Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-01-31
LYNCIIJN0 TINE CUDDIGANs.
How the Avengers OF Little Mary
Matthews Did Their Work.

Further particulars Of the lynOhing of
Mike Cuddigan and wife, at 0uray, Col. ,
are told by the Kansas City Times of
January 2lst. Cuddisan and bis wife
had In their family a child named Mary
Matthews, whom they treated horribly.
Ol the 18th of this month hunter found
the child lying insensible by haystack,
lear Cn6dingtOn's honse. He told Mike,
who look the child home, where she soon
died. The body was buried Lu! stories
of the cruelty got about, aud the coroner
had the body exhumed. II was found
that the child had been terribly NAL.
treated, and probably killed.
The lynohers found their victims pris
oners at the hotel, under guard Of the
sheriff, They took Cuddigsn and his
wife to the northern boundary of the city
and halted in front Of cabin.
The trembling Cuddigsn aud his wife
realized that their end had come. The
woman's walls aud cries for mercy were
louder and more pitiiul than ever. The
scene was horrible one. The darkness
was lit up here and there by the fire fly
like glare OF lantern, and the rising
moon cast weird light over the awful
scene.
Ropes. which had before been carefully
concealed, were suddenly brought to
view. The very sight OF them increased
the terror OF the victims, and their sup
plications for mercy were almost nm
earthly. "Say your prayers" said one
OF the vigilantes, as in company with two
of his comrades he approached the trem.
bling Cuddisap.
"Spare me- Spare me God save
me ~ yelled Cuddigan, dropping on his
knees.
"Did you spare little Mary Matthewsi"
asked one of the vigilantes.
~ am innocent. Save me. Don't
hang me-" walled the miserable man.
make your peace with God. Your
time has come"
That was the only answer the visi-
lantes made and poor Cuddigan begsn
praying. 1t was short shrift these re.
lentless avengers gave him. The rope
was made fast around his neck, and with
the air echoiDg and re-echoing with the
cries OF the victim, they hanged him from
the ridge pole of Uncle Tommy's cabin.
He struggled violently. His awful con-
tOrtions were hidden by the darkness.
They were then busy placing the moose
around the neck OF Mrs. Cuddigan. Woros
cannot describe the scene. Imagine a
woman in the hands Of mob o: men who
are sotuated only by desire to avenge
the wrongs of a little child who they
honestly believed had met it's death at
her hands. They knew no mercy. Pity
was not in them. Her face was ghastly in
the breaking light of the morn and under
the yellow glare of the lanterns flame
she begged, she prayed, she groveled at
their feet and seemed to have lost all
reason. Fear possessed her soul to the
uttermost, but her awful agony did not
affect her executioners. They stand by
unmoved, those who are not engaged in
preparing the rope turning their heads
from her white face and wild despair.
The noose is now around her neck. She
is too Weak to walk. They carry her to
tail tree which looms up somberly
against the heavens. 1t takes but a
moment for strong hands to adjust the
rope, and the body of the poor woman
swings convulsivly in the air. Their
work is done. The vigilsntes disappear.
No one knew who organized or lead the
dreadful band of avengers nor who cOm'
posed IL.