Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-01-30

masked body, ii is hardly necessary to
say, there was no doubt The party
took up the march in a spGtherly dirtc-
ton, Seminole and Woodruff walking be
tween four armed men, surrounded and
watched by the entire band. Both men
wore shackles, but managed to stumble
along at times, from the impeding IRONS
anu from lear, hardly able to keep their
feet
BY tins time the entire town of Golden
was aroused. The streets were full OF
people. and body of citizens numbering
perhaps fifty, whose curiosity mastered
Their fears, followed III the wake Of the
retreatin9 horsemen rs the prisoners were
led on their march to death. The civil
authorities had been appraised Of the pro-
ceedings, but realized their inability to
do anything. and simply joined i'll the
crowd which stumbled and sprawled and
scrambled in the roadway behind the
somhre cayalcade. Finally the vigilantes
came to a halt at bridge on the Little
ton X South Platte Railroad, which is
situated about One-quarter of Il mile from
the town i'll the direction Of Liitlcton.
Arriving at this point the band came To
stand, while the crowd of citizens halted
ut a respectful distance With no parley
or hesitation. but with the coolest deter
mination and most deliberate design,
ropes was produced, and the two muir
ders We're separated. Here, ion the first
time, the guilty men thus doomed to the
awful punishment gave way and begged
for mercy, cringing at the feet Of their
relentless executioners III AFFECT fear and
horror But no heed was paid prepara-
tions proceeded without either great haste
or unnecessary delay, for the construction
of the crude gibbet. One rope Was fast
tened to Il siringer Of the bridge, at the
south end of the structure and second
about ten feet from It, nearer the centre
of the beam. Then the guard which had
the immediate custody of the two quak-
ing beings led them down the decline of
the r:lvine to the dry bed of the stream
way and stood each man under the moose
prepared for his neck. There was sud
den hush and voice spoke up ,.sternly:
''Have either of you anything to say-to
confess, or any thing % There was 4
pause and thon, MS if with common i'm
pulse, the Two doomed men said, I'VE
did kill Hayward, hid his body and sold
his team. God help me, added Semi
mole. They were not asked for a history
| of their crime ; their confession WIS not
needed to insure their death.
Some one suggested that prayer he Of
fered. Another responded, Let them
pray themselves if they want to = And
upon this doubtful mercy the two men
hung Il hope, and each dropped upon his
knees and uttered almost inart."ulate
supplicationsforp pity and mercy, directed,
however, more to the viSilantcs than to
the Divine Being, into whose presence
they We're soon to be summoned Then
some one advised greater haste. it was
dangerous to consume more time, and the
nooses were fixed and .the hands of the
two prisoners pinioned behind them A
rude construction of rocks and fence
rails
| FURNISHED TIE FATAT TRAP
upon which the murders were placed and
supported while the nOoses was fastened
about their necks. The word was given
a dozen feet kicked the lettering support
from under their forms, and Hayward's
murderers were whiting and twisting III
terrible contortiOns, while the vigiiantes
shrank back Mortified and half repentant
of their deed, and the bright moonlight
streamed down on the CHASTITY scene.
The band Of lynchers left the bodies
dangling, sought their horses and drove
away some distance, when the crowd
from the town. headed by Sheriff Belcher
and Marshal Lakes, waiting to see that
no opposition would be offered, came
nearer, and finally reached the swinging
bodies. Death was complete, the necks
of the two victims of lynch law being not
only broken but stretched and laceruted !;
the rope around Woodruff's neck having
nearly severed the head frcIn the body.
The corpses were cut down, and an ex-
press wagon summoned to service, into
which they were placed and conveyed
some distance into town, when tine team
was halted and a guard placed around the
vehicle to watch the bodies until n coro-
ner could perform his offices.
In the meantime the vigilantes had
halted about quarter of a mile below
the scene of the hanging, and sent up a
shout Hayward is avenged, followed by
a promiscuous discharge Of revolvers.
| The horsemen then wheeled and rode
rapidly away.
Upon inquiry Of the operator at Golden
it was learned that, SO far as observation
went, no one in the town was connected
with the hanging. And the sentiment, as
expressed on the street after the terrible
event, was unanimously in condemnation
of such n course, even as well warranted
rs to some it may have appeared. Sheriff
Belcher was at his residence in town at
the time the jail was entered and as soon
as apprised OF the purpose Of the vigil
antes, fastened to the prison. hut was
stopped and surrounded by Il detachment
OF the masked body which intercepted
his route. Turnkey Boyd came out of
the Jail ne soon as he found the building
surrounded, but was at once rendered
powerless to oppose the designs OF the
vigilantes. Thus the building was left to
the sole protection of two half-awake
| guards.
1t was a bold and lawless, but entirely
successful, example of frontier Justice,
which this portion of the State had no
reason to suppose would mock its legal
institutions. But the manner in which
it was accomplished the complete secresy
and thorough DISCUSSES of the partici-
pants leave little hope that the parties
to the proceedings can be ferreted out,
even if such course might be decided
! upon. F.. s.