Simeon Berry, along with his brothers, Isaac and Emanuel, was a member of the notorious Berry Gang, a band of marauders, horse-thieves and murderers who terrorized the citizens of Tazewell County, Illinois, during the 1860s. In July 1869, the brothers cemented their place in the frontier annals of Illinois when they engaged local law enforcement officials in a clash which quickly devolved into a frenzy of murder, aggravated assault, mob action, suicide and lynching. In their well-researched book, “Lynch Law,” authors Jim Conover and James Brecher meticulously detail and analyze the full story of these events. Below are contemporary newspaper accounts of the Berry Gang’s capture and subsequent trial.
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Terrible Affair in Tazewell County
The telegraph brings news of a bloody fight with horse thieves in Tazewell County last week. It appears that a band of the desperadoes the Berry Gang have infested the Delavan prairie and the vicinity of Pekin for some time. Last Thursday two of them took a man named Shaw into their confidence, and informed him that they intended to steal a pair of horses that night. Shaw pretended to fall in with their plans but took the first opportunity to inform the proper authorities and the men were arrested. Their attorney succeeded in getting them released on the ground of no warrant haven been issued. Whereupon Deputy Sheriff Pratt and three others, armed with the proper papers started in pursuit. Between nine and ten o'clock on Friday night they met three men on the road who looked suspicious. On their refusal to halt, the Sheriff and party fired using every shot. When they ceased, the desperadoes fired. The first volley killed Deputy Sheriff Pratt almost instantly, and seriously injured the jailor. The thieves succeeded in escaping, and the party returned home. When the facts were known the wildest excitement prevailed in Pekin. On Saturday Morning Marshal Stone, with fifty citizen volunteers, armed to the teeth, set out to capture the villains. They scoured the whole country and found six men who could not give a good account of themselves. These were brought to Pekin and put in Jail. The excitement was now at a fever heat. Men from all parts of the country came pouring into Pekin, swearing vengeance. A mob was soon raised, composed for from 500 to 800 men, and embracing leading citizens of Pekin and Delavan. The throng surrounded the jail and demanded the prisoners. Not getting them, they threatened to use force. Nothing, however was attempted until late at night, when the crowd increased. The clamor was kept up until 3 o'clock Sunday morning, when the doors were broken down and the mob rushed into the building and demanded the keys of the cell where the ringleader Bill Berry, was confined. The Sheriff refused, when the blacksmith was procured, who beat down the iron door of the cell. Here a desperate hand to hand encounter in the dark took place between the doomed man and the crazed mob. During the melee three men were stabbed by Berry, one, it is thought, fatally. A few shots were fired at him, one passing through his head. He was finally overcome and dragged to the nearest tree and lynched, where his body hung until daylight. The excitement is by no means delayed and the populace still thirst for blood. The Officers are still in pursuit of another man who is supposed have shot Pratt. When he is taken, a repetition of the above may be expected. Pratt was a young man highly esteemed by everyone and brother to the Sheriff.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, July 29, 1869]
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The jury in the case of Berry and others on trial at Jacksonville for the murder of Henry Pratt, returned their verdict on Sunday which was as follows: Isaac Berry was convicted of murder in the first degree and his time at the penitentiary fixed for the term of his natural life, Frank Britten's time in the penitentiary was fixed at twenty five years, Mathew McFarland, C Daily and Emanuel W Berry's time was fixed at fifteen years. Simeon Berry was found not guilty, but he was re-arrested on a charge of an assault with intent to kill. A motion was made by the counsel for the prisoners for a new trial, which has not yet been decided.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, December 2, 1869]
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(Special thanks to Kevin Berry, who generously provided information regarding the Berry Gang. Kevin is a great-grandson of Simeon Berry.)
