What follows is a typescript of the complete text of Lynched!, prepared by my late father, Bevan Kimmel, sometime around 1995-96.

RECOMMENDATIONS

We, the undersigned, citizens of Mercer County, Ohio, have carefully read the following account of the murder of Miss Secaur and the lynching of the culprits, written by Mr. Day, and we unhesitatingly pronounce it correct and reliable in every essential particular. We recommend it to the public as the only complete and reliable history of the affair now published. R.G. BLAKE, PROBATE JUDGE T.G. TOUVELLE, COUNTY AUDITOR G.W. RAUDABAUGH, COUNTY TREASURER J.B. PERWESSEL, COUNTY RECORDER J.W. FORD, COUNTY CLERK CAL. BIDLACK, OF THE JOURNAL F.C. LEBLOND, ATTORNEY -AT-LAW T.J. GODFREY, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW SETH. S. SNYDER, PRESIDING JUSTICE CHR. SCHUNCK M.M. MILLER, M.D. WM. JONES, M.D. I.F. RAUDABAUGH

Entered according to the Act of congress, in the year 1872 by Thornton Spriggs, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.

Printed by A.P.J. Snyder, publisher of the "Mercer Co. Standard", Celina Ohio

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So many absurd and false rumors have been put in circulation, and so many different and contradictory reports have been published in the newspapers, concerning the recent horrible outrage and cruel murder of little Mary Arabelle Secaur, and the subsequent swift vengeance inflicted upon her murderers, by an outraged and justly infuriated populace, that-it has been deemed advisable and proper to publish, in this convenient form, a succinct, accurate and detailed account of the terrible transaction, from its infamous inception to its tragic close; so as to correct all wrong impressions that may exist, and to place the exact truth, in reference to the matter, within the reach of all.

The facts herein narrated were all gleaned from reliable sources. Some of them came under the personal observation of the writer, while others were furnished him by truthful persons who were present and played parts in the drama, so the whole may be safely received by the public as substantially correct and entirely worth of belief.

THE VICTIM

Of the brutal outrage, Mary Arabelle Secaur, was only in her fourteenth year, but she was large and well developed for a child of her age. Her mother died some three years ago, since which time she has been living in the family of Mr. John Citterly, of Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. She was a gentle, tractable child; being dutiful and of a kind and loving disposition, she had so ingratiated herself with Mr and Mrs Citterly, and so won upon their affections during her stay in the family, that, having no children of their own, they had determined to adopt her and make her heir to their estate. And not only had she, by her gentle ways and winning manners, conquered for herself a place in the affections of the Citterlys, but she had by the same process secured the good will and esteem of all her acquaintances, and she was the universal favorite of all--both old and young--in the neighborhood. What wonder, then, that the whole community was shocked and horrified at the announcement of her untimely taking off; and what wonder that her friends and neighbors, and indeed the whole community, for miles around, became wild with fury and proceeded to extremities, without waiting for the "law's tedious delays," when her murderers had been found and the cause and manner of her death had became apparent?

During the night preceding, and on the morning of the eventful Sunday of June 23, 1872, premonitions of danger seems to have shadowed the mind of the little girl, as though her guardian angel or some kind invisible spirit of the air was striving to whisper in her ear t warning of her impending doom; for we have been told that on the morning in question, she seemed low spirited, and related to her friends the particulars of a dream, wherein she saw herself attacked by ruffians and cruelly murdered. But the cheerful sunlight and the presence of kindly faces, soon dispelled the impressions that had been made upon her mind by, what was then supposed to be, but the wild vagaries of a dream, and her wanted cheerfulness soon returned. It is startling to think and realize, upon what seeming trifles great events are hinged, and upon what an exceedingly small pivot the sometimes turn. In this instance, had but the simple impressions of a dream been accepted, as a warning of danger to come, and guarded against for but a single day, how different might have been the result? The commission of a horrible crime, and the terrible consequences that followed and resulted from it, might have been averted. Mary Arabelle Secaur, in her maiden innocence and purity, would still be living to gladden the hearts of her relatives and friends; the public would have been spared the horrible details of her death and the commotion that ensued, and the perpetrators of the outrage might still be in full vigorous life, with a chance of making of themselves useful and honored members of society. But the warning was unheeded, and the great events that were to follow commenced to unfold and develop themselves.

At about 9 o'clock A.M., the little girl left home alone, for the church called Liberty Chapel, which is situated on the same road, and about two miles, directly east from Citterly's house. She reached her destination safely, attended Sunday school and afterward church. At the close of the religious services, at about 12 o'clock M., she left the meeting house intending to return home. She was accompanied, part of the way, on her return by one or two of her brothers, he grand-father, Strouse May, and other persons who had been attending church and Sunday school at the same place. Part of the crowd, including her brother, left, going north at the first cross roads, about one half mile west of the church and none but her grand-father and two little girls continued on in the direction she was going, and they only for a short distance; Mr. May stopping at his own residence, one mile west of the church and the little girls, going but a few rods further on, where they also stopped at home. This left her to go forward, entirely alone, to meet, and without assistance to struggle and strive against the sad and terrible fate that awaited her coming, but a short half mile in advance. She went on, alone, and her grand-father, impelled by something he could not understand or define, but could only feel, stood on the highway and watched her progress--never losing sight of her until she was within seventy-five or one hundred yards of the spot where her mangled remains were found the next day. And she, poor girl, kept on, straight on, little thinking that her foreboding of the morning was about to take place and become a reality, or, that the ruffians she had seen in her dream were actually lying in wait to outrage her person and take her young life. Only a few rods intervene between her and the fatal ambuscade, and still she advances! Where now is the kindly monitor? Will it yet sound the note of warning, and by impressing upon her mind a sense of the danger ahead cause her to turn back and escape? No, 'tis too late, the die is cast.-- She is already in too close proximity to the infernal fiends who have watched her coming. A moment later, and she is seized upon by these devils in human shape. Her wild shrieks of alarm and cries for assistance are stuffed. Her desperate struggles are in vain; she is overpowered by brute force and drug into a dense thicket near by, where the damned villains can accomplish their can accomplish their hellish purpose, unmolested by human agency and unseen by human eye. Once concealed by the thicket, the fiends incarnate proceed with their horrid business, unheeding the entreaties and the terrible anguish of their victim, and soon their accursed purpose is accomplished; and Mary Belle Secaur, the pet and pride of the neighborhood, in broad daylight, within sight of her own home on one side and that of her grandfather's on the other, was foully outraged and murdered. Her dead body, entirely nude, was left lying in the woods to be mangled and destroyed by animals, less ferocious that the human beasts who had done the devilish deed.

