The sun., 1883-12-16
VIGILANTES ON THE TRAIL.
LIVELY LYNCHJNG OPERATIONS IN THE
WILDS or NEBRASKA.
bands Of Determined Men waRinr n War or
DETERMINATION ON the Remnants of tho
Middleton Gang-Exo odus of the Thievcs.

AINswoRTH, Neb, Dec. 1.-The lynching
party which set out from this town a fortnight
ago has finished its labors in Nebraska. and Is
now in the Powder River country where 1t will
bo heard from before many days have elapsed.
1t was organized here for the purpose Of rid
ding the country OF the last remnants OF the
famous Doc Middleton gang OF horse and cattle
thieves and. while no one knows exactly who
arc tho members OF tho party. 1t is ccr-
tain that they are men OF experience
and nerve. The Middleton gang flourished in
northern and western Nebraska for many
years. and was the terror OF settlers and trav-
elers alike. Its exact strength was never
known. but sometimes 1t appeared as though
il must have hundreds OF members. agents,
guides and spies. 1t made q regular and very
profitable business OF running OF stock. and
so we'll had It laid its plans that 1t was almost
impossible to recover property once in its pos
session. Tho thieves and their friends idolized
Middleton. who was sort Of a frontier gallant
possessing good qualities as we'll as bad
The rapid settlement of the country. while
afrording the gang wider and richer field for
operations. mado its work also more perlous.
The military was frequently called on to
pursue the thieves and in moro than one
instance It engaged in bloody, hand-to- hand
from the Indians as we'll as from the whites
and bnrtered the stolen property from one to
the other. Many OF their, robberies were per-
petratcd in n manner to Leave tho impression
suing parties. finding their stock In tho hands
OF Indians, to whom the white THE thieves had
that nn tho rod men we're the guilty ones, This
state of affairs led to frequent disturbances
a wh s shs ' sna sHG FndMn dSa
he was popular, and in some remote sections
Of the Stale TO this day no one is pssrmitted to
diute followers knew every inch OF tho country
drained by the Lonp., the Elkhorll. and tho
ease sssDi"Tfh The Bad Lands IN whics very Vie few hon.
est white men have over vcntured, were their
ws Mh @ haFf % qoc Sy lns at
as they were with the plains and. once hidden
in these businesses. discovery was out OF the
Detectives and troopers finally swarmed on
tho outlaws trail. and ono day, when. betrayed
home a squad Of soldiers rodc up and took
charge OF him. His llontennnt knowlton' was
Wa nh dSTn Gg S % and
ment. The robbers We're captured in u curious
way. Several detectives had managed to gain
zen rodo into their camp with n PARDON for
| Middleton. to be granted on condition that lie
would accompany him 10 the capital. The
leader of the thieves was suspicious. but finally
| promised to 60 along under certain conditions.
pr w6s qEEeSa sme Of tho Hy @efs s Dis Dis
guise WHO had been posted ,a,, n!9ng thS @ trai
| Middleton cmptyins his revolver ut one of
| his betraycrs. named liazcn, the others lied.
Hazep feil, bpt while lying on the ground i, ha
ton in the body woundng him severely. The
d"teetiye then fen baeK, appnrGptly dead and
| Middleton. thinking. no had finished him, rode
| TO his home, which was not far away. While
| here he was surrounded b. many of his follow-
Grs. and was tenderiy nnrsed BY his wife, 4
preacher named skinner, to whose house
lsa Esp to the ses ss'y Mdt1n had anS been told pF h
that hat IIazSn was still alive, This surprised and
eNasneratG,d the thieves beyond measurS aud
house, with the intention of finishing the
wounded man. They Ind several niles to go.
na wa 3 NIX MRS. the wiS nS
each hand. waiting for them. She told them
that they could not enter. and the desperndoes.
Woman left. ON their return to Middleton 3
they found their Ghieitein ei gone squad Of
pes1ed oa soon s alter their departure and taken Ken
ssi Fl ssd~s s%sas s% ss 2:
annSyins., They were especially hostile 10
Claimed that broke up tho cattle ranges ran S and and
Of course. limited their opportunities for steal
@ caantry @ and dozens Of poor farmer farmers an and home: me-
steaders; on arriving IN this snarsey settled
nh By n;Ss Receiving efS vsts rom these robbers
who never went away empty handed. Their
operations Of late. however. hnye not been car;
the gang under tho leadership Of Middleton
They have scattered In small parties and theil
more vexatous than disastrous in tinancia
sense.
tcrmincd q few weeks ago TO rid the countr,
forever Of these outlaws Arrangements fol
wetS ns
Win the dsy a ID dGnn r o1 bom the
brara and Elkhorn valleys. but the country IL
SO sparsoly settled that there are no means o
larly enough, there is no great curiosity here t.
kn%w who he are Myeryeody Sh % lis is satf
hand ~ So % one e eNpeced I to lear from s "nn ihem a
soon ms this. but Trustworthy infnrmation ha
others have shared the same late. Ali that
known Of their operations is that first ono THE
, passers pas by. When cowboy reported ID that h h
had seen man hanging from tree twcnt
but a day later. when herder came il
with Imagination that tWo h;,, thieves @ wer
HH"shEs iFS Sobara mS oecarea ssnigv0 to mile Ii
%5r r hHt ahs EqntHs ha stTn
| that two other dead bodies had hpen four
and that one of them had been left SO near tn
! ground that wolves had eaten % much OF the lles
> | from the dead mans bones. Thore are rumO OF
! | Of other lynchiugs. and n story IL current tha
|, tho Ainsworth !ynching party has encoun;ero
e"unry 1f'iI" 5c5s smar @ ss%n S 0 HIS y
on the authority of n hcrder from til
NiQbrara, who says tho Answorth cxpe
diti"n ,Sn came e., ncro,s 81 man HanGng in
a examination found him TO have boon n notor
. Gus thief of tho Middleton stripe well known /
5 that section. He says the Ainsworth vigilan,e
: wero little eurpriscd but that some hour
+ were dumbfoundcdto 10 find another lynclin
o party. at work on two thieves, who were jns
r then kick ing at the ends of ropes. The me-
s comers demanded stay Of proceedings. an
o tho follows were lowered in order to give til
7 combined court nm opportunity to pass upo
! their cases. After much Rubbing OF TIE thrOa,
q by the wretches and many violent coughin
q spells they gave an account OF themselves. an
Q begged for mercy. Their stories We're not cree
tied. and by unanimous consent they WEI
u swung Off again. Other rumors have been !
;, circulation concerning the operations Of II
,, yigilantes, somc of them Of the most sens;
y tional character.
n Since the regulators started out the who
y Niobrara country has been cleared Of losner;
y does many OF them scattering, aud othe
>; travelling to the north and west in small pa
II ties. The latest from the Ainsworth eapod
:. ton is to the effect that it has heard that
y large number Of the thieves have congregate
z in the Powder River country, and that 1t is no
r on the way to that far-oI section. determine