The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-08-13
The Prisoners Protest Their Innocence
Through all the Cruelty Devised
by the Mob, Although Their
Lives Are Threatened.
Their Fury Cooled Down and Anger
Appeased---The Mob Leave Their
Victims to Be Present at
a Burning Barn.

vile affair: The crowd remained about
the Jail until 6 O'Clock in perfect quiet,
waiting for the arrival of an organized
party. As the time went on and no
party came, the mob became
impatient and some one cried Break
the door in and fetch them out" A
few men pretty well intoxicated moved
around urging a general attack, and
finally succeeded in getting the crowd
so worked up that they walked up to
the door of the Jail and boldly asked for
the prisoners. The door, which had
been opened from within, was closed
in their faces and they fell back. In II
short time they rallied sufficiently to
make an attempt again, and after
many efforts succeeded in working
their way into the Jail. They then
pushed up the stairs to where the cells
were. The sheriff had abandoned the
Jail to the mob, who now went to work
TO get the prisoners out. After half
an hours work Pettis and John Mont
| bOihtAy "CAO PhACu Ohb bhlOhku blt
opening in the top of the cell and
handed over to the mob, A brand new
rope was suddenly produced and
thrown around the necks of the men,
and then ensued some of the most hor-
rible language On the part of the mob.
They e%ndeayored by blows, threats and
every means known to them to make
the wretches confess.
81 am innocent, gentlemen" cried
Pettis in an agonizing voice. "Hang
me If you will, but l am innocent. l
know l am going to die, but as God is
my judge, lam innocent"
Then there was a surge of the crowd
in the small apartment; and a cry to,
Take them out and hang them"
John Montgomery in the meantime
was whining, 81 am Innocent; 1 don't
know anything"
The workers Of the mob were search
ing for Clement, who could not be
found The cells were all opened by
the use of a crowbar, and then 1t was
discovered that Clement was not in the
jail.
Pettis and Montgomery were drag
ged down stairs into the Jail yard, the
crowd looking as they progressed for
a good tree. The trees were all sap
lings and q halt was made and a con-
fession sought to be extracted from
Montgomery, the man still protesting
his innocence.
ITO the court house yard" some n
cried, and other voices took 1t up. To
the court house yard they then pro-
ceeded, the mob threatening and bull
lying the prisoners on their way.
Pettis repeated nearly every minute,
81 am innocent, 1 am innocent" The
court house was soon reached and the
crowd halted under a big tree. Some
nimble fellow climbed the tree and
threw the end of the rope into a forked
branch, and a dozen hands caught the
loose end and John Montgomery was
jerked off his feet just for a trial. The
poor wretch etill pleaded his innocence,
and he was called upon by n hundred
voices to speak put and tell his story.
Il have no story to tell, | am innocent.
| know no more about this matter, gen.
tlenen, than you"
His voice was as weak as a woman's,
and ss pathetic as a child's, pleading
fer mercy. The Infatuated mob hooted
and yelled at him saying he was u dead
a and he might us well confess.
~ am innocent" replied Mont
gomery.
"Up he goes then" and up he did go.
His body was pulled up about four feet
from tee ground and kept there full a
minute. The hanging man never
strangled, but was very exhausted and
weak with fear. The men who held
the rope let him down then, and he
was again called on to tell his gull.
The man could not speak at first,
but laid limp IN the grass. After he
had recovered his breath he finally
said:
"Gentlemen, l know l am dying and
l am as innocent as you are.".
A cry for A d. Bond, the father of
the victim, was then given by the
crowd, and a big burly man pushed
his way In. He stood by the prisoner
and asked him to tell them il he was
no in the school honse in tie after
noon OF the outrage. But through all
the man maintained his ignorance of
the guilty parties.
A cowardly crowd staid on the
fence and on the outskirts of the seeth-
ing mass, yelling for an immediate ex-
ecution. For an hour those about
talked, bullied, stormed and threat
ened, but the poor wretch repeatedly
reitered his innocence,
In the meantime Clement had been
found and wa held by the mob on the
other side of the yard. Covering down
with his head on his breast, his neck
drawn In like a turtle, he shook and
shivered. and when spoken to chartered
ont his innocence.
Pettis was held with a rope around his
neck and tortured also. He loudly
n boldly proclaimed ibis Innocence,
aud told the mob to go on and hang
him.