Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1893 — AN IOWA LYNCHING. [ARTICLE]

AN IOWA LYNCHING.

A Whit* Ravlshsr Hung With the Prepared by the Child’s Mother. Fred Gustavson, a laborer, aged thirtytwo, who recently came to Ottumwa, la , was hanged by a mob on the main street of Ottumwa, at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon. Monday night he enticed the four-year-old daughter of Jonas Sax into the room of a boarding house and criminally assaulted her. The child, although horribly maltreated, was able to drag herself home, but now lies at the point of death. Tuesday afternoon, Gustavson was brought to Justice Truitt’s office for preliminary examination. In the office a fight ensued between tho father, grandfather and other relatives of tho child and the officers. The culprit was finally wrested from the hands of the officers and dragged out of the door. Here the mother of tho child stood with a rope and gave it to the mob. It was immediately placed about the wretch’s neck and ho was hanged to tLe bannister of the outside stairway leading to the office. A great crowd had ay this time collected. No effort was mado to cut the vilain down.