Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-01-17
IOWA LYNCHING
CITIZENS OF CHARLES CITY HANG
MURDERER.
KILLED WIFE AND STEp-SOB
Leading Citizens Were In he Mob
Which Was Deliberate Ia
Its Action.

Charles City.-James Cullen, muir.
derer of wife and stepson, was
hanged to the Cedar river bridge at
1880 Wednesday by fellow citizens;
Torn from his cell by mob of
resolute citizens, the guilty man
fought for his life, but his strength
crumbled in the hands Of his siayerS'
and he was dragged by the ever-grow.I
ing crowd down the main street OF
the town to the bridge. A rope was
adjusted about MS neck, one END was,
thrown over a girder, ana James
Cullen was pulled aloft. while busi
ness men, women, and children stood
by and did not interfere. ,
At bay in his cell in the Floyd
county Jail, deprived of the assistance
OF Sheriff Schermerhorn, whose
feeble resistance was brushed aside
py the mob which poured into the
building, Cullen was helpless. Yet he
tought-fougnt hopelessly and with
the assurance that his best efforts
were but pitiful, futile struggles,
while the single purposed mob pluck.
ed at his clothing, his flesh, striking,
wrenching, kicking but always bear
ing him onward and onward to the
bridge and the girder and rope that
awaited him.
Tuesday, James Cullen killed his
wife and his 15-year-old stepson.
Wednesday he answered to the law
that is not found in codes or statutes,
but which is relentless and as sure
as justice.
Half of the citizens of the town
watched the ending of Cullen's life.
Prominent business men-men whose
wives and families waited at home
with straining ears and burning eyes
parts of the mob. No disguise
was attempted. 1t was justice dealt
out, almost as a community and with
the approval of all that was best In
the town.
At o'clock last night, feeling.
which had been running wild during
the day, came to head. A few citi.
zens collected at the doors of the Jail.
few more came. Presently a han
thousand men had collected and be-
gan 10 take up the cry of ringleaders,
1t was not frantic, hysterical mob
without head or leaders that went to
get James Cullen, but an oficerei
army, cool, collected, relentless.
A party of men. especially teld
OH, mad cut the main electric light
cables and the town was left in abb.
solute darkness. Two members OF
the mob had come provided with lam
terms.
With railroad iron that someone
had been thoughtful enough to pro-
Vlde, the door of the jail was attack
Ed. Leading citizens caught up the
heavy rail- and charged through the
crowd against the barrier.
one onslaught was enough. Only
one man sworn to protect his pris.
oner, and powerless to meet his oath,
interviewed. He put up a resistance,
pleading, imploring, throwing himself
nopelessly into the midst of the
charging human mass. His efforts
we're without avail.
A dozen arms seized him and held
1im powerless for the instant.
others, pushing forward, tore him
rom his first captors, and he was
lung aside and pressed helpless
against the wall as the wild mob
swept past him to the cell of the pris.
,ner.
Then the leaders pushed onward to
he barred door of Cullen's cell. He
lad been pacing frantically to and
70, hoping that the doors would hold,
Cullen stopped his pacing and stood
ifeless in the middle of the cell. his
ace twisted into an agony of appeal.
His executioners did not laugh at
lis hysterical pleadings. They mere
y bent to the work of tearing out the
,ars. Cullen began to sob; to cry; to
hriek for mercy that did not exist In
hat mob. He was answered by the
,rinding of the steel rail against the
teel bars. Finally the last bar drop.
led to the floor and the mob was up.
m him. In desperation, the crazed
nan sprang to his feet and threw
himself upon the citizens. Scratch
ng, biting. clutching at threats, and
rying like a wounded animal, he
ought on.
Down the corridors OF the JAIL, al
rays struggling, he was dragged, the
nen with the lanterns leading the
7ay. Half fainting, almost dead. he
vas pulled up the main street, and
zen and women ran along the out
kirts and pressed in upon the center
the crowd.
"There1l be no Louis Busse Justice
4 this" shouted man in the crowd.
nd the slogan was taken I'D and
assed down the street. Z
When the center of the bridge was
cached, the prisoner was jerked to
is feet, but he had become SO weak
hat he could scarcely stand. The
ingleaders advanced to the center
nd one man produced rope. Cullen
'as supported while the knot was be.
ig adjusted about his throat. The
Their end Of the rope was taken by
ager, hands and the murderer was
ushed to the edge of the bridge.
He was asked IL he had ANYTHING
, say concerning his crime-any ex.
use to offer. any Justification that he
ould bring forward.
"They attacked me and had TO XIII
lem." he cried. my wife and NV
oy would have killed me IL I hadn't
illed them"
That was all the leaders waited for.
nd they would have carried out the
entence by throwing him from the
ridge then but for the interference
Ensign Roper OF the Salvation
rmy. He stepped forward with his
fer of prayer Cullen scorned his
Ulcers. The next instant kc was
angling at the end OF the rope.
Cullen's executioners declare that
lie estate of $4,000 which he had ac.
imulated as a contractor would have
cen used to fight his case In the
,urts and that it would have been