New-York tribune., 1918-05-29
Witnesses of Collinsville
Crime Describe How
Alien Met Death
Victims Last Note
Is Read to the Jury
Leader of Mob Called on
All Participants to
Touch the Rope
Especial Dispatch to The Trsoune)

tSDectU< DtSputCH 10 4 nc ITt0unFt
EDwARDSvILLE, Ill.,, May 2s.-Six
Of the eleven men accused of murder
ing Robert Prayer, enemy alien, were
identified by witnesses in the Circuit
Court here TODAY as members of the
lColinsv;lle mob that lynched him.
The state produced the testimony Of
twelve witnesses during the days ses-
sion to connect the defendants in some
way with Prayers killing. Two of
these said they were on the spot when
the tragedy took place, and the defence
tried to impeach their testimony by
showing that as spectators, seeking cen
tertainment," they were passive partici-
pants.
The defendants specifically mentioned
were William Brockmeier, Joseph
Riegel. Charles Cramer, Richard Dukes,
IT.. Wesley Beaver and James Demat-
ties.
Prayers Last Note Shown
Prayers last note to his parents in
Germany, written with pencil stub,
with the mudguard of a waiting auto
mobile as rest. was entered as an
exhibit. The message was not admitted
bv Judge Streuber until it was trans
lated from its original German into
English. 1t read:
Dear Parents: I must tot day, the
4th day of April, 1918, die. Please pray
for me, my dear parents. That is my
last wish. Your loving son and brother.
paul"
This note, according to testimony of
J. o. Monroe, publisher of "The Col
linsville Herald" was brought to his
office after the lynching by Joseph
Riegel, one of the defendants, and Of
fered jestingly as advertising copy.
Other important witnesses who took
the stand were Mavor j. H. Siegel of
Collinsville, who tried to persuade the
mob to disperse; John Bruse, mem
Der of the coroner's jury that held the
Prayer inquest; Louis Gerding, drug
gist, and Henry Lnneman, thirteen
years old. Collinsville garage en-
rloye. The last two parked their
automobiles under the tree where
affair through.
Gerding was at the Jail when the
crowd dragged it's victim from the
sewer pipe in the basement and later
trailed the mob in his car. "Before
they got Prayer out of jail" Gerding
said, 81 heard Richard Dukes say 1'll
guarantee him dead in fifteen min
utes.' They dragged him out the st.
Louis road, and l followed in my
neck, and he had no coat.
When they reached the big tree
near the county line Prayer begged
to be allowed to write his people.
Charles Cramer gave him pencil and
paper, and he scribbled the farewell
message, using my mudguard as
desk. The crowd saw he was writing
in German and objected. Joe Riegel
said to let him go ahead.
"He finished the note, folded it and
kissed it, Then he turned away alone
to be hanged. When he got there he
dropped to his knees and started to
pray, but the crowd closed in. The
next saw he was being drawn up on
rope. ! started my engine and went
home"
In cross examination Attorney
Bandy asked Gerding if he enjoyed
the entertainment.
YES" was the admission. Il guess
So"
"You didn't try to interfere? You
turned your headlights on the tree so
you could see better, didn't your"
"Well, was there. l wanted to see
it."
Linneman testified that the mob
took the rope from the car he was
driving. 1t was half inch manila
tow line. 81 saw Cramer, Beaver, and
Dematties in the crowd" he said.
"Riegel got the rope and climbed the
tree knew him because he was in
his shirt sleeves. Too many people
got in front of me after that and
didn't see much more.
"But when it was all over" ne add
ed, Il heard somebody shout, Now
everybody here's got to touch the
rope
Linneman said he made no pbjec-
ton when they got the rope from the
car.
In his testimony Monroe, the news
paper publisher, said he went after
the mob to get story for his paper.
Prayer was hanging when l got
there" he said. "and most of the
crowd had gone home. There were
still several automobiles surrounding
the tree, with their headlights turned
on the dangling body. l went back
to my Office and left him hanging