July 29, 1869 Decatur Republican

 

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 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.

[Transcribed by Foxie Hagerty 2007]