The Citterly's were not alarmed at her protracted absence, because they supposed she had stopped, as she frequently did, and was safe, at her grand-father's. Of course her grand-father felt no apprehensions for her safety, as he knew nothing of her being absent, and had besides, seen her well on her way home from church. Thus, no fears for her safety were excited or search made until Monday morning, June 24th, when her continued absence excited the gravest apprehensions and caused the organization of parties who prosecuted a vigorous search for the missing girl, in all directions. At about 4 o'clock P.M., on Monday, one of the parties engaged in the search, came upon the dead body in the thicket we have spoken of. It was horribly mangled, and lot of hogs were tearing and eating it. The head was entirely separated from the body, and was found in several pieces. The entrails were entirely gone, and body otherwise mutilated so that it was almost impossible to identify the shapeless and torn mass of human flesh as the remains of the little girl, except by the articles of clothing which were found lying near, and which were recognized by her friends as the same as she was wearing when last seen alive.

Esquire Hinton, acting as Coroner, immediately summoned and impaneled a jury and held an inquest on the remains. Evidence was produced and an examination of the body was made for the purpose of ascertaining, if possible, the causes that produced death. The perpetrators of the fiendish outrage had undoubtedly calculated on avoiding detection through the action of the hogs, and had coaxed or driven them there, hoping and expecting them to mutilate, and perhaps totally destroy, the body of their victim, and thus, to so effectually cover up and conceal all evidences of violence and of the fearful struggle that must have taken place, that it would be impossible to determine in what manner and by what means the little girl met her death. But if such was their calculations they were badly at fault, for the examination of the body by the jury disclosed certain bruises and such other indications of violence as to leave but little doubt that the girl had been first outraged and then foully murdered by some party or parties then unknown; and such was the verdict found and returned. The remains were then gathered up and taken to the house of Mr. Citterly and kept until the next day, Tuesday, June 25th, when they were taken to the Liberty Chapel Church yard, and in the presence of a large concourse of people and her sorrowing friends, were entombed close by the grave of her mother.

The coroner's inquest had satisfied almost every one that the girl had been foully dealt with: but still there might be room for doubt. Only a casual examination had been made, and that, too, by farmers, unskilled and unused in tracing and detecting, in the human system, the exact cause of certain results and effects. The results or effects were plainly visible, but what was the cause, or causes, that produced them? That was the question which all were interested in solving, and correctly, for right here is where a doubt might possibly come in, and that, too, at a time when a doubt might essentially interfere with and defeat the administration of justice.--Therefore, in order to remove all doubts, and for the purpose of making every thing safe, on Wednesday, June 26th, at the earnest solicitation of numerous citizens, the body was exhumed and a post mortem examination was made by Drs. Miller, Touvell, Parrott, Jones and Brandon, of Celina. The examination was careful and searching one, and confirmed the almost universal impression our people, and demonstrated to a certainty that a most heinous and diabolical outrage and murder had been perpetrated in that usually quiet and peaceable neighborhood--an outrage so shocking and monstrous, and withal so beast-like and inhuman as to startle and terrify a whole community, and make every one feel uneasy with t sense of dread and insecurity. All have read the published details of horrible crimes committed, elsewhere, by persons who were actuated and prompted by the most brutal and depraved human passions, and while shuddering at the recital, have wondered if such things could be true, and if human nature was capable of becoming so infernally fiend-like, and so entirely debased; but we do not think that any one here, ever fully realized or believed the atrocities and enormities of which such demons in human shape could be guilty, or to what an extent they would go, to gratify their brutal passions, until now, since the dreadful transaction in our midst on the 23rd of June, 1872.

As soon as it had become definitely and certainly known, from the inquest of doctors, that the death of the little girl was the result of violence--that she had been murdered--movements were instantly set on foot to ferret out and bring to justice the guilty parties. Intense feeling was manifested by the whole community, and every one went to work, with a will, to assist in solving the mystery as to who had done the deed. The probabilities were all eagerly canvassed. The scene of the outrage was visited by hundreds and closely examined--the acts and even the looks of every one, on the day and days following the tragedy, were recalled to memory--with a view of obtaining a clue for a starting point in the right direction. Two young men named Alexander McLeod and Andrew J. Kimmel, peddlers of tin-ware, from Fort Wayne, Ind., had been stopping for a day or two at the house of Henry Kimmel, about one and one-half miles from the lace where the body of the murdered child had been found. From the first, suspicion was directed towards them and one or two of Henry Kimmel's sons, to-wit: Absalom and Jacob Kimmel. The Kimmels were disreputable people at best, and were feared and disliked for their bad practices by the whole neighborhood. McLeod and the two Kimmel boys had been seen together in consultation, at church an hour or two before the crime was committed; and McLeod and Absalom Kimmel had left the church together a full half hour before the congregation was dismissed. Their appearance and conduct while at church was recalled, and the conclusion arrived at that they had plotted the devilment there, and had gone away in advance of the balance for the purpose of carrying it into execution. All four had left the country, going west, early on Monday morning. These fact and circumstances were deemed sufficient to warrant the officials in pursuing and arresting the suspicioned parties, and accordingly, on Thursday morning, Sheriff Spriggs, who had, in the meanwhile, been on the ground and diligently assisting in working up the case, taking with him D.T. Spriggs, Wm. Johnson and Wm. Moore, as assistants, started westward in pursuit. The Sheriff, with the advice and counsel of his assistants, laid his plans for the pursuit and capture of the supposed criminals, with rare good judgement, and carried them into effect with boldness and celerity. They succeeded in overtaking and arresting McLeod and A.J. Kimmel, at Fort Wayne, Ind., on Friday morning, June 28th. The prisoners were brought directly to Celina and lodged in jail, at about 9 o'clock P.M. Absalom, George and Jacob Kimmel were arrested and locked up the same day. Saturday morning, June 29th, the officers and others became satisfied that the young man Andrew J. Kimmel was entirely innocent of the crime, whereupon he was released from custody. He, at one, made and filed an affidavit, as follows, charging Alexander McLeod, Absalom Kimmel, Jacob Kimmel and George Kimmel, with the murder.

AFFIDAVIT OF A.J. KIMMEL

The State of Ohio, Mercer County, S:

Before me, one of the Justices of the Peace for said, county, personally came Andrew Jaxton Kimmel, who, being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith:--That he verily believes that Alexander McLeod, Absalom Kimmel, Jacob Kimmel and George Kimmel, on the 23rd day of June, in the year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the county of Mercer aforesaid, in the attempt to perpetrate a rape upon one Mary Arabelle Secaur, and while so attempting to perpetrate said, rape, did then and there purposely, unlawfully and feloniously kill and murder the said Mary Arabelle Secaur. And further this deponent saith not.

ANDREW JAXTON KIMMEL

Sworn to and subscribed before me at the county aforesaid, this 29th day of June. A.D. 1872

SETH S. SNYDER. J.P.

