Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-13
Great Indignation at Corning
Over Arrest of George and
Charles Bickford
ouTeaowTH OF LYNcHlNG IN 's7
The Bckfords, Wealthy Farmers, Are
Charged With Being Leaders of Mob
Which Took George Mckenzie From
the County Jail. and Lynched Him
In the Court House Yard.
snecia, to Times-ReDubllcan.

Council Bluffs, June 13.-George and
reside seven miles from Corning, are
principals in one of the most unusual
criminal cases ever brought in the
west, having been arrested and bound
over under bonds of 5000 each, or
the charge of being members of mob
which, in the year 1887 took from the
county Jail at Corning man named
George Mckenzie whom they lynched
from limb of tree in the court
house yard.
The Bickfords, who are brothers,
We're arrested on information filed be-
fore Mayor L. F. Knowles. of Corning.
before whom they We're arraigned
Each gave bonds in the sum stated AMI
was released pending the preliminary
hearing which has been set for Fri
day. June Is Both men are promin-
ent. and their friends of years are in
dignant over the matter.
Story Of the Lynching.
In the year 1887, George Mckenzi >
and man named Briggs quarreled
over some cattle. the dispute arising
over the presence of the cattle in a
field, regarding the possession of which
there had been trouble between the
two men. Details of the encounter
which followed and which resulted in
Briggs death are not now very clear
in the memory of the present residents
II however
that Briggs was shot and killed by
Mckenzie, whose arrest soon followed
and it was while he was in Jail pending
a preliminary hearing on the charge of
murder, that the Jail was battered
down and Mckenzie was taken out and
lynched. Efforts of feeble nature
We're made at the time to locate the
members of the mob, but after many
months. the murder and lynehing be-
came only memory.
Two Strangers Appear.
From time to time various persons
would make their appearance in the
town Of Corning, or that vicinity. make
few inquiries about the lynching and
then disappear as quietly as they had
come.
About two months ago two men
showed UP in Corning who made no
secret of their mission there. They OPP
emily stated they were securing evil
dence upon which they expected to Sc
cure the arrest and conviction of the
leaders of the mob which lynched Nc
Kenzie. 1t was the very holiness Of
the men which allayed the fears of the
people of the community that the men
O fl, ,1,,N
did fear the result If any investigation
of the sort upon which the two
strangers were engaged. Several men
who were accosted by the strangers
bade them do their worst; they courted
the fullest investigation of their acts,
and it was limited that Interior motives
prompted the search.
Seen Much With Blind Man.
From the fact that the two strangers
while in Corning We're seen much Of
the time in the company Of Charles
Verne, blind organgrinder who makes
the town his home, and who was res
ident of Corning at the time, of the
lynching, it is believed it was from him
much of the information was secured
upon which, the information against
the Bickfords was based.
The two who appear in the case as
prosecutors are not now as voluble as
they were when prosecuting their
search for information. and all efforts
to get them to show their hands fur
Their has been unavailing.
Think Widow is Behind Case.
Mckenzie. when he was lynched, left
a widow and two children, boy and
a girl, who would now be grown.
Shortly after the affair they disap-
peared from Corning and as the per-
sons who We're participants of the
lynching naturally wanted to forget it,
and those who We're not lost interest
in the matter no effort was made to
keep track Of the widow and her
children, and of there is anyone
now living in Corning who knows their
present abode that person Is keeping
exceedingly quiet about it. Notwith-
standing this fact, the impression is
quite general that either the widow
or her children, or possibly all three,
are behind the present prosecution and
that If it becomes necessary for them
to appear upon the scene they will do
so.
AS far as public sentiment now goes
in Corning and vicinity, there is but
one word expressed, and that is of in
dignation at the arrest of the two
Bickfords and they will not be lacking
for support in making a defense.
Interest now centers in the character