Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-01-16
DEMENTED OLD
MAN STRUNG UP
IOWA CROWD HOLDS A LYNCH
ING PARTY.
KILLS HIS WIFE AND SON
Left Fortune of $4,000 and People
Feared Justice Would Not Be
Done If Law Was Allowed to Take
its course-No Resistance by
Sheriff.

Waterloo, Iowa, Jan 1O-A white
man was lynched last night at
Charles City for wife murder. A
crowd of over 1000 men battered
through the walls Of the county jail
at Charles City. Iowa, small town
of 5000 people, with railroad iron.
tore the hinges from the doors aud
took Jim Cullen, who murdered his
wife and stepson Tuesday morning.
The murder was premeditated,. Cullen
telephoning his brother.
The angry mob took Cullen two
blocks from the main part of the city
and hung him to the county bridge
Quoted a prayer meeting and asked
him to pray. Cullen has been de-
mented over 25 years. He was 60
years of age The sherin played the
part of a coward. offered no resist
ance and was easily overpowered.
Leading Citizens in Mob.
The mob was composed of many
leading citizens of the town. The
themselves. Cullen fought like IT,
ger, but was overpowered. He de-
clared that his wife and son attacked
him and he killed them in self de-
| tense.
-Four or five ministers and many
women were in the crowd.
Caused by Pardon.
Judging from expressions about
town yesterday afternoon, the lynch
| ing was largely the result of a par
don granted to Louis Busse. the
Bremen county wife murderer. Busse
murdered his wife within Is miles OF
Charles City and was twice reprieyed,
then sentenced and committed to life
! Imprisonment One of Cullen's sons
It is said, had been hanged by a moo
in Missouri a dozen years ago for
horse stealing. Cullen has been mar
ried three times. two former wives
leaving him. Cullen's brother. Rich.
ard Cullen, banker Of Warren, ILL.,
was in the city. He did not hear OF
the mobbing until after it was all
over.
Left Goo0iy Fortune.
Men who participated stated last
night that they did not fear prosecu-
ton. They said they disliked mob
violence, but considered that If ex-
ecution was ever iusufiable. it was
in the case of Cullen IL is declared
I he CT Of nh ~
had accumulated would have been
used to fight the case in the courts,
and it would have been years before
he would have been punished if ever,
w. w. Schermerhorn, sheriff of
Floyd county, while aware that the
feeling was at high pitch. did not
think lynching was near and made
no preparations to defend the pris-
oner
Drink Not to Blame.
Cullen was d wealthy contractor
| He killed his wife and his 15-year-S.I
stepson Wednesday morning and at
tempted TO commit suicide but failed.
He first murdered his wife with a
| lGli sc huiIts anu llGu CIlGdNOICu "
murder his stepson in the same man
ner He went to where the boy,
James Eastman. was sleeping and
when the lad felt the knife blade touch
his throat he battled bravely and
gained possession of the weapon.
Boarders in the house were aroused,
as was also Richard Cullen, whom
Cullen had SUNNI oned by wire, and
who arrived an hour before the trag-
edy. He, With Professor Rudd and
Royal Jacobs took the knife away
! from C.i!cn and the boy started to
town to summon the marshal AS
he started to leave the front door
Cullen shot him twice. killing nim tna
stantly. Cullen then attempted to
kill himself by shooting. Cullen was
always known as man of bad tenn
per and somewhat eccentric. He
was especially Crank on the sub
ject of temperance. He never took a
drink of liquor In his life.