The Cairo bulletin., 1907-01-10
By Mob of Prominent
Citizens Was Wealthy
Iowa Contractor
BRUTAL DOUBLE MURDER
OF HIS WIFE AND STEP SON EN-
RACED FLOYD COUNTY MENTO
VIOLENCE - LEADERS DO
NOT FEAR THE LAW.

| Waterloo, la, Jan 9--A crowd Of
more than thousand men tonight
battered through the walls of the
| county jail at Charles City, Iowa.
with railroad irons, tore the hinges
from the cell doors and took James
Cullen out and lynched him.
Cullen murdered his wife and step
son yesterday morning. The murder
1t is said were premeditated and most
brutal.
Mobs Holds Prayer Meeting.
The mob took Cullen two blocks
from the main part of the city and
hung him to the county bridge over
the Cedar river The mob conducted
prayer meeting and asked him to
pray. Cullen, who has been demented
for over 25 years was 60 wears of age.
The sheriff offered no resi- ;tance and
was easily overpowered.
Leading Citizens in Mob.
The mob was composed Of many
of the leading citizens of the town
and even the leaders make no attempt
TO disguise themselves. Cullen fought
like q tiger but was overpowered. He
declared that his wife and step.son
had attacked MIN and that he killed
them in self defense Four or FIVE
ministers and large number OF
women were in the crowd.
Judgn from expressions about |
town this afternoon the hanging was
largely the result of the pardon |
granted to Louis Busse, the Bremen
county wife murderer. Busse who |
his--Mifa-. -niLhi, r. tse'-,'---
ment
Son Met a Like Fate.
One of Cullen's sons ii Is said was
hanged by a mob IN Missouri near
joplin a dozen years ago Tor ho!Se
stealing. Cullen had been married
three times. his two former wives
leaving him. Cullens bfother Richard |
Cullen, banker of Warren, H., was
In the city but did not hear of the
mob until il was all over.
Men who participated in the lynch.
ng stated tonight that they did mol
fear prosecution. They said that they
lid not like mob violence but that
they considered that If execution was
over mstifable il was in the case OF
Cullen. They declared that the estate
If $4,000 he had accumulated as con. |
tractor would have been used To hghl
his case in the courts and that Il
would he years before he would nave
been punished. If cvor.
w. w Schcrmerhorn, sheriff OF
FLOYD county, while aware that feel
ing wa. at high pitch did not think
lynching was near and made no
preparations to defend the prisoner.
Was a Wealthy Contractor.
Cullen was wealthy contractor.
He killed his wife and his Is year-old
step.son Wednesday morning, and al
tempted to commit suicide buL
failed. He first murdered his wife
with large knife and then endeay-
ored to murder his step-son in the
same manner. He went TO where the
bov. James Eastman was sleeping
and when the lad felt the knife blade
touch his throat. he battlcd bravely
with his step father and gained pos
session of the weapon. Boarders in
the house were aroused as was also
Cullen. brother. Richard Cullen. OF
Warren, H.. whom Cullen had sum
moncl by wire yesterday afternoon
and who arrived an hour before the
! tragedy.
| Was a Temperance Crank.
lie with Professor Rudd and Royal
Jacobs took the knife away from
Cullcn and The boy started TO town t.
summon the marshal. As he started
10 leave by the front door Cullen shot
him twice killing him instantly. Cul
lien then attempted to Kill himself %,
shooting.
Cullen was always known a a mat
OF had temper and ~-as somewhat &c
lcentric. he was especially q crank
on the subject OF temperance an'
lncvor took a drink Of liquor in hi
ME.
|
RAnDlTs HOLD UP CAR.