The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-11-22
yIGILAxTEs, WORK.
How Stewart and Frodsham Were
Taken Out of Jail-The Hanging.


ment the vigilantes were in possession
of the premises three of them made a
rush at him, and before he could ex-
plain his official capacity he was bound
by small cord and gagged. They were
just on the point of putting the rope
around his neck when somebody raised
courage enough to shout that the bound
man was deputy sheriff This stopped
the vigilantes for minute, and, dis
covering their mistake, they turned
around to see where the men were that
were wanted. Deputy Miller was un-
bound and ungagged, and without any
apologies they released him from his
danger, only to be covered by several
six-shooters and ordered not to move.
In the meantime fifteen vigilantes had
filed into the Jail, and twenty more re-
mained outside to protect their COM
panions or come to their relief if it was
necessary. While the three men were
busy preparing Miller to be strung up,
another party discovered Frodsham,
who had only been incarcerated last
evening. and as the Jail is in crowded
condition, had not been locked up in
the cells or even in the cage, but had
been permitted to remain simply inside
the walls. The victim was no sooner
spotted than rope was thrown around
his body and the vigilantes began to
prepare him for his end Seeing his
fate, Frodsham called out to the jaileI,
"Are you going to see me die, boys?"
which was answered by one of the jail
ers: "We can't help you now; we are in
danger ourselves" The victim then
exclaimed, Wont you let me see my
wife first?" "You will see your HI
first, ~ was the firm reply; and Herewith
he was collared by the hemp and pulled
out of the prison. AS he was being
dragged out he simply exclaimed,
''Murderln The slack end of the rope
was then thrown over the rafters of
little frame that IS being erected imme-
diately south of the Jail, about three
feet from the main building and be-
tween it and the cook room. The build
ing is only in course of erection, and
simply the frame work has been put
up.
When the rope was thrown over the
first joist, and the weight of Frodsham
began to strain it, the joist broke and
he was landed suddenly on his feet.
Quicker than wink the rope was over
another rafter, and the body elevated
in the air. The end of the rope was
then made fast to the side of the frame
work, and the unfortunate wretch was
left to die. Not sound escaped from
him as he breathed his last. His neck
stretched considerably, however, and
when the Herald reporter appeared on
the scene the toes were just touching
the ground.
The next victim was then prepared,
and this was Patrick Stewart, the young
footpad, who is said to be only twenty
years old. He is beardless boy, and
when the vgilantes went to him and
made him come out, he prayed for his
life and beseeched that lie might not be
killed. But vigilante committees, like
corporations, have no soul, or if they
have, their sense of duty prevented
them from showing it, and the young
criminal was soon made ready to meet
his fate. Like many others, the recol-
lection of childhood's days must have
flashed upon his mind, for in his frenzy
he beseeched for only time enough to
write letter to his mother. This was
not granted him, and he was hustled
out without any further parleying.
He was dragged out with the rope
around his neck, and soon strung up to
the same building, with Frodsham on
the opposite side.
All this time the deputies who were
in charge of the Jail, were properly pro-
vided for. Deputy Bob Johnson was
clutched in the hands of powerful
vigilante, and six men pointed the dan
ger end of their pistols at his head
Deputy Miller's predicament has al
ready been described. Deputy Harry
Williams, who is the assistant jailer,
had his position on the top of the cage,
and as soon as he jumped up to see
what was the cause for the disturb
ance, he was Immediately greeted with
the muzzles of IA half dozen guns, and
ordered not to move hand or foot.
This order was implicitly obeyed. By
the time the men finished their bust
ness, forty men were on the inside, but
but not give-away sound was uttered.
They did their work effectively and
quick, for quarter of an hour after
| the first alarm both of the victims had
been hurled into eternity.
The two men, as they hanged by their
necks in the darkness, lighted only by
the glare of lantern, presented an
awe-inspiring sight. They had been
gagged and bound by thick ropes, by
some one not q novice in the business,
for the knots were fine specimens of the
hangman's knot, and could not have
been made more perfect