The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-09-13
RECALLS OLD lYNcHING,
Sioux City Man Tells Of Former Mobs
In Nebraska.

In Nebraska.
The lynching of a few days ago,
according to n Sioux City report. re.
ings in Nebraska in days when such
affairs did not cause quite so much
excitement.
Mr.. Mcdonald recalls with special
clearness the summary execution at
St Helena, Neb., OF James jameson,
who murdered Henry Locke in Cedar
county, Neb, in 1870. Mr.. Mcdonald,
as sheriff OF Woodbury. county, had
captured the fellow and turned him
over to Sheriff Penny, Of Cedar
county.
In the crowd OF men, women and
children who participated in this AFFAIR
and who will recall 1t with ease were
many OF the present residents OF that
county.
The murder was committed in for
est. where Locke and jameson had
gone to chop wood. They quarreled
and Jameson hit Locke over the head
with an axe. Then he took $3.50 from
the person Of his victim and left the
country. After some months Sheriff
Mcdonald captured him on farm
nine miles from Omaha on May g.,
1871, and put him In jail in Omaha.
Returning to Sioux City, he notified
the sheriff OF Cedar county of the cap
ture, and together they went to Oma-
ha. On the way back they lodged the
prisoner in the Woodbury. county jail
for a night On May 10 they started
| for Cedar county, crossing the Mis-
souri, river at Yankton at night. Upon
reaching the Nebraska shore Sheriff
Mcdonald formally surrendered his
prisoner to the sheriff of Cedar county
and returned to Yankton. During that
night at farm house Jameson took
heavy dose OF strychnine with sui
cidal intent, but failed in his purpose.
When Mcdonald arrived on the Ne
braska shore the next day to accom-
pany Sheriff Penny and his prisoner
to st. Helena, Neb., he learned they
had gone on ahead Of him and he
followed them. Upon his arrival at
ST. Helena he found the prisoner lying
on the floor of hotel still suffering
from the effects of the poison. A
crowd of excited men, women and chill
dren stood around him and many were
on the outside. Mcdonald proceeded
to get the prisoner upstairs and out
of reach of the excited people. Arthur
Linn, editor of the Yankton Dakotan,
took a statement from the prisoner
Jameson confessed the murder of a
man at Fort Buford at the time he was
a soldier in the Thirty-first regiment
He said he was born in Ireland thirty
years before and that his real name
was John McBeth. though he had
travelled under four different names
during his career. BY trade he was a
wheelwright.
| About half an hour after this inter.
view the crowd took vote as to
whether the man should be hung, and
it was decided he should expiate his
crime at the end of a rope. 1t was
stipulated that those in favor Of lynch.
ing should stand on one side of line
in the middle of the road, and those
who opposed it should stand on the
other side. Men, women and children
all gathered on one side of the line
with the exception Of travelling man,
who straddled it.
| The crowd made a rush to secure
the prisoner but the officers stood
between the excited men and the
Bringing prisoner, insisting that no one
should mount the stairs. Sheriff Nc
Donald informed the mob that the
prisoner desired to see clergyman,
and it was decided that the mans life
should be spared two and half hours
to permit the summoning OF the parish
priest, who lived three miles distant
While awaiting the priests arrival
Jameson, standing in the door Of the
hotel, made statement in a cool and
deliberate manner, in spite Of the fact
that he was staring death in the face
He admitted to the crowd that he had
assisted in the murder Of a man at
Buford, and that he had killed Locke
as the result of quarrel. In answer
to the question as to whether he ever
had killed anyone else, he said he at
one time had killed a friend in Ken
lucky by accident. After a private
session with the priest he proceeded
to make his will and then partook of
a meal of oysters, crackers and wine
At the conclusion of his repast he
coolly said
81 am ready to go now"
Walking down stairs to the gate, he
was placed in lumber wagon, and
at this point Sheriff Mcdonald took
leave Of him.
The priest remained at his side as
the wagon was driven slowly away
Jameson sat on dry goods box. A
crowd numbering $50 men, women and
children followed the wagon. In the
meantime committee had taken Sher'
If Penny into custody to prevent any
possible interference. The wagon was
driven fifteen or twenty rods from the