Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1859 — A Strange Lynching Affair in South Bend. [ARTICLE]

A Strange Lynching Affair in South Bend.

From the Laporte Union We learn that a singular Lynching affair occurred in South Bend on Friday night last. A woman of bad repute was tarred and feathered by women, helped by two men, and one of the men was afterwards whippeJby the citizens for taking part in an affair that belonged entirely to the women. Here is the story: “It appears frotn the statements of reliable individuals that the people of that town have been abused for some time past by the presence of a woman of ill fame named Cole., Although she was more retired and cautious in her viciousness at first, she became more and more emboldened, until at last she has made no reserve as to her habits and designs, viz: to be as base as possible herself, and to bring into the same category as many young and intelligent females as she could. She had been known to induce several girls of respectable families to remain at her lodgings and other secluded places until late hours of the night, and bring them in contact with the wiles and snares of accomplished as well as arcature libertines of that and other towns. “She had, we are informed, opened a regular assignation house and attempted to ensnare every one who came within the pale of her endeavors. This proccedtire on her j part, at last became too bold and defiant for the more respectable portion of" the citizens to endure any longer. mey became exasperated, and on Friday last they took the matter into their own hands. The ladies, to the number of about two hundred, assembled and rasplved to avenge their wrongs and protect their daughters from the wiles and snares of the vile reso’t. They congregated near the new bridge about ten o’clock A. M., on street, and the victim of their revenge being there also, they attacked her, stripped off her clothing, applied to her carcass a liberal coat of tar, then rolled her in a sack of feathers and let her go. “But, we an informed, that the excitement which was already intense throughout the town, was raised still higher after the ladies had performed their task and retired to their homes. It became noised aboflt that two young men had volunteered, during the hottest of the scene, to assist the ladies in their efforts and actually, literally shaved the head of their victim just before the coat of tar and feathers was applied—one held her while the other did \he\shearing. When the male portion of the populance become knowing to this fact, they in their turn were exasperated and resolved to lynch them —for interfering in a matter that they thought belonged .entirely to the ladies. They started in pursuit of them in great numbers, and they run as if for dear life. One of them was soon overtaken, made fast, and the lash was about to be applied, as we are informed, when the Marshal interfered with a posset nd rescued him from their attacks. The other oue outran the crowd, and, up to last accounts, had not been heard from. So ends this chapter.” The names of the two young men referred to above, are Nett Hoollowell and Huey. The same paper of last Wednesday says: “We are informed this morning that our account of the taring and feathering operation in South Bend, on Friday last, is incorrect in some particulars. The woman Cole., ari abandoned prostitute, was seized by three women, in South Bend and taken into the new b. idge across the St. Joseph river, where the woman was released by the Marshal. A short time afterwards the women again seized the woman Cole, at the house where she lived, took her across the river opposite the town and there tore the greater part of her clothing off and administered the tar and feathers, The scene was witnessed by two or three hundred people.” The whole transaction is considered by . good citizens as a disgrace to the orderly and peaceful town of South Bend, and we I learn that those who took part in the riot will be prosecuted.