggy and started toward
her destination, Davidson keeping on
toward Pekay.
1t is alleged that he drove but a
. short distance until he stopped his
team and after tying it to fence post
he ran across the fields to where the
little girl was going toward home. II
is alleged that he aocosted her. and
within a few moments had accomplish.
ed his purpose. The girl was then re
leased and allowed to go on to her
home. She was almost dead from hel
alleged mistreatment, and it was with
much difficulty that she could tell he1
parents what had happened to her.
Searching Party Organized.
AS soon as she had made herself un.
derstood, a searching party was at
once organized to hunt Dawson down
and mete out summary justice to him
This party was unsuccessful, however
and Marshal Beemer placed him under
arrest before the girls indicators had
reached him.
Submits to Arrest.
1t is alleged that Dawson went back
to his team, after he had released the
girl, and untying the horses drove on
to Pekay. He was discovered at his
own home by Marshal Beemer and
submitted to his arrest without any
trouble. He stoutly maintained that
he was innocent of the crime and
1nfr hat L< 4