Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-11
slisfsllanp..
A Terrible State Of Society in wyoming
Territory.

A lerflDie Stite Vi SOCfCtf ~ -
Territory.
benton City Correspondence Cincinnati etaze''si
Our usual routine of business, dances
drunks, and rows, has been broken by
series of tragedies of an unusnai anu eA-
citing character. IL
While sitting in our tent late ON the al
ternoon of the Sth inst, | heard shot III
the street, and running to the door, Sd" q !,
man on the opposite side stagger ah9
clutch hold of post for support, anu
another Just raising his pistol to shoot AGAIN.
when he was struck from behind ana tue
pistol wrenched from his hand. Inc
wounded man was taken into woman
tent near at hand, and tended with the
greatest kindness by the cyprians, but has
wound was mortal, and he died ON the
morning of the 10th. 1t seems no provo
cation whatever had been given for the act,
but the criminal was drunk, fancied him.
self insulted, and killed one of the most
popular Young men in the town. On the
afternoon of the 10th, | observed q great
rush and cry in the street, and looking out
saw them dragging the murderer along to-
ward the tent where the dead man lay
The whole population of the city was out
at once, and merchants, plainsmen, sports
and women mingled in wild throng for
it was generally understood there was to
be hanging at once. The murderer, pale
as death and hardly able to stand, held IN
the firm grasp of two stalwart vigilants, was
dragged through the excited crowd, and
taken into the tent where the dead man
Law, and forced to confront the corpse
Just what the idea for this act was, | know
not, but he was firmly held for half an
hour, and forced TO witness all the cere-
mony of laying out and inclosing the dead
in the coffin.
Meanwhile the crowd, now swelled to
several hundred, became impatient, and
surrounded the tent, clamoring for imme-
date action. A sudden cry arose, ITO the
telegraph pole; to the telegraph pole" 1t
was reported that he was to be hung to the
pole, and the crowd rushed away to the
railroad track; but another half hour pass
ed, and it was apparent that the vigilants
were afraid to act. The proceeding was
soon made plain. At that time of the day
when the provost guard camped in town
was changed, there was full hour when
only two soldiers were ON duty at the guard
tent, and there was private understanding
that at this time the citizens could take the
prisoner, if desired, without trouble. They
did take him, but hesitated to do more,
and during the delay the new guard ar
rived, took the prisoner from the vigilants,
and marched him back to the guard-house,
where he still remains. If he has no friends
here, which seems to be the case, he will
yet be hanged But, if he has friends,
they will probably buy up his jailers, or eff
feet his escape in some manner. The ex-
element thus aroused seems to have crea-
ted thirst for blood, and L had scarcely
retiredsto the tent when heard the mos
.f,,Ic IN he
saw the proprietor of a saloon opposite
beating his woman" giving her what the
Western roughs call ''mule-persuader
1t was a brutal ard sickening sight. He
held her with his left hand, and
struck her with his right, till it seemed tc
me every blow could be heard hundred
yards. He was a large, powerful man, she
| a slight medium-siZed woman, and the
blood followed every blow, while hel
screams chilledmy blood. OF the hundred
/ men who witnessed the act, not one inter
| fered or demonstrated with him in any way
At length he released his hold, and struck
her a final blow on the nose, which com
pletely fiattened that feature, and sent hel
into the middle of the street, where she
| lay, with the blood gushing in torrents
/ from her face, mingling with the white
dust, and streaking her clothing with gore.
1 The soldiers arrived in due time, after it
was all over and, strangely enough, arrest
ed the woman, and took her to the guard
house, paying no attention to the man.
About midnight she returned, and we were
awakened by his whipping her again, and
about the time he finished, two rows took
place almost simultaneously III different
parts of town, ending wHh perfect tusi-
lade of pistol-shots, by which nobody was
Il "a cla hn A
disturbance the rest of the night, and
woke to find an unusual commotion over a
robbery next door.
noted gambler, named Walker, occu-
pied a large tent, with several others, in
which he had a leathern trunk containing
$1,000. During the night some one had
cut through the back of the tent, made his
way among a dozen sleepers and carried of
the trunk which was found In the morning
Just ont Of town, cut open, and the money
gone. "a He fraternity of gamblers soon
had runners out in all directions and watch
men on departing trains and i'll less than
twenty-four hours the thief was arrested
and lodged in the guard house with I'M
doubted proof of his guilt and the most of
the money recovered. We learned the
same day of the hanging of another of our
worthless at Laramie. He was lad about
seventeen years old, who went by the
name of Kidd probably an alias. He was
most inveteTate gambler, had been long
suspected of murder, and proved guilty of
robbery. At Fort Saunders he was put in
chains a short time ago, and for several
days walked about the village with chain
attached to his neck and leg, amusing the
citizens by showing various tricks with a
trained dog. When released he came over
here. and stayed till invited to leave, when
he returned to Laramie and was hanged,
probably on general principles, for l have
heard of no specific charge.