Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-12-03
LYNCH Law ON THE VEST
ERN FRONTIER.
A WILD SCENE ABOUT THE LEADvILLE
JAIL.
[Leadville Herald. Nov. col

| open secret among newspaper HlcH duo
others that there would be an execution
by the vigilantes of one or more
scoundrels in the county Jail. Last
Sunday, when the demonstration was
made at the city Jail, it was the inten-
tion of a number of the leaders oi
public sentiment in this city to make
an example of Stewart that would
deter all others from treading in his
Footsteps. As stated in the Herald
of Tuesday morning, the demonstra-
ton above referred to prevented the
carrying of this threat into execution,
the parties not caring to identify them
selves with the mob in question. On
Monday evening a meeting of deter
mined, resolute business men was held,
at which it was decided that something
must be done to
STRIKE TERROR INTO THE HEARTS
of the evildoers who have been hold
ing high carnival in Leadville for sew
eral months past. This conclusion was
arrived at deliberately, and Tuesday
was taken to look up the antecedents
of the imprisoned footpad. On Tues
day evening another meeting was held,
where, nobody, not even Herald
reporter, knows. 1t is known, how
ever, that the meeting decided that it
would not be necessary to hang Stew
art for good and all, but that in consid-
Grafton of his youth, and as far as
could be ascertained, his previous good
character, all that would be necessary
would be to give him little choking
in order to extort from him possible
confession of anything he might know
regarding the operations of the gang,
and then let him go, with the admon-
ition to leave the city.
In the meantime another party had
assembled, and this was party that
| nothing would satisfy but the death of
the would-be robber and men of like
character This party was much larger
than the first, and seemed to be much
more determined to have the lives of
these offenders against justice. The
condition of the town, and the numer-
GUS breaches of all the laws of the
State and municipality, were taken
into full consideration, as well as the
names of the parties who made them
selves conspicuous in their efforts to
protect the lawless classes-lot jump
ers, bunko steerers, and the like. The
necessity of
PROMPT AND VIGOROUS ACTION
of character that wOlld Immediately
render the streets of Leadville as safe
in the darkest night as in the glare of
MONDAY, and make every mans house
literally his castle, was conceded The
two bodies were made aware of each
others existence, but were unable to
come to definite understanding in
regard to the best and most effective
move to make. One of these bodies
was large and unwieldly, and as is
usually the case in such matters, the
larger body leaked, though the leak
was of such nature, consisting of
HINTS AND INUENDoEs,
that even the proverbial curiosity of
newspaper man was baffled so far as
the obtaining of definite information
was concerned. There was a little
difference between the two bodies Tues
day night, and therefore no action was
taken at that time, though there were
so many rumors in the air that Herald
reporters were on the qui riUe until
Wednesday morning at o'clock, look
ing for the fruit that telegraph poles
and lamps sometimes bear in this part
of the country. Nothing was done,
and therefore only the usual two thous-
and edition of the Herald was printed
yesterday morning
Yesterday, all day, there were the
same rumors floating around. Last
evening the Herald learned that it was
coming off at ii o'clock precisely, and
full corps of reporters were on hand
to get the particulars. At midnight
the reporters returned half frozen and
reported all quiet, and the paper was
put to press as usual. But the matter
was not yet settled, as the sequel
shows.
At half past l o'clock this morning
the slumbers of the watchers of the
jail were disturbed by knocking at
the door of that institution, as though
of one of the Deputy Sheriffs who
desired to gain admission, and as
those officials have entrance and exit
at any time, the door was soon opened.
The first man who stepped inside was
Under Sheriff Watson, and alongside
of him came several men
WITH PISTOLS IN THEIR HANDS,
and pointed at the Sheriff,s head.
Nothing was left for the latter to do
but to order the prison doors to be
thrown open and permit the men to
have full sway Fifteen men went in
with the Under Sheriff, but who they
were no one knows except the members
of the organization, as each of them
wore black mask, which entirely dis
guised their features.
| There have been two men engaged
as special officers at the Jail ever since
the hold-up and shooting scrape on
Saturday night, as threats of lynching
the surviving participant in that unlaw-
full transaction have been in no manner
of means kept secret. The officials Ger
| tainly had no control of the matter,
for the moment the door of the jail
was opened every man was
COVERED WITH GUN,
and the slightest motion on their part
would have resulted in instant death
Deputy Sheriff Miller was lying on a
seat outside of the cage, and the mo-
ment the vigilantes were in possession
of the premises, three Of them made a
rush at him and before he could explain
his official capacity, he was bound by
a small cord and gagged. They were
just on the point of putting the
ROPE AROUND HIS NECK
when sombody raised courage enough
to shout that the bound man was a
Deputy Sheriff. This stopped the
vigilantes for minute, and, discovering