From History of Anderson County, KS:
A widow lady named Adaline Duren settled in Garnett in the summer of 1857, with her two children, Junius and Mary L. She was one of the Louisville colony, was about forty-five years of age, quiet, industrious and highly respected. She supported herself and children by her own industry and economy. She resided on Fifth avenue, between Oak and Walnut streets, in the house now occupied and owned by Mrs. S.J. Hamilton. One evening in August, 1864, Dr. Derby was to lecture on the science of phrenology, and most of the people of the town (it being a pleasant evening) had gone to hear the lecture. Her son Junius was absent in Illinois, and her daughter, Mary, at the lecture; she was left alone, sitting by the bureau, reading. After the conclusion of the lecture Mary returned and found the lamp burning, and saw the book she left her reading lying on the floor, and the doors open; and on the floor near by was a pool of blood, but saw not of her mother. She at once gave the alarm; and in a short time search was made and the body found at the northwest corner of the house. She was lying on her back, terribly mutilated, her skull broken on the left side, also near the top of the head, and her head was almost severed from the body. On examination prints of a bloody hand were found in several places. A coroner's jury was empaneled and medical witnesses called, who examined the body, and found that she had been outraged as well as horribly mutilated. The whole community was startled at this horrible murder and outrage, and every one who could render any assistance turned out to find who was the perpetrator. The citizens early next morning met at Moler's Hall and organized for the purpose of finding the assassin. Two or three persons were brought in and questioned, but nothing elicited that gave any clue to them murder. In the afternoon some bloody clothing belonging to a negro named Warren, who was working for D.W. Houston, was found. Warren was brought before the committee in Moler's Hall, and examined in regard to the matter. He then told many different stories concerning the bloody clothing, which were unsatisfactory; and on examination blood was found on his legs and shoes; and finding no sufficient excuse for the same, he confessed the crime, and gave a detailed account of the affair. He said he went to Mrs. Duren's house, where she was sitting by the bureau reading; that he had an ax in his hand, and stepped into the door, before she had time to get up, and struck her a blow on the head and knocked her out of the chair, on the floor, senseless, and then outraged her person; then he got up and stood there a few moments, and she became conscious, and got up and went out at the west door, when he went out the front door and went around and met her at the north end of the house, and struck her another blow with the ax and knocked her down, and then with the blade of the ax struck her on the neck, entirely severing the bone. He outraged her twice after this, then threw the ax over the fence, and went to his room and to bed.After this confession the committee decided that inasmuch as there was no jail in the county, and no probability of the matter being heard by a court soon, and there being no doubt as to his guilt, and country being in a state of war, that Warren should be taken out and hanged by the neck till dead. He was kept under guard until 1 o'clock p.m. on the following day, when he was taken to the scaffolding at the jail, then in process of construction, and publicly executed by hanging, in the presence of the largest number of persons that had ever assembled in Garnett. It was the work of a mob, but the state of the country, the enormity of the crime, and there being no doubt as to the guilt, were such that the execution was justified by the entire people.