On Sunday, June 30th, McLeod and Absalom Kimmel were taken from the jail and arraigned before Justices Snyder, Alexander and Lacy, setting as an examining court for a preliminary examination. Messrs. Cowan, LeBlond & Day, Godfrey and the Prosecuting prosecution; while Callen & Loughridge and Albert & Murlin, appeared on behalf of the prisoners.

The following is a full and complete report of the evidence elicited at the examination, and was noted down at the time, as it fell from the lips of the witnesses, by the prosecution:

EVIDENCE TAKEN ON THE EXAMINATION OF ALEXANDER McLeod AND ABSALOM KIMMEL.

Strouse May, Grand-father of the little girl, being sworn, testified as follows: I knew the little girl well, she was my grand-daughter. I saw her alive the last time on Sunday, June 23d, 1872, on the road three-fourths of a mile west of my house, in Liberty township, this county. I next saw her dead body, on Monday, June 24th; it was lying in a thicket on the north side of the road, within fifty or seventy-five yards from where I saw her alive on Sunday, the day before. She was horribly mangled, and the hogs were eating her. The head was entirely separated from the body; the skull was crushed in and part of it gone. Her clothing was all torn off, and was lying near and partly under her. I was a hundreds yards off when the body was found. Joseph Steen and others were along. We were in a little open space within two feet of thicket and behind it near south east corner of a wheat field, not far from John Citterly's house.

Joseph Steen testified that he was acquainted with the deceased--last saw her alive about three weeks before her death. I saw her dead in the thicket, on the road between Strouse May's and John Citterly's on the north side of the road at the south east corner of a wheat field. I knew her body. It was torn and eaten by hogs, the head was off and all in pieces. I found the under jaw and back part of skull. There was no flesh on either of them. The skull looked like it had been broken by heavy club. We left the body lay until a jury of six men were summoned to hold an inquest. Was at inquest, and never saw the body afterwards. Her clothing was torn off, and most of it laid at her side, partly under her. A pink dress was fast to the body around the waist.

Dr. S.R. Wilson said he saw body on the ground where it was said to have been first discovered, and made a partial examination; I found it badly mangled and torn by hogs. The head was entirely off the body. I examined the neck carefully, and came to the conclusion that it had been cut by some sharp instrument. The hands were mutilated, and the fingers had been chewed or bitten I think, with human teeth and while she was alive. I discovered marks of finger nails on her neck and breast. I think the finger nail marks had been made before death. The skull had been broken in several pieces; I think it had been done by a stroke of a heavy club. I was not acquainted with deceased. I was present and made what examination I did make a short time after the inquest had been held. The body was lying north of the road in the north part of Liberty Township, Mercer county, Ohio.

Dr. M.M. Miller testified: Was at examination of body on Wednesday, 26th inst.. with Doctors Jones, Brandoff, Parrott and Touvelle. Body was exhumed for our inspection. Found head entirely off of the body and partly gone. Sphenoides and ethmoides bones we failed to find any part of them; also a large portion of the right parietal and temporal bones were missing. There was also a portion missing from the right side of the occipital, a portion of right malar superior and inferior maxillary bones. We found also a fracture on the left parietal, extending transversely from the sagittal suture of about one and one-half inches in length. About one-third part of the bones of the head were missing. Think they were broken by a large heavy instrument of some kind--the spalling being on the inside of the bones universally, wherever broken. On the front part of the neck or throat, for about six inches, the flesh, with the aid of microscope, showed a smooth edge. The residue, or back part, showed ragged edges--as though it had been pulled or town. The trachea being out of our reach, we made an incision down to it, and found the edge smooth and uniform--evidently the work of a sharp instrument. There were several bruises over the sternum, which must have been made shortly before death, as they were not completely ecchymosed. Finger nail marks were plainly traced upon the shoulders and upper part of the arms. On the upper portion of the left forearm, judging from the ecchymosis being there the darkest, seemed to be the place where the first injury was received. The blotch in size was about four inches in width by some six in length, measuring round the arm from back forward, and deeply ecchymosed except a small streak less deeply colored about three-quarter inches from each side of the blotch extending into same about three inches. The anterior portion of said discolored spot was ragged and uneven, presenting in size and appearance in shape much such spot as a violent grip of a hand would leave. The points of the fingers, six of them, were badly chewed up to the first joint--at least such was the appearance. Hands were badly scratched. There was also a large bruised spot on the front of the lower third of the right femur. She evidently lived some hours after receiving the injury on the left arm from the completeness of the ecchymosis. Death would have resulted from the injury in the head of throat; either must have produced death. From the general appearance of the body, sex could not have been distinguished.

Dr. Jones recognized a large club which had been found and picked up near where the body was found; it had splashes of blood on it, and witness said it had tufts of hair on when first picked up, and blood could be seen at first much plainer than now. the club was freshly fractured, and was in two or three pieces. Witness was present at post mortem examination. Death was positively produced by violence. There was an extensive fracture of skull, on the right side and was made by a downward stroke of some heavy club--think the one now here would produce it. The fracture was external and would most positively result in death. The neck was cut by a sharp instrument and was so extensive as to inevitably produce death in a very few moments. The person who done the cutting would most likely get blood on his clothing.

Cross Examination.--Such a cut, as was on the neck, might possibly be made without the person doing it getting any blood on clothing--that would depend on the position of the parties while the cutting was being done. The little girl would have bled until life was extinct. She could not have lived long. Very much of her blood may have escaped before the was made to her throat. I had no glass sufficiently powerful to enable me to tell if the blood on the club was animal or human blood and therefore can't state whether it is human blood or not.

John Citterly testified: Mary Belle lived in my family for over three years. On Sunday, June 23, she went to Sunday-school. She started from my house about 9 o'clock in the morning. That was the last time I ever saw her alive. I saw her dead body the next day lying in the woods near the road. After the inquest the body was taken to my house and from there to the graveyard where it was buried. Mary Belle was about 13 years of age.--Think she was just thirteen years two months and twenty-six days old when she was murdered, having been born on the 27th of March, 1859. (The clothing found near the body was here produced and shown to witness.) These are the clothes she had on when she started to the church; they were found with her body--part of her body lay on them--her shoes and stockings are all there was on her; with that exception she was perfectly naked. A parasol and testament was here identified by the witness who stated that the testament was picked up about two yards from the body--the parasol was found in the corner of the wheat field, distant about one rod. CROSS EXAMINED: The church is over two and one-half miles from my house. From Kimmel's house to the place of murder, is a few rods over a mile and a half.

