The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-02-05
Summary Vengeance.

The dispatches announced briefly a
short time since that Sam Woodruff and
Joseph Seminole, murderers of r. B.
Haywood, had been forcibly taken from
the jail at Golden City, Colorado, by a
band of masked men and hanged from
tie railroad bridge in the night. The
Denver Tribune gives full details of the
affair, a portion of which we give as
follows:
Upon the vigilantes breaking into the
cell the criminals were greatly terrified.
Boyd, deputy sheriff, assured them that
they would not be harmed, or at least
he would do all in his power to protect
them. In the meantime cold chisels had
cut into the cell padlocks, and sledge
hammers completed the job Woodruff
was on his feet and showed fight, but
his visitors were determined men, and
the cold blooded murderer was soon rem
dered docile, few raps with the butt of
u revolver being administered on the top
VI Hio ucau. llc was CdTTlcu OuI ucdI
the stove and laid upon his stomach on
the floor, his face resting upon his left
side, while skilful and willing hands
bound his wrists together behind his
back. AS he was being taken from
his cell he made but one re-
mark Gentlemen, you are mis-
taken | am innocent of this crime"
When the tielng was completed he was
lifted up to a sitting posture and asked
for the Captain, referring to Boyd, and
that officer Immediately came forward.
Lay ing his hand upon the shoulder of
the prisoner, Boyd said:
"Well, Woodruff, what can l do for
you p
Woodruff raised those dark eyes of
his to the kindly face above him, and
with low voice, inexpressibly sad and
full of feeling, said, Captain, write to
my wife, and to my brother, and tell
them all about this, will you' Don't
forget it. Write to (alld name was
given which the officer forgets) and tell
him to avenge my death he'll do it,
Gentlemen" he said turning to his cap
tors, 'this is not the last of this" Then
Boyd sand, is that all can do for you,
Sam 2
Yes said the prisoner, ''all-all. "
DURING ALL THIS TIME
The men had been hammering away at
Scminole's CELL and as Woodruff fin
shed speaking the door was opened ard
number of men sprang within. Semi
mole was lying on his face moaning
fearfully in his terror He was quickly
picked up and carried out, and his hands
bound behind his back in like manner
to Woodruf's S, and without further hest
tation, and in perfect silence, the pris.
oners the manaclss On their ankles
clanking dismal derd march, were
taken out through the front door of the
basement and taken in the direction of
the Golden and South Platte railroad,
three or four hundred yards distant.
Woodruff refused to walk and was half
carried and half pushed, but Seminole
did what he could in the way of locomo-
ton, and in IA few minutes the men
were on the railroad bridge that crosses
Kinney Creek, called by some, Father
Tiber' The bridge is a timber one,
having three spans, supported on spiles
resting on wooden foundations. A rope
three.eighths of an inch in diameter was
produced, which was supposed to be
long enough to hang both men, that be-
ing found too short, a delay occurred
while new one, an inch in diameter
was obtained. Woodruff was stationed
on the end nearest Denver, and Semi
mole Just five sleepers or ties further
away. With nooses about their necks,
the other ends of the rope being fastened
to the projecting ends of the timbers
(notches being cut to prevent any slip
ping the men stood.
"Sam Woodruff, do you wis., to say
anything p was the grim question of the
masked leader.
The man addressed looked around
upon the crowd in silence few mo-
ments, and then without further p, eface
said
Gentlemen, You are hanging an in
nocent man, but trust God will for
give YOU, as J do. May ! say my pray
ers T. Assent being given
THE DOOMED MAN KSELr
And silently prayed to the Almighty.