Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-10
Special to Times-RepnbIlcan.

Special to Timcs-Repnblican.
Charles City, Jam 10.-With the out
come of the Busse case fresh in their
minds, residents of Floyd county last
night took the law into their own hands
and hanged James Cullen, the old man
who. on Tuesday morning, murdered
his wife and his stepson, Roy Elliott.
Cullen was taken from the county Jail
by mob of citizens and hanged to
the Cedar river bridge, in the heart
of the city.
The mob was composed Of many OF
) the leading citizens of the town and
even the leaders made no attempt to
disguise themselves. Cullen fought
& like a tiger, but was overpowered.
He declared that his wife and son
had attacked him and that he had
killed them in self-defense.
Just after the moose had been
placed around his neck, Ensign
Roper, of Portland. Me, Salvation
Army worker, stepped up to him and
asked him if he wanted to pray. Gull
len refused and he was strung up.
Four or five ministers and large
number of women were in the crowd.
The ministers knew it was futile to
offer any resistance and did not at
tempt to do SO.
The crowd gathered about the Jail
about O'Clock. With a railroad iron,
they battered down the door and with
picks and axes quickly cut thru the
partition wall.
The railroad iron was again
4 brought into play to wreach the steel
door from Cullen's cage. The ac-
cused man was first almost overcome
with fear and begged for mercy, but
as the work progressed he became
frenzied and when the cell door was
torn down, he jumped on the leaders
like a mad man. A dozen grappled
with him and he was soon overpowt
cred.
He was led to the bridge which spans
the Cedar river, about two blocks from
the jail
!. The mob was comparatively small
when the work began, but the news
spread rapidly and before Cullen's cell
was reached half of the town had gath
cred around the Jail.
Just before the moose was placed
about Cullen's neck he was asked II
he had anything to say.
"They attacked me and had to kill
them,' he almost screeched. MY wife
and her boy would have killed me II I
hadn't killed them"
This was all the leaders waited for,
and then Ensign Roper, Of the Saliva
tion Army. stepped up and asked Gull
len If he wanted to pray Cullen turn
ed from him, and an instant later he
was jerked into eternity.
Result of Busse Case.
Judging from the expressions about
town yesterday afternoon, the hanging
Is largely the result of the pardon
granted to Louis Busse, the Bremen
county wife murderer. The leading
citizens declared that Cullen must pay
the penalty Of his crime
Owing to his eccentricities, Cullen
had been regarded as half insane for
years. This the more highly aroused
declared, would result in his escaping
punishment on the plea Of insanity
Last night crowd of boys gathered
around the Jail, and after causing much
commotion, hung Cullen in effigy.
One Of Cullen's sons, it is said, was
hanged by mob in Missouri near Jop-
lin, q dozen years ago, for horse steal
ing.
Cullen had been married three times,
his two former wives leaving him. He
had families by the two former women,
but not by the. last wife, the one he !
murdered Tuesday morning.
Cullen's brother, Richard Cullen, a
banker from Warren. ILL.,, who was in
the city, did not hear of the nobbing
until after it was all over.
Lynchers Do Not Fear Prosecution.
Men who participated in the mobbing