Henry V. Hinton: was acquainted with Mary Belle Secaur. I first saw her body near the corner of the wheat field. I afterwards saw it at Mr. Citterly's house. I was present at the inquest and the post mortem examination. It was the same body both times, and the same one that was found in the thicket. On Tuesday I showed Judge Blake and Dr. Jones and Brandon, the ground where the body was found. It is about one mile and three-quarter from Kimmel's house to where the murder was committed. A person could go from Kimmel's there, all the way through the woods, except at the road crossing.

George Smitley examined: I saw McLeod and Absalom Kimmel at church on the 23d of June. About fifteen minutes after I got there they left, going west from the church. They did not return. It was between 11 and 12 o'clock when they left the meeting house. Wm. and Jacob Kimmel were also at church. I saw them stop at home after church was out. I went by Kimmel's house as I went home from meeting, but did not see either of the Defendants there. I passed Kimmel's about 12 o'clock. Was not acquainted with deceased.

Thomas Wright testified: I know the defendants--saw them together at church, on Sunday, June 23d, at about 11 o'clock; saw them go across the road into the woods and come back again. They both left church together, at least a half hour before it was out. Saw Wm and Jacob Kimmel at church. I also saw the deceased there. I never saw her afterwards.

Elias N. May: Identified the defendants. Saw them at church on Sunday, June 23d, at between 9 and 10 o'clock A.M. I again sw them on Monday morning at 6 or 7 o'clock on the road going west. They were near Jacob Leininger's, which is about three miles from Kimmel's. McLeod and Jacob Kimmel were together; Andrew and Absalom Kimmel were in another wagon. I saw Jake and Ab., after church, on Sunday, at about 2 or 3 o'clock watering horses.

Jacob Leininger: Saw McLeod, Absalom, Andy and Jake Kimmel on Monday morning, at about 7 o'clock going west. They had two teams at my house. The stopped and traded a tin pan to my wife for a few rags she had. They were just leaving when I came up.

Wm. Johnson testified: Identified shirt and boot with blotches of blood on as having been taken off of McLeod when he was arrested. This witness said he saw McLeod at the rail road election in liberty township on the 23 of June. Saw him again in Fort Wayne on Friday, June 28th, and helped to arrest him. We put him in a wagon and drove to Decatur. At Decatur, the Sheriff and I took in a carriage with us. We had a good deal of conversation with him while driving along. After we left Decatur, he seemed very restless and uneasy and want to know where we were taking him, and asked us the question several times. We told him he would find out. At Pleasant Mills, Ind., he asked if any body else was accused. After we left Willshire he asked again. I told him I thought not; he said it was heavy to get him into trouble and remarked that people gathered as if some body had been murdered. He said he didn't know any thing about any difficulty. I told him it was no use to deny it, that Kimmel's folks would be-back on him. He said if Kimmel's folks go back on me it will be awful, for I'm innocent. When we got within a rod, or ten feet of the place where the murder was committed, he set his eyes on the place and stared as though with a death grip. When we came opposite the place, the Sheriff got out with him; he cried and was greatly agitated. After the Sheriff had been out with him for a while, I got out and talked to him. He cried and said it was awful--that he was not guilty: "he had never committed adultery there--it was the first time he ever saw the bloody spot." He further said that "he never touched the girl." We then got into the carriage and drove to Kimmel's house. After leaving Kimmel's he denied all about it. Neither the Sheriff or myself said any thing to him or in his presence about touching the girl. We said nothing about bloody spot, nor would we tell him what he'd been arrest for. He asked us if he was arrested for horse staling? I saw W. Moore take a green ribbon off of a bridle in a stable at Fort Wayne. (The ribbon was here produced and identified by witness.) McLeod told me he had this ribbon on his bridle. CROSS EXAMINED: We did not tell him what he was arrested for until after we left Kimmel's. Every time he asked us what he was arrested for we told him he'd find out. I told him I would not first tell him. he set his eyes and stared on no other place along the road as he did on the place of murder. He said, Kimmel's folks could tell nothing on him unless they lied. I was absent from McLeod, at Decatur, for about a half hour, and an hour or so at Willshire. I do not remember, nor do I think I said, to a person within three miles of Celina, that McLeod had made a confession. He was not intoxicated. I do not think any one was intoxicated.

Miss Maggie Shepherd testified: I trimmed, or had trimmed, at my store, about three week ago, a hat with just such a ribbon as this (referring to the ribbon taken off of McLeod's bridle.) I sold it to Mrs. Citterly. She said it was for the little girl that was living with her. it was number 9 ribbon. I have several bolts just like it. CROSS EXAMINED: The ribbon is very much misused. I wonder it looks as well as it does, after being tied on the bridle. I sold some ribbon of the same color to a Mrs L Deaer, who lives in the same neighborhood.

Mrs. Citterly- recognized the ribbon as the same kind on Mary Belle's hat, and said Mary Belle had the hat on the Sunday, the last time she was seen alive.

A.J. Kimmel Examined--Said: I saw this ribbon Monday morning after we left uncle's house going to the Stateline. Ab. was on the wagon with me. McLeod was in his own wagon and Jake was with him. Jake and McLeod were ahead; when they got to the place, McLeod stopped his team, when Jake got off and picked up the ribbon and took a whisky bottle from under a chunk, on the right side of the road as you go west. While at the spot where the body was afterwards found, my horses were horribly scared, and I told the boys for God's sake to go on. On Sunday I was at my uncles' until about 10 o'clock, when uncle asked me if I didn't want to go over his farm and see his corn. We all went--uncle and aunt, George and myself. We saw the corn, and went through the flax and then George and I went to the house and up stairs. We remained at the house the balance of the day. McLeod and Absalom went to church. I did not go because I had the neuralgia and was not well. McLeod and Ab, came aback from church at about 11 o'clock, at least a half hour before the rest of them. William, Jake, Alice and Ann Kimmel were all at church. After McLeod and Ab, came home from church, they went away again and were gone two hours or more. I first saw them on their return; at the pump washing. I asked them where they had been, they said, "out jumping." Absalom said they had been laying in the woods; that they came out to the road where they saw a girl and asked her for ----. Jake Kimmel was not with me, and I don't where he was until dinner. He eat dinner with the family after the others came back. I did not hear the boys say they had gone to the woods on purpose to watch for a girl. I told them never to intrude on anybody's rights in that way. We left uncle's the next morning and went west. Jake and Ab, left us about a quarter of a mile from the State-line. We went on and stopped at a store in Jay City, Ind. I told McLeod that I did not like the appearance of Jake and Ab.; that they had a down appearance. Absalom told me that he did not feel well or like to work. I told McLeod that I put more dependence in George than in both the others; he said, "I like Jake the best." There was no search for the bottle. Jake went right straight to it and picked it up. He first picked up the ribbon, and then kicked over a chunk and took up the bottle. CROSS EXAMINED: was at Liberty township railroad election on Saturday. We passed the place where the ribbon was found; we got some whisky at the election, what was left of it was rank up in the barn-yard on Saturday evening. William Kimmel left for Van Wert about 3 o'clock, he was at the dinner table with the rest of us. McLeod went up stairs after dinner. I did not see him and Absalom return; first saw them at the pump. I think McLeod had no coat on. I was Monday morning with Absalom complained to me of not feeling well or like work. We came to uncle's on Friday. Absalom and Jake came home on Saturday evening: Ah, did not complain of being unwell then. I do not know that he had the ague.--Re-examined: McLeod and myself were working for the same man. On Tuesday morning McLeod said our assortment was so gone up, that we couldn't do much. We added to our load considerable on Monday. I told McLeod and Absalom they should never intrude on innocent persons. I said this when they told me that had been int eh woods and asked a girl for ----. I saw no washing of clothes. Last Wednesday, McLeod said he was too warm and took one shirt off; he had two shirts on Monday. 'The shirt with blood on wristband and bosom which had been taken off of the defendant, McLeod, when he was arrested, was here shown to the witness and he identified it as being the same on McLeod had on Sunday.) RE-CROSSED EXAMINED: I did not mean that George Kimmel was guilty. I objected to making the affidavit against George, but Miller told me it was only a form and the only object was to get at the guilty parties; with that understanding, I filed the affidavit. I sat next to McLeod at dinner; I did not see any blood on his shirt at that time.