___________________________________
Terrible Affair in Tazewell County
The telegraph brings news of a bloody fight with horse thieves in Tazewell County last week. It appears that a band of the desperadoes the Berry Gang have infested the Delavan prairie and the vicinity of Pekin for some time. Last Thursday two of them took a man named Shaw into their confidence, and informed him that they intended to steal a pair of horses that night. Shaw pretended to fall in with their plans but took the first opportunity to inform the proper authorities and the men were arrested. Their attorney succeeded in getting them released on the ground of no warrant haven been issued. Whereupon Deputy Sheriff Pratt and three others, armed with the proper papers started in pursuit. Between nine and ten o'clock on Friday night they met three men on the road who looked suspicious. On their refusal to halt, the Sheriff and party fired using every shot. When they ceased, the desperadoes fired. The first volley killed Deputy Sheriff Pratt almost instantly, and seriously injured the jailor. The thieves succeeded in escaping, and the party returned home. When the facts were known the wildest excitement prevailed in Pekin. On Saturday Morning Marshal Stone, with fifty citizen volunteers, armed to the teeth, set out to capture the villains. They scoured the whole country and found six men who could not give a good account of themselves. These were brought to Pekin and put in Jail. The excitement was now at a fever heat. Men from all parts of the country came pouring into Pekin, swearing vengeance. A mob was soon raised, composed for from 500 to 800 men, and embracing leading citizens of Pekin and Delavan. The throng surrounded the jail and demanded the prisoners. Not getting them, they threatened to use force. Nothing, however was attempted until late at night, when the crowd increased. The clamor was kept up until 3 o'clock Sunday morning, when the doors were broken down and the mob rushed into the building and demanded the keys of the cell where the ringleader Bill Berry, was confined. The Sheriff refused, when the blacksmith was procured, who beat down the iron door of the cell. Here a desperate hand to hand encounter in the dark took place between the doomed man and the crazed mob. During the melee three men were stabbed by Berry, one, it is thought, fatally. A few shots were fired at him, one passing through his head. He was finally overcome and dragged to the nearest tree and lynched, where his body hung until daylight. The excitement is by no means delayed and the populace still thirst for blood. The Officers are still in pursuit of another man who is supposed have shot Pratt. When he is taken, a repetition of the above may be expected. Pratt was a young man highly esteemed by everyone and brother to the Sheriff.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, July 29, 1869]
___________________________________
The jury in the case of Berry and others on trial at Jacksonville for the murder of Henry Pratt, returned their verdict on Sunday which was as follows: Isaac Berry was convicted of murder in the first degree and his time at the penitentiary fixed for the term of his natural life, Frank Britten's time in the penitentiary was fixed at twenty five years, Mathew McFarland, C Daily and Emanuel W Berry's time was fixed at fifteen years. Simeon Berry was found not guilty, but he was re-arrested on a charge of an assault with intent to kill. A motion was made by the counsel for the prisoners for a new trial, which has not yet been decided.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, December 2, 1869]
___________________________________
(Special thanks to Kevin Berry, who generously provided information regarding the Berry Gang. Kevin is a great-grandson of Simeon Berry.)
Simeon Berry, along with his brothers, Isaac and Emanuel, was a member of the notorious Berry Gang, a band of marauders, horse-thieves and murderers who terrorized the citizens of Tazewell County, Illinois, during the 1860s. In July 1869, the brothers cemented their place in the frontier annals of Illinois when they engaged local law enforcement officials in a clash which quickly devolved into a frenzy of murder, aggravated assault, mob action, suicide and lynching. In their well-researched book, “Lynch Law,” authors Jim Conover and James Brecher meticulously detail and analyze the full story of these events. Below are contemporary newspaper accounts of the Berry Gang’s capture and subsequent trial.
___________________________________
Terrible Affair in Tazewell County
The telegraph brings news of a bloody fight with horse thieves in Tazewell County last week. It appears that a band of the desperadoes the Berry Gang have infested the Delavan prairie and the vicinity of Pekin for some time. Last Thursday two of them took a man named Shaw into their confidence, and informed him that they intended to steal a pair of horses that night. Shaw pretended to fall in with their plans but took the first opportunity to inform the proper authorities and the men were arrested. Their attorney succeeded in getting them released on the ground of no warrant haven been issued. Whereupon Deputy Sheriff Pratt and three others, armed with the proper papers started in pursuit. Between nine and ten o'clock on Friday night they met three men on the road who looked suspicious. On their refusal to halt, the Sheriff and party fired using every shot. When they ceased, the desperadoes fired. The first volley killed Deputy Sheriff Pratt almost instantly, and seriously injured the jailor. The thieves succeeded in escaping, and the party returned home. When the facts were known the wildest excitement prevailed in Pekin. On Saturday Morning Marshal Stone, with fifty citizen volunteers, armed to the teeth, set out to capture the villains. They scoured the whole country and found six men who could not give a good account of themselves. These were brought to Pekin and put in Jail. The excitement was now at a fever heat. Men from all parts of the country came pouring into Pekin, swearing