March 16, 1879: Peter Klein

The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois) dated March 17, 1879:

HANGED TO A TREE.

Peter Klein Taken from Jail at Newport, Ky., by a Mob and Lynched.

LYNCHED.

[Special Telegram to The Inter Ocean.]

CINCINNATI, Ohio, March 16.—Our neighboring city of Newport, Ky., just across the river, has been greatly excited all day over the arrest of Peter Klein, the perpetrator of the outrage on Mrs. Truesdale on the Highlands, a few miles back of this city. Klein was arrested in this city last night and taken over so quietly that few knew of the arrest. Early this morning crowds began to collect, and the excitement increased during the day, and mutterings were deep and unmistakable. The Commonwealth's attorney and the Judge came to the city, and told the crowd if they would let the law take its course a Grand Jury would be impaneled, an indictment found, and the man tried at once. They answered that this would not do, as Mrs. Truesdale was too ill to appear at the trial. A little after dark a crowd organized at a saloon, a few squares away, and detailed a company of forty men to do the work. They proceeded to the jail, knocked the Mayor down, forced their way past the officers, broke the doors open, and took him out. They then requested him to walk three miles through a driving snowstorm to Mrs. Truesdalle's [sic] house and took him to her. He pulled his hat off and she asked to have it put on, and looking squarely in his face began to speak, when Klein said, "Wait till daylight," and she immediately screamed "That's the man! Oh I know that voice," and fell back fainting. They then took him to a tree and placed a rope round his neck. As he stood in a buggy, they asked him what he had to say. He said he did not commit the outrage, but it was done by the man who was with him. The crowd told him he better confess. He replied, "this is no law, and no time to talk." The buggy was then driven from under him and he swung off. The crowd rushed up to him, and catching him by the legs, pulled and swung him around, all the while hooting the expression he used to Mrs. Truesdale, "Get loose when you can." The body was still swinging in the air as the crowd left for their homes.

I attempt to give as clear of a picture and as much information as I can find, however today I have a headache and so chose a smaller article.  A much more thorough article can be found in the March 17, 1879 edition of The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, Ohio). I may, in the future, transcribe the article here. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.