(sent by Find A Grave contributor Vickie)
A widow lady named Adaline Duren settled in Garnett in the summer of 1857, with her two children, Junius and Mary L. She was one of the Louisville colony, was about forty-five years of age, quiet, industrious and highly respected. She supported herself and children by her own industry and economy. She resided on Fifth avenue, between Oak and Walnut streets, in the house now occupied and owned by Mrs. S.J. Hamilton. One evening in August, 1864, Dr. Derby was to lecture on the science of phrenology, and most of the people of the town (it being a pleasant evening) had gone to hear the lecture. Her son Junius was absent in Illinois, and her daughter, Mary, at the lecture; she was left alone, sitting by the bureau, reading. After the conclusion of the lecture Mary returned and found the lamp burning, and saw the book she left her reading lying on the floor, and the doors open; and on the floor near by was a pool of blood, but saw not of her mother. She at once gave the alarm; and in a short time search was made and the body found at the northwest corner of the house. She was lying on her back, terribly mutilated, her skull broken on the left side, also near the top of the head, and her head was almost severed from the body. On examination prints of a bloody hand were found in several places. A coroner's jury was empaneled and medical witnesses called, who examined the body, and found that she had been outraged as well as horribly mutilated. The whole community was startled at this horrible murder and outrage, and every one who could render any assistance turned out to find who was the perpetrator. The citizens early next morning met at Moler's Hall and organized for the purpose of finding the assassin. Two or three persons were brought in and questioned, but nothing elicited that gave any clue to them murder. In the afternoon some bloody clothing belonging to a negro named Warren, who was working for D.W. Houston, was found. Warren was brought before the committee in Moler's Hall, and examined in regard to the matter. He then told many different stories concerning the bloody clothing, which were unsatisfactory; and on examination blood was found on his legs and shoes; and finding no sufficient excuse for the same, he confessed the crime, and gave a detailed account of the affair. He said he went to Mrs. Duren's house, where she was sitting by the bureau reading; that he had an ax in his hand, and stepped into the door, before she had time to get up, and struck her a blow on the head and knocked her out of the chair, on the floor, senseless, and then outraged her person; then he got up and stood there a few moments, and she became conscious, and got up and went out at the west door, when he went out the front door and went around and met her at the north end of the house, and struck her another blow with the ax and knocked her down, and then with the blade of the ax struck her on the neck, entirely severing the bone. He outraged her twice after this, then threw the ax over the fence, and went to his room and to bed.After this confession the committee decided that inasmuch as there was no jail in the county, and no probability of the matter being heard by a court soon, and there being no doubt as to his guilt, and country being in a state of war, that Warren should be taken out and hanged by the neck till dead. He was kept under guard until 1 o'clock p.m. on the following day, when he was taken to the scaffolding at the jail, then in process of construction, and publicly executed by hanging, in the presence of the largest number of persons that had ever assembled in Garnett. It was the work of a mob, but the state of the country, the enormity of the crime, and there being no doubt as to the guilt, were such that the execution was justified by the entire people.
(sent by Find A Grave contributor Vickie)
From History of Anderson County, KS:
A widow lady named Adaline Duren settled in Garnett in the summer of 1857, with her two children, Junius and Mary L. She was one of the Louisville colony, was about forty-five years of age, quiet, industrious and highly respected. She supported herself and children by her own industry and economy. She resided on Fifth avenue, between Oak and Walnut streets, in the house now occupied and owned by Mrs. S.J. Hamilton. One evening in August, 1864, Dr. Derby was to lecture on the science of phrenology, and most of the people of the town (it being a pleasant evening) had gone to hear the lecture. Her son Junius was absent in Illinois, and her daughter, Mary, at the lecture; she was left alone, sitting by the bureau, reading. After the conclusion of the lecture Mary returned and found the lamp burning, and saw the book she left her reading lying on the floor, and the doors open; and on the floor near by was a pool of blood, but saw not of her mother. She at once gave the alarm; and in a short time search was made and the body found at the northwest corner of the house. She was lying on her back, terribly mutilated, her skull broken on the left side, also near the top of the head, and her head was almost severed from the body. On examination prints of a bloody hand were found in several places. A coroner's jury was empaneled and medical witnesses called, who examined the body, and found that she had been outraged as well as horribly mutilated. The whole community was startled at this horrible murder and outrage, and every one who could render any assistance turned out to find who was the perpetrator. The citizens early next morning met at Moler's Hall and organized for the purpose of finding the assassin. Two or three persons were brought in and questioned, but nothing elicited that gave any clue to them murder. In the afternoon some bloody clothing belonging to a negro named Warren, who was working for D.W. Houston, was found. Warren was brought before the committee in Moler's Hall, and examined in regard to the matter. He then told many different stories concerning the bloody clothing, which were unsatisfactory; and on examination blood was found on his legs and shoes; and finding no sufficient excuse for the same, he confessed the crime, and gave a detailed account of the affair. He said he went to Mrs. Duren's house, where she was sitting by the bureau reading; that he had an ax in his hand, and stepped into the door, before she had time to get up, and struck her a blow on the head and knocked her out of the chair, on the floor, senseless, and then outraged her person; then he got up and stood there a few moments, and she became conscious, and got up and went out at the west door, when he went out the front door and went around and met her at the north end of the house, and struck her another blow with the ax and knocked her down, and then with the blade of the ax struck her on the neck, entirely severing the bone. He outraged her twice after this, then threw the ax over the fence, and went to his room and to bed.After this confession the committee decided that inasmuch as there was no jail in the county, and no probability of the matter being heard by a court soon, and there being no doubt as to his guilt, and country being in a state of war, that Warren should be taken out and hanged by the neck till dead. He was kept under guard until 1 o'clock p.m. on the following day, when he was taken to the scaffolding at the jail, then in process of construction, and publicly executed by hanging, in the presence of the largest number of persons that had ever assembled in Garnett. It was the work of a mob, but the state of the country, the enormity of the crime, and there being no doubt as to the guilt, were such that the execution was justified by the entire people.
