Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1885 — THREE MEN LYNCHED. [ARTICLE]

THREE MEN LYNCHED.

The Jellerson Murderers Shot and Hanged at Audubon, lowa, by Masked Men. A Desperate Resistance Made by Wilson and Smythe—Cicero Jellerson Submits Meekly. [Audubon (Iowa) special.] Early this morning: a mob killed Joel J. Wilson, John A. Smythe, and Cicero B. Jellerson, confined in the County Jail awaiting trial for hanging Hiram J. Jellerson, on April 26 last. On Saturday last J udge Tool bourn granted a change of venne in the case, on motion of the prisoner’s counsel, and trial was set for Monday next at Atlantic. This action enraged the people to anch Kn extent that a masked mob organized and proceeded to the Conntv Jail at about 2 o’clock this morning, and demanded the keys to the cell. The Sheriif refused, and endeavored to alarm the citizens of the town by firing off his pistol. This the mob had guarded against by stationing outposts over the city and forcing all who endeavored to leave their residences to retire indoors. The crowd returned the fire of the Sheriff and’at once proceeded with picks and crowbars to make an opening in the brick wall of the cell-room large enough to permit two persons to walk in abreast. Through this the orowd poured and commenced breaking the locks and bolts admitting them to the cells. One of tbe leaders, dressed in white and wearing a white mask, to distinguish him from the crowd, who wore Hack dominos, conducted the work of forcing an entrance. Once inside the wrought-iron corridor in front of the two ceils, the leader demanded that the three Jellerson murderers —Smythe, Wilson, and Jellerson—come out, and gave assurance to the other prisoners, tour in number, that they only wanted the Jellerson murderers. Smythe made a lunge with a broom-handle through the barred door of the cell at one man standing near, and punched him over backward, severely injuring him, and at this a man carrying a lantern held it up, and the leader shot Smythe through the left eye, killing him. One of the persons confined in the cell with the murderers was next ordered to step out. After this prisoner was once out. Wilson protested his innocence of the murder, but refused to come out, and two shot-* were fired at him, taking effect immediately below the left shoulder, and he was hit in the mouth with an ir n bar. He then begged them to kill him outright, and not to torture him. Another shot was fired, taking efiect in the upper part, of his chest, and he immediately fell dead. Ropes were thrown over the heads of Smythe and Wilson and their bodies dragged to the jail-yard fence, where they were strung up. The second cell was then opened and Cicero Jellerson ordered to step cut. As soon as he appeared a rope was thrown arouud his neck and he was taken by tho crown to a band-stand in the public square, about two hundred feet distant. Here he was asked if ho was guilty of the murder of his father. He replied that he was. The rope was then thrown around the flagstaff surmounting the stand, and he was drawn up, while the leader said in lond tones: "As you swung your father up last April, so you swing now- between heaven and earth.” After this hanging the Sheriff was notified that the mob had done its full work, and that the other prisoners were safely locked in their cells. The crowd then quietly dispersed. The jail is a neat structure, two stories high with an ell—both built of brick. The main building is used by the Sheriff as a residence, and the ell is the jail proper. Inside the jairis a wrought iron cage consisting of two cells and a corridor in front made of bars closely interlaying and riveted. All the locks and levers opening the cells and corridors are in a steel box, and this had to be o; ened before the prisoners could be gotten at. The work of opening this was done quickly. The number comprising the mob is variously estimated at from fifty to 6('o. It was well disciplined, and every avenue of approach was guarded, and no one was allowed to approach nearer the jail than a full block. When each shot was tired in tho first cell, Cicero would exclaim, "Oh, my God!” and when Wilson was heard to fall Cicero said to one of his companions: “If I live through it, don’t tell on mo; but what I confessed to last spring was true. We killed father.” Wilson's three sisters arrived to-night from Coon Rapids, and their grief was terrible to witness as they viewed the remains of their brother. His body was turned over to them by the Coroner, and taken by train to their home for interment. The Coroner’s jury rendered a verdict of death at the hands of a mob unknown. The Grand Jury was called before Acting Judge Henderson, and after a few well-chosen words and able strictures on the mob he gave the case into their hands for consideration. Probably nothing as to the composition of the mob will be developed. The bodies of Smythe and Jellerson aro still unclaimed. A local paper this evening expressed it as its opinion that had Judge Toofbourn been here he would have shared the same fate as the murderes. While the mob was working to gain admittance they reapetedly assured the prisoners that they only wanted the Jellerson murderers. As scon as a hole was made through the brick wall the lock to the iron door leading from the residence part to the cells was spiked so that the Sheriff could not enter by that route. Peter Ryan, now in the County Jail for the murder of Kleever, was brought before the Coroner’s jury, and as an eye-witness bis evidence may be interesting. He said: "I was in the jail last night, in tho west cell. The mob came there about 2 o’clock, and I heard a noise of firing and heard some one say to the Sheriff: * Fire ene more shot and down comes this jaiL! I soon heard picks at the jail wall and we got np and dressed. It took them twenty minutes to half an hour to get in. They then commenced on the entrance to the corridor. They were quite a long time at that. While at the door Smythe shouted three times: ‘Herbert, hain’i you going to stop this?' Some one outside said: ‘We’ll stop it!’ Then they came in. Smythe poked a broom-stick Into a man s ribs and knocked him over. All had black masks over their faces. The man who did the shooting had a handkerchief over his faoe; one man had a lantern. When the man was punched in the ribs he stepped back and fired, killing Smythe. Crawford, who was in the same coll, said: ‘Be careful; there is one innocent man here.’ They told Crawford to come out, but Wilson told Crawford if he went out he would pound him. Crawford went out and they shot at Wilson, and somebody put a crowbar in his face. He said: ‘Great God, boys, don’t murder me this way! I never kiHed old man Jellerson, or saw him until I saw him the day he was in his coffin.’ A man saidt *lf innocent, why don’t you oome out?’ Wilson said: “If I die, I die game.’ The man who had the lantern told the man with the pistol to shoot Wilson. He continued firing tin Wilson was shot in the neck or lungs, when he tell. I knew he was shot in the neck or lunge from the gurgling sonnd. Then they dragged Smythe and Wilson both out, and came back to our ceil and ordered Cicero to walk out I told him to go out, and he went. They put a rope around his neck and shouted; ‘Mr. Sheriff, this Is the man we want,’ and walked awav. I don’t know any of them. I said to Cicero: ’Your time is about at an end. If you are guilty of this crime you are accused or, now tell me.’ Cicero choked up, but afterward he said the statements he had made were true."