Hanging in Peru

1887--While Dr. E. B. North was the physician at the first Railroad Hospital, he heard a shot fired in a barn close by. Dr. North entered the barn to give the "victim" any aid he could and for his kindness he was fired on and fatally injured. James Christianson was immediately arrested and placed in jail under the old brick court house. The shooting of Dr. North, who was very popular in this community created an intenseley bitter feeling against Christianson and revenge was the result. A mob was formed on East 5th Street. The mob had sledge-hammers with which the door of Christianson's cell was broken. After placing a rope around the neck of the prisoner the men pulled him up stairs to the first floor and after getting out to Broadway the mob ran south toward the bridge over the Wabash River. He was dragged part of the way to the bridge. A rope was placed over a beam at the top. The victim begging for mercy was drawn upward. His hands were not tied so he held on. Then he was let down again, and after his hands were tied, he was pulled up. When he was declared dead his body was lowered. Dr. North died the next day and the man who fired the shot that killed him paid the penalty.