Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-17
HALF LYNCHED.
A Mans Terrible Punishment for Crime
lie Lid Not Commit.

A Mans Terrible Punishment for Crime
He Lid Not Commit.
The danger of appealing to the rope and
oak tree without first maki7g thorough
inquiry into the case was exempiaed re-
Gently In this section, writes San Fren-
cisco correspondent to the New York
World. A short time ago a blacksmith
living at Halnes Valley went quietly
among his neighbors and told them that a
young man named Mccoy, who was in
his employ, had grievously maltreated his
little ten-year-Cld girl. Naturally enough,
this aroused the indignation OF the PEG.
pie, and they determined to deal summar-
lily with the offender. Mccoy was en-
tlrely oblivious to the danger which
threatened him, and retired as usual that
night without a suspicion of his neigh
bors' intentions. About o'clock party
OF armed men went TO McCoy's room and
ordered him TO get up and accompany
them. Wondering what they wanted,
and not at all treasured by the sight OF
angry faces, Winchester rifles, and huge
revolyers, Mccoy perforce complied with
the order, and, half dressed and shiverlng
from the sharp night air, he was escorted
to wide-spreading oak tree near by.
A rope was produced and moose fastened
about the now frightened mans neck,
and then he was informed of the charge
against him aud asked If he was guilty or
not lie Indignantly denied the crime,
when the leader gave the order, cup with
him, boys!" and in a minute he was
swinging In the air. In few moments
he was lowered and again be was asked
whether he would acknowledge being
guilty of the crime, Again he denied 1t
and again he was holsted into the ale, a
third time this was repeated and at It's
conclusion considerable difficulty was
experienced In resuscitating the poor
fellow.
BY this time Mccoy cane TO the conclu
sion that his life hung by thread, and
accordingly he began to Farley with his
self.constituted executioners. Finally he
got them to promise that they would let
him 20 II he would confess. SO in the
certainty of paying his life should he per-
sist 10 his denial, he finally acknowledged
that he was "gullty as charged The
vigllautes then gave him Just tiiteen min
utes In which to leave the country, but
much less time suillced TO enable him TO
slip on his clothes, saddle his horse, and
disappear In the darkness.
McCoy oStensloly went southwark, and
for several Gays nothing was heard Of
him. He made wide detou, however,
and finally brought up at Salinas, the
county seat, and told his story to the off.
Gals He claimed that he was entirely
Innocent OF the charge laid to him, and
that he HAD confessed simply TO save his
life. He said, further, that the father Of
the little girl was indebted to him tor back
wages to large amount, and had taken
this method to avoid the necessity of pay
ing him. Mccoy swore out the necessary
warrants, and oddly enough the larger
number of assallants put in an appearance
next day at the courthouse TO 'prove up"
their land claims, and they were at once
arrested and locked up, They made no
defense whatever and were held to answer
before the grand jury Since this all
those concerned in the AFT ,lr have been
captured, and It now looks as # they
We're in fair way 20 pay rather dearly
for their little midnight diversion,