Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/501



secreting stolen horses knowing them to be such; passing counterfeit money knowing it to be such. Mr. Warren had no voice in the selection of a jury, was given no time or opportunity to prepare for defense and no chance to procure counsel to aid or advise him. Witnesses were called and sworn to convict, but none in his defense. It is not strange that after such a trial the jury found him to be guilty of all the charges. The chairman then called upon all who were in favor of punishing him to step to one side of the road. The vote was unanimous for punishment. Then came the vote on the nature of the punishment—shall the prisoner be whipped or “hung.” The vote was taken in the same way as before.

The accounts disagree as to what followed. The History of Clinton County says:

“At first the majority was largely for the milder punishment. Those who favored the extreme measure said, ‘What satisfaction will there be in whipping the old, gray-headed man? What good will come of it? We are here to make an example that will protect our property and deter others from these crimes.’”

As the argument progressed one by one and in knots of twos and threes, the people passed over the road so fateful to the doomed man who was a silent witness to these proceedings, until a clear majority stood for the death sentence. A rope was placed around Warren’s neck and he was asked if he had anything to say. His only response was, “I am an old man and you can’t cheat me out of many years.” The rope was thrown over a limb, men seized it and amid silence the signal was given and Bennett Warren was ushered into eternity. The body was taken down and carried to the house and left with his agonized and terror-stricken wife and children.

R. H. Randall, of Spring Rock, one of the best known and most respectable citizens of Clinton County, gives the following items relating to the Warren tragedy: