LYNCH LAW IN AMERICA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 939, 18 April 1882, Page 3

LYNCH LAW IN AMERICA.

A most exciting incident is reported in the American papers. A murder took place somewhere in Kentucky, and the mob showed signs of taking the law in their own hands. Getting wind of this the authorities determined to send the murderers to Marysville for safe keeping, but the lynchers took a steamer and went in pursuit. So much interest was ex> cited in the chase that the bulletins, as they may be called, were telegraphed from every station on the route, and a vivid description of tbe varying incidents of the hue and cry is thus afforded. One of the earliest ones significantly says : “It is thought that the prisoners may reach Marysville.” Another, “ The prisoners reached here at 2 p.m ; the mob are understood to be trying to head off the murderers at Portsmouth or the nearest point below,” and so on. finally the last sqene js told in a despatch from a place called Vanccburg ; —The steamer Mountain Boy arrived here at half past two this afternoon with the Ashland fiends an board, expecting to reach their deslination, the Marysville (|nol, abput midqighf. \¥opl \vj}s received that a train loaded with lynchers had started from

Ashland and was expected at any time. Fearing the mob the Mountain Girl which was lying at the wharf, was chartered to convey 'the prisoners to Marysville. While the Girl was raising steam, a train from Ashland rolled in with abont 500 determined regulators on board. The sheriff, with a party of ten guards, by an adroit movement, removed the prisoners from the gaol to the wharf ; but as soon as the crowd saw the prisoners they started down the bank with loud yeils of indignation, gathering arms and missiles ready for an assault. The sheriff, seeing the mob descending, the Girl not having steam up, boarded the ferry boat with his party, and ran down the stream. The mob crowded on the Girl, cast loose,"and commenced a determined chase. The Gill, not having sufficient steam, soon fell behind ; but in a short time she got into shape, and commenced gaining rapidly on the slow ferry, and in a short time approached so closely that a capture seemed imminent. But, fortunately for the fiends, the Mountain Boy was a faster vessel than the Girl, and approached the the scene on her regular trip up from Ashland to Louisa. r She was hailed by the sheriff, pressed into service, and the party rapidly transferred to her. When the transfer had been successfully made, the Girl, black with an excited, raging and howling mob, was right on their heels’ and the chase was resumed ; but the Boy, flying light, soon distanced her. Near Ashland, the Hudson, with the Kentucky militia, was met in mid-stream, and Captain A. C. Respass, of the Mason County Guards, and twenty-five men were transferred to the Boy, and took charge of the prisoners. The pursuing vessel was still in sight, but when they learned that the militia had arrived the chase was abandoned. During the chase the Boy cleared twelve miles an hour übder a high pressure.