Arizona silver belt., 1882-12-30
A CRUEL MURDER And a Just Retribution
Thomas p. Kerr's Sixth Victim.
The Lynching of Kerr by
 the Citizens Of'Pionecr.

' account of the murder of William Hartnett by Thos. F. Kerr was upon every tongue, as was also the intelli- gence of kerr's summary hanging, by citizens, who fearing that to surrender him to the civil authorities would only result in his acluittal as had been the caseiA two other trials for murder in thise6unty.
 Tom Kerr bad long been regarded here as dangerous man, and since his death the fact has been revealed that he was so regarded in Montana, from whence he is reported as having fled in order to avoid
 PUNISHMENT BY THE vIGILANTEs Of that Territory; as has also the fact that he stated in Globe only few nights since that it was his intention to have the blood of man in Pioneer camp, which remark at the time, was regarded as idle talk.
 He was uever without the death- dealing revolver and the murderous sheath knife, and while there were many who accorded to him generous and obliging traits of character we have yet to hear single word of re- gret that he is no more, or that his sudden taking off was nota
 MERITED RErRIBUTroN
 for his numerous bloody crimes. With death staring him in the face ahd knowing that his lease of life was reduced to a very few minutes he ac- knowledged having killed six per sons, and with this fearful record against him and without a. sign of contrition he entered the dark and silent portal of death. With these facts before us, and the recollection of the summary hanging of c. B. Flaw ley and l.. V. Crime, the murderers of Andy Hall and W. F. Vail, in this place in August last, is it not patent to all that citizens of this county are determined that the days of all such lawless characters if they remain here shall from
 TIME TO ETERNITY PASS
 as swiftly as weavers shuttle.
 Tom Kerr while in the employ of Henry Francis in San Luis Obispo, California killed resident of that place, and effecting his escape fled to Arizona where he made his home un- ! til the rope cancelled aA his earthly obligations.
 There are many conflicting state ments of the affair which led to the death of William Hartnett, but, never theless, it is an admitted fact that it was cruelty and beartlessly done. We have seen letter from Harry Hol- born, dated Pioneer, Dec 26th, the place where the tragedy occurred. which, in all important particulars, is about the same as stated to us upon several occasions and which is sub stantially as follows: During the night of the 25th, Kerr and Hartnett had unpleasant words about horse, which resulted in
 sCUFFLE AND FALL TO THE FLOOR, when Kerr said enough" Hartnett permitted him to get up, whereupon Kerr pulled his six-shooter, remarking you will never have another row fired, bringing Hartnett on one knee, then discharging three more shots in- to the body of the then already fatally wounded man and striking him sever al tnles--some say seven, over the head with his revolver, whereupon Kerr went behind the bar and deliver ed his revolver and knife to Charles Wood. Hartnett never spoke after receiving the first wound. Miners and men of the camp at once organ ized to consider what was best to be done in the premises, and considering it best called jury of twelve men, and after hearing the testimony in the tcase returned a verdict of
 'GUILTy OF MURDER" and that the prisoner should then and there be hanged ;which was according ly done after, at his request, allowing him one hour to arrange all worldly business and prepare for death. At one o'clock a. m. of the 26th, he was pinioned and taken from the back room to the bar (Nicholson's) and given drink of whiskey and then taken to a sycamore tree, near the Pio- neer blacksmith shop, where he made statement, after the rope was around his neck, that 'they were acting as men should do who wished to preserve the peace of the community and that "he hoped they would take care of the things intrusted to their care and not rob his
 POOR OLD MOTHER"
 His legs were then tied and he was, without further ceremony, sus- pended to limb of the tree where his hody was nnrmitted tn rnmnin ahont