(sent by Find A Grave contributor Vickie)
A widow lady named Adaline Duren settled in Garnett in the summer of 1857, with her two children, Junius and Mary L. She was one of the Louisville colony, was about forty-five years of age, quiet, industrious and highly respected. She supported herself and children by her own industry and economy. She resided on Fifth avenue, between Oak and Walnut streets, in the house now occupied and owned by Mrs. S.J. Hamilton. One evening in August, 1864, Dr. Derby was to lecture on the science of phrenology, and most of the people of the town (it being a pleasant evening) had gone to hear the lecture. Her son Junius was absent in Illinois, and her daughter, Mary, at the lecture; she was left alone, sitting by the bureau, reading. After the conclusion of the lecture Mary returned and found the lamp burning, and saw the book she left her reading lying on the floor, and the doors open; and on the floor near by was a pool of blood, but saw not of her mother. She at once gave the alarm; and in a short time search was made and the body found at the northwest corner of the house. She was lying on her back, terribly mutilated, her skull broken on the left side, also near the top of the head, and her head was almost severed from the body. On examination prints of a bloody hand were found in several places. A coroner's jury was empaneled and medical witnesses called, who examined the body, and found that she had been outraged as well as horribly mutilated. The whole community was startled at this horrible murder and outrage, and every one who could render any assistance turned out to find who was the perpetrator. The citizens early next morning met at Moler's Hall and organized for the purpose of finding the assassin. Two or three persons were brought in and questioned, but nothing elicited that gave any clue to them murder. In the afternoon some bloody clothing belonging to a negro named Warren, who was working for D.W. Houston, was found. Warren was brought before the committee in Moler's Hall, and examined in regard to the matter. He then told many different stories concerning the bloody clothing, which were unsatisfactory; and on examination blood was found on his legs and shoes; and finding no sufficient excuse for the same, he confessed the crime, and gave a detailed account of the affair. He said he went to Mrs. Duren's house, where she was sitting by the bureau reading; that he had an ax in his hand, and stepped into the door, before she had time to get up, and struck her a blow on the head and knocked her out of the chair, on the floor, senseless, and then outraged her person; then he got up and stood there a few moments, and she became conscious, and got up and went out at the west door, when he went out the front door and went around and met her at the north end of the house, and struck her another blow with the ax and knocked her down, and then with the blade of the ax struck her on the neck, entirely severing the bone. He outraged her twice after this, then threw the ax over the fence, and went to his room and to bed.After this confession the committee decided that inasmuch as there was no jail in the county, and no probability of the matter being heard by a court soon, and there being no doubt as to his guilt, and country being in a state of war, that Warren should be taken out and hanged by the neck till dead. He was kept under guard until 1 o'clock p.m. on the following day, when he was taken to the scaffolding at the jail, then in process of construction, and publicly executed by hanging, in the presence of the largest number of persons that had ever assembled in Garnett. It was the work of a mob, but the state of the country, the enormity of the crime, and there being no doubt as to the guilt, were such that the execution was justified by the entire people.
(sent by Find A Grave contributor Vickie)
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