George Kimmel Examined; I was at home on Sunday with Andy Kimmel. McLeod was at the house all day; he was not off the place; I had no conversation with Absalom or McLeod about murdering the girl. CROSS-EXAMINED: I was arrested and put in jail on Friday. On Saturday morning, Dan. Spriggs and Bill Johnson took me out of jail and took me to the woods. When they got into the woods, they threatened to hang me. I knew they had no rope and was not afraid of hanging. They then said they would kill me in three minutes if I didn't tell all about the matter: they had revolvers in their pockets and I was afraid they would kill me unless I told something, so I told them that Ab, and McLeod had told me that they had all the fun they wanted with the girl, and that they afterwards killed her, All I told Spriggs and Johnson was a lie to get rid of them. RE-EXAMINED BY PROSECUTION: All I told Spriggs and Johnson was a lie. I saw McLeod and Absalom washing at the pump at about 2 o'clock. I told Spriggs and Johnson that the boys said they had killed the girl, and that they first had all the fun they wanted. I never had heard the story before, but made it up as I went along. I told them I say blood on McLeod's shirt, that part was not lie; I did see blood on his shirt. That was true, and it was true that they washed at the pump. McLeod took one shirt off in the afternoon, and after he come back at 1 o'clock or after, he put a striped shirt on over the one he had on. There was blood on the one he had on.

SHERIFF SPRIGGS TESTIFIED: On Thursday morning, taking parties to assist me, I started in pursuit of the parties who were believed to be the murderers. We found them in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and made the arrest. On our way there we agreed among ourselves, not to tell them what they were arrested for, or to say any thing in their presence from which they could infer the cause of their arrest, or to what place they were to be taken to. I did not tell them, nor did any one else to my knowledge. We first saw them, McLeod and A.J. Kimmel, at the business house of Dellingham, in Fort Wayne. They seemed to be in a great hurry. We met them on the street, and arrest them at once. I saw nothing wrong with Andy, but McLeod jumped back, tried to get away, and called for his friends to assist him. We forced him into our wagon, and immediately started for home. As soon as we got under way, I examined McLeod critically for marks of blood,--He saw me, and at once turned up the wristband of his shirt. I saw blood on his right wristband. He was greatly agitated and quivered awfully, as though he had an ague. I also saw blood on one of his boots; the left one I think; and on his pants. He tried to cover up the blood on his boot, by placing his other boot over it. The blood on his pants looked to me as though he had attempted to wash it off. At Decatur, we stopped nearly a half-mile out of town, for fear if we took him into town, while were getting fresh teams, he might hear what crime he was charged with, and why he was under arrest. We were very careful at all times that they should hear nothing of a murder having been committed, and I am sure no one told them in my presence or hearing. After we left Decatur, I asked McLeod where he was on Sunday; he halted, quivered again, and then evaded the question and did not answer. He afterwards told me that he was at Kimmel's on Sunday---was with Andy all the time--said he was at church, and came away before it was out; he said Andy was not at church. He contradicted himself several times. When we neared the residence of John Citterly, Wm. Moore came forward from the rear carriage, and said Andy has told us all about it. McLeod trembled, cried, and said: "My God; it can't be possible Andy has gone back on me," and he was terribly agitated. McLeod said to me, "I didn't hurt the gal," he said this before we got to the place of the tragedy. When we got there he stared at the spot intently.

I then took him to the place; he cried bitterly, and said he was innocent; I told him then that we knew all about the matter, and he'd better tell the truth. When I said this, he turned to the fence of a field near by crying, and said: "I never committed adultery here or any thing else; I never saw this bloody spot before." There was no blood on the ground that could be seen. We then drove on to Kimmel's house and stopped. After we left Kimmel's; I turned upon him very suddenly, and said: "McLeod, who was with you out in the woods about 2 o'clock on Sunday?" He seemed to be frustrated and faltered out, "Ja--Jake--Abs"---. While at Kimmels, he plead earnestly for a few minutes private talk with Kimmel, which I refused. We then went on south about a half mile and arrested the other three Kimmel boys. When he saw the boys, he was very anxious to have a short private talk with them, and asked me to allow him the privilege, which of course I refused. (The Sheriff here exhibited a penknife with blood on the large blade, and stated that he took it from the pocket of McLeod, when he made the arrest; also, a pocket handkerchief with specks of blood on it was produced.) CROSS EXAMINED: I did not tell McLeod that a girl had been murdered, or anything in reference to it until we got within a half a mile of Celina, when I read the hand bill offering a reward for the murderers to him, and he told me that he did not hear what the crime was before that.

At this stage of the examination, George Kimmel, whose evidence is printed heretofore, requested permission to correct some of his statements made while on the witness stand. This was opposed by the counsel for the accused and insisted upon by the prosecution. Permission at length being granted by the court, he got upon the stand and made the following statement. He said: "On Sunday, June 23d, at about 3 o'clock P.M., McLeod told me that he struck and killed the girl; that he first had all the fun he wanted. He said Absalom was with him. There was blood on McLeod's shirt, and he washed it off at the pump." CROSS EXAMINED BY DEFENDANTS' COUNSEL: McLeod told me these things when he and I were trading watch chains.--We were upstairs on a bed. The reason I told a different story when I was first examined, was because you lawyers told me to go back on what I had told Johnson and Spriggs. (Here Messrs. Callen, Murlin and Loughridge, each made statements under oath, saying in substance, that the witness, George Kimmel, had said to them he had made certain declarations to Spriggs and Johnson, which were not true, and that with that understanding they had advised him not to repeat his statements under oath but to tell the exact truth.)