vengeance. A mob was soon raised, composed for from 500 to 800 men, and embracing leading citizens of Pekin and Delavan. The throng surrounded the jail and demanded the prisoners. Not getting them, they threatened to use force. Nothing, however was attempted until late at night, when the crowd increased. The clamor was kept up until 3 o'clock Sunday morning, when the doors were broken down and the mob rushed into the building and demanded the keys of the cell where the ringleader Bill Berry, was confined. The Sheriff refused, when the blacksmith was procured, who beat down the iron door of the cell. Here a desperate hand to hand encounter in the dark took place between the doomed man and the crazed mob. During the melee three men were stabbed by Berry, one, it is thought, fatally. A few shots were fired at him, one passing through his head. He was finally overcome and dragged to the nearest tree and lynched, where his body hung until daylight. The excitement is by no means delayed and the populace still thirst for blood. The Officers are still in pursuit of another man who is supposed have shot Pratt. When he is taken, a repetition of the above may be expected. Pratt was a young man highly esteemed by everyone and brother to the Sheriff.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, July 29, 1869]
___________________________________
The jury in the case of Berry and others on trial at Jacksonville for the murder of Henry Pratt, returned their verdict on Sunday which was as follows: Isaac Berry was convicted of murder in the first degree and his time at the penitentiary fixed for the term of his natural life, Frank Britten's time in the penitentiary was fixed at twenty five years, Mathew McFarland, C Daily and Emanuel W Berry's time was fixed at fifteen years. Simeon Berry was found not guilty, but he was re-arrested on a charge of an assault with intent to kill. A motion was made by the counsel for the prisoners for a new trial, which has not yet been decided.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, December 2, 1869]
___________________________________
(Special thanks to Kevin Berry, who generously provided information regarding the Berry Gang. Kevin is a great-grandson of Simeon Berry.)
___________________________________
Terrible Affair in Tazewell County
The telegraph brings news of a bloody fight with horse thieves in Tazewell County last week. It appears that a band of the desperadoes the Berry Gang have infested the Delavan prairie and the vicinity of Pekin for some time. Last Thursday two of them took a man named Shaw into their confidence, and informed him that they intended to steal a pair of horses that night. Shaw pretended to fall in with their plans but took the first opportunity to inform the proper authorities and the men were arrested. Their attorney succeeded in getting them released on the ground of no warrant haven been issued. Whereupon Deputy Sheriff Pratt and three others, armed with the proper papers started in pursuit. Between nine and ten o'clock on Friday night they met three men on the road who looked suspicious. On their refusal to halt, the Sheriff and party fired using every shot. When they ceased, the desperadoes fired. The first volley killed Deputy Sheriff Pratt almost instantly, and seriously injured the jailor. The thieves succeeded in escaping, and the party returned home. When the facts were known the wildest excitement prevailed in Pekin. On Saturday Morning Marshal Stone, with fifty citizen volunteers, armed to the teeth, set out to capture the villains. They scoured the whole country and found six men who could not give a good account of themselves. These were brought to Pekin and put in Jail. The excitement was now at a fever heat. Men from all parts of the country came pouring into Pekin, swearing vengeance. A mob was soon raised, composed for from 500 to 800 men, and embracing leading citizens of Pekin and Delavan. The throng surrounded the jail and demanded the prisoners. Not getting them, they threatened to use force. Nothing, however was attempted until late at night, when the crowd increased. The clamor was kept up until 3 o'clock Sunday morning, when the doors were broken down and the mob rushed into the building and demanded the keys of the cell where the ringleader Bill Berry, was confined. The Sheriff refused, when the blacksmith was procured, who beat down the iron door of the cell. Here a desperate hand to hand encounter in the dark took place between the doomed man and the crazed mob. During the melee three men were stabbed by Berry, one, it is thought, fatally. A few shots were fired at him, one passing through his head. He was finally overcome and dragged to the nearest tree and lynched, where his body hung until daylight. The excitement is by no means delayed and the populace still thirst for blood. The Officers are still in pursuit of another man who is supposed have shot Pratt. When he is taken, a repetition of the above may be expected. Pratt was a young man highly esteemed by everyone and brother to the Sheriff.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, July 29, 1869]
___________________________________
The jury in the case of Berry and others on trial at Jacksonville for the murder of Henry Pratt, returned their verdict on Sunday which was as follows: Isaac Berry was convicted of murder in the first degree and his time at the penitentiary fixed for the term of his natural life, Frank Britten's time in the penitentiary was fixed at twenty five years, Mathew McFarland, C Daily and Emanuel W Berry's time was fixed at fifteen years. Simeon Berry was found not guilty, but he was re-arrested on a charge of an assault with intent to kill. A motion was made by the counsel for the prisoners for a new trial, which has not yet been decided.
[The Decatur Republican, Decatur, Illinois, December 2, 1869]
___________________________________
(Special thanks to Kevin Berry, who generously provided information regarding the Berry Gang. Kevin is a great-grandson of Simeon Berry.)
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