Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-25

ms assistant, {. r. Mitchell, and
witness Daniel Harmon, formerly
chief Of police of ottumwa, ar
rived In the olty this afternoon
for the trial of John Junlin, which
begins tomorrow. Judge M. A.
Roberts, who spent Sunday at hla
home In ottumwa, also returned
this afternoon.
centerville, May Especially -
They'll never crack my neck" was
the statement made by John Junkin In
his steel cage at the jail here where
he awaits the beginning of his trial
Tuesday. He has brooded over mob
scene in which he Is the central figure
Till asleep or awake he is in mortal
agony and trembles at the slightest
sound. He has made up his mind THAI
| no mob. shall have him for torture till
he has made q desperate attempt to
! end thissoWn life. His guards say lla
is SO nearsa nervous collapse that he
would not have the courage to take
his own life, but would fall an easy
prey to any mob that might try to take
| him so far as his own resistance
went.
| County Physician J. P. Nicely had to
be called to attend him to prevent his
/ total breakdown and collapse which
would make 1t necessary to carry him
TO the court room for trial. He Is
| SUFFERING from stomach disorder
brought on, so the physician says, by
his nervousness, lack of sleep, and
failure to eat his meals properly. Aft
er restoratives We're applied he felt
better.
Guards in Charge.
Heavily armed guards are at the
jail night and day Many visitors ask
to see him, but all are refused. for
fear injury might be done him or some
one might hand him weapon or
poison. The few visitors that were
| admitted startled him so that he
could talk with difficulty He would
dodge into his bunk, cover in a cor
ner Of the cage, and his eyes would
4 roll as he trembIed and shook. Since
all visitors have been refused he ia
becoming more pacified. He observed
j that the jail was an old one and moi
secure looking. 1t Is also down in
hollow, two blocks from the square,
with barns and other buildings around
it which would easily hid the approach
of mob. All these things have been
noted by him withe the greatest ap.
prehension.
4 Officers Well Organized.
i William Bray, ex-sheriff and captain
of the guards, has everything we'll
organized. 1t would be most difficult
matter for a mob to form in Center
vile, or suspicious persons to ap.
proach from several miles outside
without his sentinels sending in re-
\ port. The officers do not profess,much
confidence in their being able to save
i the negro should a mob appear at the
Jail, but they are relying on strategy
and their organization to save him.
Should mob appear it Is very doubt
full whether they would find Junlin
in the jail after they had forced the
doors. Sheriff Clark, who professed
considerable concern when JunlSin was
/ placed in his hands entirely unaware,
4 now believes the situation is in hand
End no violence will result. When
/ Sheriff Jackson of Ottumwa, called at
the Jail with the prisoner early Friday
4 morning was the first Sheriff Clark
knew he had been taken outside the
4 penitentiary walls.
Another matter that Is causing much
speculation is how to handle the court
crowds. 1t is feared someone might
appear in the court room, II the trial
is public, with a revolver and make an
attack on Junkin. So there has been
some suggestion of not having the
trial public. On the other hand 1t is
believed that with closed doors the
public would become SO agitated as to
make an outbreak almost sure. So ii
is probable the trial will be public and
all strangers searched by officers as
they enter the court room.
CHICAGO Society Man Sued.