, 1884-05-21
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
George Metcalf Shot and Killed on
the SabiIIe.
The Murderer While Being Removed
to Cheyenne
Is FOrCibly Taken From His Captors
and Strung Up.

Last eYenlng at about 3 o clock three
men arrived in Cheyenne with a team direct
from the Sabille, and brought with them
the body of George Metcalf who had been
shot and killed at a ranch on the Sabille
on Monday morning, and reported that
William Maloney, the murderer, had been
taken by force from them and lynched.
1t being rather late when these men
arrived and they being anxious to find
the Coroner so that they could
deliver the body and personal
effects of the dead man to him a LEADER
reporter had but little opportunity to
learn many of the particulars of the
double tragedy. Indeed, the parties who
brought in the body stated that they
were not acquainted with the facts and
circumstance of the killing of Metcalf
themselves. From what could be learned
in reference to the affair, it seems that
the killing took place rather early on
Monday morning. Metcalf, the man who
was killed, and Maloney, with nearly 300
other men, are employed by a ditch com
pany, which is at present working along
Brush creek, a tributary of the Sabille.
Most of the men are a rather hard lot of
citizens and a saloon, lately started in a
tent there, is doing a rushing business. 1t
seems that Metcalf and Maloney,
while drinking the night before, had got
into a fierce dispute over some trihing
matter, and meeting the following morn
ing, when the effect of their dcbauch had
scarcely worn off, both were in the worst
possible humor. While seated at break
fast together it was expected from the
attitude of the men that trouble might
ensue. As had been anticipated some
trifiing u again brought the men into
a collision and in a moment both were
wild with rage. Maloney seems to have
been the most hot headed of the two, for
almost Immediately he drew forth his six
shooter, quickly fired and Metcalf
toppled back from his seat in
stantly killed. Maloney then at once re-
covered his GOODNESS, and while several
men made an examination to discover if
Metcalf was really dead, others immedi-
ately proceeded to place Maloney under
arrest, and securely guarded him until
such time as he might be sent to the jail
in this city. The three men who brought
the body TO this city last evening, it seems
did not belong in the vicinity, but arrived
on the ground shortly after the shooting
happened. 1t was not exactly on the Sa-
billie, but at Brush creek, a tributary of
that stream, where the killing took place.
and here at this point there is a saloon,
which has lately been opened. The parties
in that vicinity are engaged in work on
the Sabillc ditch. These men were in
tending to come to Cheyenne, and, there
fore, after Maloney had been arrested he
was turned over to them, together with
the body of Metcalf, for the purpose of
being brought here. The feeling against
Maloney was bitter, as they represent it,
but they did not apprehend that anything
serious would come of it. They started
with their prisoner, and after they
had proceeded a short distance they dis
covered that they were being followed, or
rather, that they were being surrounded.
They then apprehended that there would
be difficulty, and in this they were not
mistaken. for they were finally surrounded
by a body of about forty masked men and
Mallory forcibly taken from their custody.
1t was no use for them to fight for their
prisoner, and they doubtless did what
they should have done-that is suceumb
without bloodshed when they saw
that they were oyerpowered. Maloney
was taken a short distance and
strung up to a tree. After the hanging
was over they were allowed to proceed on
their way with the body of Metcalf, and
arrived here, as above stated. The
lynching took place night before last
When asked whether they had also
brought in the body of the man who was
lynched, they replied: mo, you bet, we
didn't undertake that; we didn't want
any truck with him" When the body
arrived here last evening it was taken to
Warren's livery stable, across the street
from the Opera house, and in a short
time the place was locked up, the body
being left there, and the men proceeded
somewhere to put up for the night, and
although diligent search was made for
them last evening for the purpose of as
certaining, if possible, some additional
facts, they could not be found, probably
having gone to some one of the corrals or
stables of the city for the night. More
particulars of the affair will be learned to-
day, and doubtless an inquest will be