St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-01-07
BENDERiSM.
The Fiendish Kelly Family Reported
Lynched in No-Man's-Land-Bente

The Fiendfsh Kelly Family Report ed
Lynched in No-Man's-Land-Bend enderism
in Dakota.
WICHITA, Kan, Dec. 31.-Charles Dun
can. we'll known cattleman of Southwest
Kansas, who arrived yesterday from Oak
City, No-Man's-Land, tells the last chapter
concerning three Of the fiendish Kelly fam
lily as follows: Il left Oak City Wednes-
day night and the town was jubilant over
late developments, and ! believe If the peo-
pie had had fireworks they would have
sent up signals of rejoicing. About two
hours before left they got the news that
Bill Kelly and his sister and mother were
dead, and it did not take ten minutes for
every man, woman and child in the town
to know it. From the day the Kelly horror
was unearthed squads of avengers were
galloping over the plains looking for the
Kelly gang, as they were called down there.
Wednesday morning party of seven left
/ town for due west, with provisions for
three days, expecting to take in a circuit
Of over one hundred miles. Going but few
miles they turned south, and in few hours
! the wind commenced coming from the
! south, coid and blew furiously. They de-
cided they were about as likely to find the
kellys by going north as south, and turned
north. 1t got colder, and at last, about
three O'clock in the afternoon they came to
| ravine which offered partial protection,
and decided to camp there for the night.
"While getting the matter arranged one
| Of the men looking up the ravine saw dug
! out with wagon standing about one hun
| dred feet from it. He told the boys to build
| II fire and stay there and he would 60 up to
| the dugout and inquire for the desired par
ties-the Kelly family. When about one
! hundred yards away he was greeted with
! shot winch he reported came near
| him. He fell to the ground and the
! report called the attention of the 9TH
ers and they Immediately caught on to
/ the situation. and were in moment
on horses for the scene of the battle. They
| made big circle around the dugout and
| saw that door facing south, in the direc-
| tion Of their intended camp was the only
entrance. Getting off to one side they COM
menced firing at the den and attracted the
occupants attention in that way, and Met
calf, the man who had first discovered the
dugout, got chance to run down the ravine
and get his horse. When he returned he
disclosed plan that proved successful
Three men were to go to the dugout from
the north and dig hole down through the
top. The task was extremely hazardous
and for moment there was hesitation in
deciding but the gang could be caught no
other way and they went at it with de-
termination. The Kelly's, for so the party
proved to be, commenced firing up at them,
but in very short time an entrance in the
top was made and one of the boys was so
badly shot he died from his injuries. He
was carried back and left on the prairie
dead.
SIT was now dark and it was unsafe to
wait till morning. The wagon was partial
ly loaded with hay. They set it on fire and
ran it on top of the dugout and in that way
burned them out. The boys took position
south of the scene to watch the outcoming
of the gang.
''The wife, Mrs. Kelly, was the first to
appear. She came out with her clothes on
fire and swearing as only woman can
swear when she takes notion. She had
revolver and despite the intense agony
from the flames she did not forget to shoot.
The cowboys opened fire and she soon fell
dead. A moment later the son Bill came
out, shot in the arm, so that it hung by his
slouch hat burning"
The party then started to lynch Bill, and
while this was going on the old man sue
ceeded in making his escape. Search was
made for him but without effect.
Some doubt is expressed by persons con-
versant with matters occurring in Nc.
Man's-Land as to the truth of the stories
continually being related of the Kelly fam
lily, and they think the imaginative escape
OF old man Kelly will hatch into another
s.yarn."
BENDERIsM IN THE BLACK HILLS.
PIEgRR, Oak, Dec. 31.-For months a
certain degree Of mystery has surrounded
the movements OF John Lablant, Sioux
Indian half-breed, on = ranch at Willow
Greek, fifteen miles west of this city, near
the old Deadwood stage route on the Sioux
reservation. Lablant's ranch was FORM
erly the stopping place Of Black Hill travel.
ers. Many people who left Pierre for
the hills, were never heard from after
leaving this city. A few days ago Lablant
was detected in cattle stealing. posse of
men was organized at Fort Pierre to 60 out |
and take the cattle, and upon reaching the |
ranch the bird had flown, but the appear
ance Of things looked very suspicious, and I
they returned to town and reported. Yes. |
terday the sheriff OF the county and num-
ber Of citizens proceeded to the ranch to /
make q thorough investigation Of the |
premises. The house was first ex-
amined. In one hall room of the
house in the front OF q bed was observed |
what appeared to be an opening or trap
door. With an axe this was pried out and
was found to be hung on hinges so it would
drop when a cord was pulled. The cord |
extended from bolt under the door to the
room occupied by Lablant. Opening the
entire trap, it was found to be twelve feet
deep and four feet square. Ladders and
lanterns were hastily provided and an ex-
animation Of the cave was made. As soon
as the trap was dropped the stencil that
arose was terrible. The examination OF the
cavern revealed number Of skeletons,
twelve grown human beings and two small
ones. No clothing was found in the hole
and the only article that was found was
an iron bar about two feet in length,
which it is supposed the fend
used to murder his victims after he had
dropped them into this hole. The ranch is
in lonely spot on the bank of creek, ten
miles from any human habitation. La
blant has not been seen for several days,
and it is believed he has fed to some OF the
Indian camps on the Upper Cheyenne.
Suicide Of an Assessor.
TEMPLE, Tex, Dec. 31-City assessor
and collector Of Texas, Thomas Meadows,
committed suicide to-day. He shot himself
in the right temple, the ball passing
through the head to the skin on the left
81 r. - H L N