The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-27
William McComb and Three Ny.
dem Brothers Brought to st.
Louis for Safety.
MODS ARE TWICE 0UTWITTED.
Prisoners Reside in Stoddard Coun-
ty, and Are Charged With
Assaulting 9Year-Old
Gertie Gibson.

| To save William McComb and Robert,
| Nick and Thomas Nydem from the venge-
| ance of mobs which stormed the Jail at
| Bloomfield. Stoddard County. and later at
| tackled the Jail at Poplar Bluff. Butler
| County. Missouri Sheriff ]. R. Hogg OF the
| latter place. brought the prisoners to St.
| Louis for safekeeplng yesterday morning.
| The men were saved from probable lynch
| ing. it is said. only by the cleverness of the
| authorities. who twice outwitted irate farm
\ ers bent on infiicting swift and awful pun
| ishment for the crime with which the four
| prisoners charged.
After the arrest of the Nydem brothers
| and McComb. they were confined in the
| county jail at Bloomfield, accused of hav-
| ing assaulted Gertie Gibson. Q years old,
| who died, according to the Corners verdict,
from the results of her mstreatment. The
| news Of the arrest and the chlds death
| spread throughout Stoddard, Dunkln and
| Butler counties. and hundreds of farmers
| came to Bloomfield.
| The excitement reached crisis Thursday
| night. when mob, several hundred strong,
surrounded the Jail and demanded the sur
| render of the prisoners Sheriff Crane. who
| had noted the crowds temperament, secured
| IL buggy early in the evening. and, under
| cover of darkness, drove from Bloomfield
| TO Dexter, wher. he boarded a train with
\ the prisoners and took them to Poplar Bluff.
MOB AGAIN OUTWlTTED.
Cheated of their victims, the angry farm
I ers dispersed, but Information of the at
tempt at lynching reached Poplar Bluff,
| and with every new arrival Of men from
| the scene of the alleged crime, the people OF
| The latter town became more infiamed. The
| indignation eliminated late Saturday night
| in second endeavor to break the Jail and
| lynch the prisoners.
| Sheriff Hogg, wishing to protect the men,
4 consulted Judge ]. l.. Fort, and the latter
| advised their removal to st. Louis for safe
| keeping. Hardly had the train conveying
| the prisoners proceeded twenty miles on its
l way when a mob OF Poplar Bluffs resi-
| dents, swelled by farmers from three ad-
| joining counties, besieged the Jail. Deputies
| and prominent citizens dissuaded the crowd
| from acts OF violence, and when informed
| that the prisoners were on their way to St.
| Louis the mob scattered
dertie Gibson. the child whom the Nydem
brothers and McComb are charged with hav-
| ing assaulted, was employed at the home Of
| Nick Nydem. A week ago yesterday the
|
manned in Nydem's house until Monday,
| when she was brought home. She became
unconscious, it is said, shortly after reach
| Ing home and died Monday night without
| having made any statement concerning the
| alleged assault.
CORONER CAUSED ARREST.
The Coroners inquest developed facts. 1t
| is said, which substantiated the charge and
| the arrest Of McComb and the Nydem broth
| ers followed.
| The accused men live near Frisco, small
| town in Stoddard County. McComb and
| Bob Nydem are married. They are farmers.
/ each owning a considerable quantity Of land.
| To The Republic Bob Nydem and Nc
| Comb protested their innocence, explaining
| that while the girl was for short time
| in their homes. they knew nothing Of the
| alleged assault. Nydem said that the child
| left his home to visit a neighbor Sunday
| and on her return told Mrs. Nick Nydem
that she was sick. Fearing that her mother
would be anxious II Gertie was i'll at a
] strangers house, he brought the child
| home
| The preliminary hearing of the four
mems case is set for next Thursday. but
| they will not be returned to Stoddard Coun-
| ty until the excitement has subsidized.
| McComb and the Nydem brothers declare
| that their friends will come to their rescue
| In the event of another attempt to harm
| them. and say they are not afraid to face
| their arc1lSers.