This closed the testimony. The defendants declined to introduce any evidence, and the case was submitted to the court without argument at about 11:30 o'clock P.M. After a few minutes consultation, the court ordered the prisoners back to jail to await the action of a grand jury.

George Kimmel was discharged from custody, as no evidence, either direct or circumstantial, could be found implicating him in the murder, and by agreement of counsel on both sides, the examination of Jacob Kimmel was postponed until Friday, July 5th.

At noon, on the day this examination was held, Absalom Kimmel made a partial confession to two persons, in which he said that McLeod and himself were both guilty, and giving some of the details of the transaction. The prosecution offered to prove these statements as evidence in the case; but the defendant's counsel objected and the court sustained the objection, on the ground that the confession was made in consequence of inducements having been held out to him. @

On Friday, at 9 o'clock A.M., the examining court again convened for the purpose of examining into the case of Jacob Kimmel, jointly charged with McLeod and Absalom Kimmel, as being concerned in the murder. After a long, patient and searching investigation, the accused was released from custody on the charge of murder, there being no evidence implicating him in the diabolical transaction; but he was required to enter into a recognizance in the sum of fifteen hundred dollars for his appearance, at the November term of the Court of Common Pleas, as a witness in the cases of the State against Alexander McLeod and Absalom Kimmel. This was done in consequence of the statement of the prisoner, made on his own motion, after the evidence for the State was all in and the prosecution had rest the case. The statement was as follows:

STATEMENT OF JACOB KIMMEL.

"This feller, (Alexander McLeod,) told me at noon today, (July 5th,) that he murdered the girl; that Absalom did not want to go with him but he compelled him to go. He said Absalom did not lay hands on the girl. He also told me that he himself caught the girl and drug or carried her into the woods."

Beyond this statement of the prisoner, the examination elicited no further facts or circumstances having a bearing on the case, or tending to criminate or involve any one else as having been concerned in the commission of the crime, except McLeod and Absalom Kimmel. The evidence was, in the main, a simple repetition of that produced upon the examination of the two last named persons, which is hereinbefore printed, and its insertion here would not be of interest to any one, nor would it assist the reader in arriving at a conclusion as to the guilt or innocence of the accused. It is therefore omitted.

During the progress of the first examination, on Sunday, June 28th, and, indeed, from the very moment the arrests were first made, a deep and intense feeling adverse to the prisoners was manifested, and from all quarters were heard open and covert threats of violence to them and the counsel engaged in the defence. So great was the excitement, that notwithstanding the busy season of the year and the uncomfortably warm weather, hundreds and thousands of stalwart, muscular, sun-bronzed farmers left their ripe harvests uncut and uncared for, flocked to town and crowded themselves into the large court room until it was a perfect jam--a mass of surging, sweating, sweltering humanity, and there was imminent danger of death from suffocation, for the purpose of seeing the prisoners, hearing the evidence produced and to watch the progress of the examinations. Many ladies, forgetting their natural timidity, but not their natural desire to always hear and see what is going on, and being buoyed up and sustained by the excitement, attended and remained in the densely packed and intensely uncomfortable court room from the commencement of the trials until the close.

This feeling against the prisoners and their counsel came very nearly finding vent in open violence on Friday, at the close of the last examination. The prisoner, Jacob Kimmel, had expressed a desire to make a statement of whet he knew about the transaction, which desire was, by request, suggested to the court by counsel for the State. Instantly expectation was on tip toe, and the hush that at once fell on the immense audience evidenced the fearful interest taken in the statement, about to be made. At this juncture, one of the attorneys

for the accused arose, saying the prisoner had not intimated to them a desire to say anything, and strenuously objected to a statement being made unless the request came through the counsel for the defense. This was understood by the crowd to be an objection to a statement being made by the prisoner at all; and in a twinkling , the court room was a scene of indescribable uproar and confusion. The whole audience arose as one man, and commenced closing in toward the place where the prisoner sat, surrounded by his counsel.---Part of the ladies rushed from the court room panic stricken, while other remained and calmly looked on or joined in the uproarious confusion. In vain, the sheriff called to order; rough voices full of anger and menace, demanded that the prisoner be permitted to go upon the stand and make his statement; while yet others were heard urging the excited mass forward by cries of "he shall make his statement," "take them out," "go for 'em, G-d d--n them," "clean them all out," etc., etc. Forty or fifty men left the court room and rushed for the jail where Absalom Kimmel and McLeod were confined, with the evident intention of closing out the whole terrible business then and there. The excitement was above fever heat. A crook of a finger--the exploding of a torpedo--the least thing in the world having a tendency to aggravate matters, would have caused those ordinarily staid and sober minded men, to do that for which they would be sorry the balance of their lives. But the time had not yet come; the proper parties were not all present, the masses were not yet quite worked up to the required pitch. Better counsels at length prevailed, and order was soon, in a measure, restored, when the prisoner, with the consent of his counsel went upon the stand and made the statement which we have printed on another page. After this occurrence, the people who were present quietly dispersed and went home, apparently satisfied; but it did not require any great degree of prescience or more than ordinary intelligence to enable the most casual observer to see that mischief was brewing, and that, unless something was speedily done to allay the excitement of the populace, the result must inevitably be a mob with all its attendant horrors and pernicious effects upon society.

Thus matters stood, and nothing further was heard or seen to excite increase apprehension, until Saturday afternoon, when reliable reports were brought to town that parties were being rapidly formed and organizations effected, in different parts of the county, for the purpose of taking the prisoners from jail and disposing of them, in accordance with the most approved rules now prevailing in the courts of Judge Lynch; whereupon some of our more prominent citizens went out int eh country for the purpose of finding; and, if possible, dissuading these parities from carrying their intentions into execution. They found, and had a conference with those whom they supposed were leaders or head men in the movement, and obtained from them a promise not to proceed further in the matter, for a few weeks yet, at least, upon the condition that the authorities should place the prisoners in irons and have them closely guarded so as to prevent the possibility of their effecting an escape. This was accordingly done. Relying upon these promises and believing everything safe, for the present, no further efforts were made. But unfortunately for these efforts to maintain law and order, there was no authorized leaders of the movement--it was a spontaneous uprising of the people--and only a small portion of the organizing mob was found and dissuaded from its fearful purpose. The balance of those who were bent on mischief--or rather, on avenging the wrongs committed upon the outraged and murdered girl, and through her upon the whole community--continued and perfected their preparation unmolested.

