August 11, 1888: Frank Gallop

Today's article comes from The Daily Courier (San Bernardino, California) dated August 12, 1888:

AN IOWA TRAGEDY.

A Desperado Kills Three Men and is Lynched.

[California Associated Press.]

A Fearful Tragedy.

SHENANDOAH, Iowa, August 11.—The excitement which originated with the tarring and feathering of Frank Phillips Thursday culminated this evening in a triple murder and lynching.  Phillips had assaulted the little daughter of J. F. Pine and the citizens after half hanging the scoundrel drove him out of town.  To-day Mr. Pine still in a highly nervous condition, was walking along Main street when he was attracted by cries for help.  Entering the place from which the appeals proceeded he found Frank Gallop, a well known desperado, engaged in brutally beating his father.  Pine at once closed with the young brute and a fierce struggle ensued.  Gallop seeing he was getting worsted broke away with a violent effort and drawing a revolver shot Pine through the heart.  He then dashed through the rear door and made for a clump of woods near by.  His father had mean while raised the alarm and in a few minutes half a dozen citizens were in pursuit of the murderer, who had snatched up a Winchester before leaving the house, seeing escape impossible, according to his original plan he turned aside and entered an unoccupied house near the telegraph office and barring the door securely he went to an upper story and from the window defied the crowd which had by this time assembled.  One of the pursuers, with an ax in hand, started for the door with the intention of breaking it in, but was shot dead by Gallop from the window.  Cries were at once raised, "set fire to the house and burn him out," but before this could be done another of the posse, undeterred by the fate of the dead man, seized an ax and made a dash for the door which formed the barrier between the pursuers and the intended victim.  Gallop took cool aim and once more his rifle cracked and another life fell a victim to his unerring aim.  By this time everyone in town was on the ground and a number of people began firing on the house.  Gallop, however, crouched down and managed to escape all the bullets.  Finally the Chief of Police advanced  close enough to be heard and shouted to the murderer that the best thing he could do was to surrender as otherwise the citizens would most surely fire the house and cremate him after a few minutes.  Gallop knowing this would be done, agreed to do as was suggested, but asked the Chief of Police to protect him from the mob.  The officer answered that he would do all he could.  Gallop then came down stairs and opened the door.  The Chief at once siezed [sic] him and started for the lock-up with the prisoner.  In the meantime a hurried consultation was held by the mob which suddenly made a rush on the officer and the prisoner and before the former could raise his hand, Gallop was torn from his grasp and dragged to the nearest tree and hanged.  As further evidence of the revengeful feeling existing, half a dozen shots were fired into the dangling figure.  The town is in a frightful state of excitement and some hard characters against whom threats have been made are hurrying beyond reach of possible harm.