Meanwhile the culprits, in prison, who had caused all this unwanted excitement and furor, were experiencing and suffering that remorse of conscience, for their ill deeds, which only the damned villains and the most desperate criminals can feel. McLeod kept up an outward appearance of calmness and unconcern, but any one could see that it was only bravado, assumed for the purpose of making believe he was innocent of the crime imputed to him, while his every act and all his talk on the subject were implied, if not direct admissions of his guilt. On Sunday night, at the close of his preliminary examination, when he was taken back to the jail, he broke down completely, saying if the others had kept their mouths as close as I did mine, no one would have known anything about it, and asking for paper, pen and ink, said he would write out a full confession of the whole transaction. Paper, &c. were given him, but the next morning he said he had no confession to make, that he was innocent, and denied that he had asked for writing material or the he had said he would make a confession. At different times, after this, he seemed to be terribly impressed and bowed down by the weight that was resting upon his mind. At such times he would commence and make an effort to tell his story, but he would invariably check himself and say: "My mother taught me to do better, and it would break her heart if she knew I was guilty. The last words that shall pass my lips, to be carried home to my mother, shall be, that I am innocent." Some person had given him a Testament, shortly after he was incarcerated, and he spent a large portion of the time in hunting up and reading and pondering over such passages as referred to the crime of murder, and the terrible punishment to be meted to the murderer. On the evening of the 7th of July, he took the Sheriff by the hand and said to him: "I never meant to say that you or any one else testified falsely against me. I know I said so, but it was only from the lips out and did not work from the bottom of my heart," and at the same time he said he had a confession to make. The Sheriff was busy and could not hear his confession then, and a short time afterwards when the Sheriff signified a willingness to hear him, he said, "I have made all the confession I am going to make, as there is no forgiveness for a murderer." Absalom Kimmel admitted his guilt from the very beginning, and during his entire imprisonment, constantly wept and bewailed his sad condition. His conscience seemed to goad him to desperation and would give him no rest until he had made a full confession of the dastardly crime. At 11 o'clcok A.M. and again at 3 o'clock P.M. on Sunday, July 7th, he asked the jailor to bring someone in to hear his statement and reduce it to writing. Finally, at 11 o'clock P.M., Judge Blake accompanied by two other gentlemen, went to his cell, when he made a voluntary confession, which the Judge reduced to writing, as it fell from the lips of the accused. Here it is in full:

CONFESSION OF ABSALOM KIMMEL

I, ABSALOM KIMMEL, of my own free will, do make the following confession in write; While we were going through the woods on Sunday, June 23d, 1872 from church, Mr. McLeod said: "Let us go a squirrel hunting." I told him we had no (caps, hard to recognize the word), that John Rieker lost them all on Saturday. Nothing more said until Jacob Kimmel came home, then McLeod asked Jake if any girls went west, and Jake told him that several went, and McLeod said: We will go out there." We then ran the greater part of the way. When we got to the spot where the murder was committed, she Mary Secaur, was within on hundred yards or more of us; and when she came up even with the place, he, McLeod, stepped out and said, 'hold on;' when she ran to the south side of the road, and hollowed, "let me loose," in a loud tone of voice. He then grabbed her by the throat and right arm , and took her behind the bushes and threw her down. We, Jacob and myself were off about two rods when McLeod called for us to come there. We did not go until he called us the second time; we then went to him and Jake stood at the roadside to watch, and I at the north of the girl and McLeod, when McLeod told me to take hold of her arm, which I did. At that time McLeod was holding bother of the girl's hands in his mouth--the palm of hands together--holding to her throat. He then had connection with her. I then watched until Jake had connection with her also and then Jake watched until I did the same thing; then Jake and I went off about twenty five yards, when McLeod again had connection with her, and as soon as he was through he picked up a club and her on the head; the club was about four inches in diameter and three feet long. I saw her throw up her hands and quiver when he struck her. He then came running up to us, and said that he had knocked her in the head.--We then ran home. I saw blood on his wright wristband and also on the bosom of his shirt. When we got home, I ran into the barn, Jake went into the house, and McLeod washed himself at the horse trough and afterwards washed at the pump, and then went into the house, and all ate dinner. About 1 o'clock and about 6 o'clock, we went to water the horses, (myself, Jake, Andy and George,) and when we came back I met my brother Sam at the crossroads, and jumped with a lot of boys. We then went home at sun down, and a little after we ate supper, McLeod told me that he had been back there and was not dead yet, but that he had killed her. On Monday morning, my father told me that Alex, wanted me to off, but he wanted me to stick to the clearing.

ABSALOM (X, HIS MARK) KIMMEL Attest: R.G. Blake, Thornton Spriggs, D.T. Spriggs

The immediate consequence of Absalom's confession was the re-arrest of Jacob Kimmel. He was taken and brought to town the same night the confession was made, and all three were together in the jail, but in separate cells.

We have said that the parties who strove to allay the excitement of the people, and to prevent an organization for the purpose of lynching the prisoners, only saw and obtained a promise to refrain, from a small portion, or detachment of, those who had determined to take matters in their own hands, and avenge, in their own way, the outrage and murder of the little girl. This state of affairs became only too apparent on the morning of July 8th, for, as early as 4 o'clock, of that day, the people, by one's and two's and in squads, commenced to arrive in town, and by 10 o'clock A.M. our streets were crowded with men. Such a large crowd has not been seen upon our streets for years, if ever.

Perfect order and decorum was strictly kept and observed by all, and yet it was easily to be seen, from that resolute sternness stamped upon each countenance, that no ordinary occasion had brought them together in such numbers, and that something extraordinary was about to take place. It was not long a matter of doubt, as to what was the occasion for this unusual coming together of the people. That which all law-abiding and order-loving citizens had suspected and feared and tried to prevent, was about to take place. The hitherto good name of Mercer county was about to be sullied and her fair escutcheon tarnished by the action of a mob. At about 12 o'clock M., a body of something less than two hundred horsemen rode into town and proceeded directly to the jail, followed by the immense crowd of people that had already assembled. arriving at the jail, they found the doors locked and barred, and were met by the Sheriff and his guards who refused their demand to be admitted, warned them to desist from their unlawful purpose, and counseled them t disperse and let the law take its course. The crowd paid no attention to all this but at once set themselves to work to force their way into the jail. An entrance was soon effected through one of the front windows, when the crowd rushed in.--The Sheriff and his assistants were promptly seized and secured, the keys found and the door to the cells opened, which gave the mob free access to the terrified and cowering prisoners. They were at once taken possession of, hustled out and dumped into a wagon seemingly prepared for the purpose, when the wagon, surrounded by the horsemen, started rapidly for the country, followed and cheered on by the surging and exited crowd.

The ride to the pace of execution, a distance of eleven miles, must have been a terrible one to the prisoners, surrounded, as they were, by the stern and unrelenting faces of those who they knew were to perform, for them, the office of executioners, at the end of the journey; and followed and preceded, as far as the eye could reach, either way, by a concourse of human beings, all terribly exasperated against them and clamoring for their life's blood. To the calm and unexcited looker-on it presented a scene at once grand and cowardly. Grand, because it illustrated how and to what extent the feelings of the whole people are capable of being aroused by the perpetration of a grievous wrong; and with what unanimity, and swiftness, and power they all move together to scourge and punish the perpetrators of that wrong; and cowardly, because it was three thousand and more, unrestrained, stalwart me, pitted against, three, poor, miserable, terrified devils in manacles and irons.

The place selected for the concluding act of the tragedy, was on the farm of Henry Kimmel, father of Absalom and Jacob, and in the neighborhood, near where the murder was committed. And with a refinement of cruelty that is not worthy of commendation, the particular place on the farm, that was selected for the execution, was in a small meadow or pasture lot, west, and almost immediately in front, of Kimmel's house, so the mother, from her parlor windows, could have full view of the ghastly corpse of her son, dangling in the air.' The horsemen with the prisoners arrived at their destination at about 3 o'clock P.M. A rude gallows was hastily improvised by cutting a small tree the proper length for a beam, and hoisting it to the desired position and height with wooden forks, and under this the wagon containing the prisoners was drawn. McLeod was then told he had be a few moments more to live, and asked if he had anything to say or confession to make before he was put to death.

Upon being thus spoken to, McLeod stood up on a seat in the wagon, and spoke as follows:

REMARKS OF ALEXANDER MCLEOD

"I am asked to make a confession. I cannot condemn my conscience. I know nothing of the transaction--never saw the girl in my life to my knowledge, and never touched her. I did not commit the murder. I am innocent of that crime and know nothing whatever about it. Kimmels know I went to bed and slept until they called me to dinner--I went down stairs and eat a hearty dinner. I can say with a clear conscience that I am not guilty. I have a good mother who always taught me better, which you will find out in due time. Let the law take its course and the guilty will have to suffer. God will not let the innocent die, and I pray God to save me for I am innocent. If it was the last word that passed my lips, I would say I know nothing about it. I know nothing against Kimmel folks. And I were partners --(A voice in the crowd, 'why did you say bloody spot?') I did say, bloody spot, it's my way of speaking. My clothes have been sent Cincinnati to be analyzed--I admit that I had blood on them--I have blood on me now from nose, it is in the habit of bleeding, and has bled since I started from town--I swear to you sincerely that I am innocent of that crime. If you want to put me to death for that crime I will have to die; but innocent blood will flow. I tell you the truth. I swear before God and man I'm innocent.--Johnson and Spriggs induced the boys to say what they did. Innocent blood will flow if I have to die. As I said before, I'm innocent, and know nothing whatever about it. I'm ready to die. O, God, comfort my poor mother and sisters, and forgive you all. I'm innocent, I'm innocent of that crime.'

After making the above remarks, McLeod sat down, and although frequent attempts were made to induce him to confess, he refused to do so, and stoutly maintained his innocence to the very last. Absalom and Jacob Kimmel both made statements, the former reiterating the facts set forth in his confession and the latter denying his own guilt: said McLeod told him that he himself and Absalom had done the work.

At this juncture, Elias Secaur, a brother of the murdered girl, appeared upon the scene and requested that Jacob Kimmel should not be hanged, as there might be some doubts as to his guilt, but that he should be placed under guard and returned to jail to await a trial. The proposition seemed to meet with almost universal approval, and Jacob was accordingly so disposed of. Preparations were then made for the final act in the tragedy. Ropes were thrown over the beam already prepared--nooses were formed and placed around the necks of the two who were to suffer death. Their hands and feet were secured, the wagon drawn from under them--and at precisely 10 minutes before 4 o'clock P.M. of July 8th, 1872, the souls of Alexander McLeod and Absalom Kimmel were launched into eternity. After hanging until the vital spark had become extinct, the bodies were cut down and given into the hands of the physicians of Shanesville and Ft. Recovery.

It is but simple justice to those who managed and controlled the affair, to say that perfect order was maintained throughout. The business that called the populace together was transacted in a business like manner, and as soon as it was finished, the crowd quietly dispersed and went to their homes, and in two hours afterwards, a stranger could not have told that any unusual occurrence had taken place.

Alexander McLeod was of Scottish extraction, and was born in Canada, at or near the town of Chelsea, where his parents now reside. He was a young man about 21 years of age, of rather prepossessing appearance, and was possessed of an intelligence and decision of character which under different auspices would have made him a useful man; but which, directed in the channel it was, made him a reckless dare-devil, capable of planning executing the most daring and execrable acts of crime. He had regular features, florid complexion, blue eyes and brown, curly hair.

Absalom Kimmel was 19 years of age--was ungainly and awkward in appearance. He was very much below the average in intelligence, and there was nothing about him or in his make-up to commend him to any one, for any good purpose whatever. He had dull, black eyes, sallow complexion and coarse yellow hair. His parents are both living, and reside on their farm in this county, where the hanging took place.

These parties were, undoubtedly, both guilty of such a grievous outrange and murder, as scarcely finds a parallel in all the annals of crime, and they richly merited the punishment that was meted out to them but who shall say that the time and manner of their punishment was either well or wisely chosen? There may be, and probably is some excuse or palliation--fact and circumstances connected with the outrage--that go very far in extenuating the action of the mob, but every good citizen must deprecate the occurrence of such scenes of unauthorized violence as took place in our county, on the 8th day of July. But it could not be prevent--it has taken place, and cannot be undone. Crimination and re-crimination is now worse than useless, but we can steadily set our faces against such things in the future and by holding law and good order as paramount, guard against and prevent their recurrence."

THE END

The present proprietors of this work, Messrs. Spriggs & Co., for reasons of their own, deem it proper to insert here the following statement, written by Sheriff Spriggs, and published in the papers at the time. These statements of McLeod were made in the presence of the Sheriff and other persons:

On the 7th of July, about 11 o'clock P.M., after Absalom Kimmel had requested for the third time, the privilege of making his confession and preparations had been made to reduce it to writing, McLeod turned to me and said, "I have also a confession to make." Then grasping me by the hand, he said: "My confession is this; I never said from the bottom of my heart, Sheriff, you or Johnson, or any body else, ever testified false against me."-- Then I said, "you have said so," "I did say so, but it was only from the lips out. Don't be afraid of me, I will harm nobody. I have ;the best of feeling for you." (Still holding me firmly by the hand,) "Come into the cell to me." To which I replied by saying: "That I had not time at present, but will be back in a few moments." After I returned, he said that he had made all the confession he was going to make, as there was no forgiveness for a murderer.