The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-07
A WOMAN lYNCHED.
The Wyoming Cattle Queen and
Her Partner Hanged.
Pitiless Revenge Of Cowboys On
Cattle Thieves.

james Averill and the notorious cattle
queen, Kate Maxwell, have been lyrched by
cowboys. The bodies of the ''rustler" and
range queen dangled from the same limb OF
big cottonwood all during the morning.
The scene of the lawless deed is on tie Sweet
water River, in Carbon County, near
Independence Rock, Wyoming, a land
mark made historical during the
rush overland to the California
Sweetwatsr, Wyoming. Katc Maxwell! was
the heroine Of a sensational story Whlch ap-
peared in the newspapers throughout the
country three months ago, when she raldeo
gambling house, and recovered large sum
of money won from her employees.
Stockmen of the Swestwater region have
been the victims of cattle thieves for years
The rustlers had become very bold. Averlli
and his remarkable partner have been very
active in thieving. The woman could hold
her own on the range, riding like demon,
shooting on the slightest pretext, and handling
the lariat and branding iron with the Skill OF
the most expert vacquero. Fifty freshly
branded yeariing steers were counted IN the
Averin and Maxwell herds on Saturday
morning. A stock detective, whose sus-
picions were aroused, was driven from Chey-
enne when he was noticed viewing the
stolen property. This circumstance was re-
ported to the ranchmen, WHO determined 10
rid the country of the desperate pair.
Averil and the woman have several times
been ordered to eInigrate or cease appropriate
ing cattle, but they disregarced oil warnings
After her celebrated gambling house eScs-
pade, Mrs Maxwell degenerated from PIC
turesoue Western character into reckless
prairie virago, and lost most of her following,
but continued partnership with the posi-
master.
Word was passed along the river, and fif-
teen to twenty men gathered at a designated
place and galloped to the caoln OF
necessary noise. The rustlers were at
home, and a peep through window
disclosed the thieves and boy in their en-
pIoy sitting beside rude Fireplace smoking
cigarettes. As a half dozen men rushed mto
the room Winchester was poked through
each window, and command TO throWup
their hands was given with unmlstaSeaole
earnestness. The trio sp-arg for their Weap-
ons, but were quickly overpowered.
Gyerill begged and whined, protesting his
innocence; Kate cursed. Her execration OF
the lynchers was something terrible in
its way. She cursed everything and
everybody, challenging the Deity to
harm her if He possessed the power: An
attempt was made to gag her, but her
struggling was 80 violent that TINS was
abandoned. She called for her own horse
to ride to the tree selected for scaf-
fold, and vaulted astride the anlmaPs
back from the ground. Averl4 dld a9G nog
resist and the boy, VINO had been told
that he would not be harmed, followed.
The ends Of the same rope. were fast
ened about the necks Of the rustiers as they
sat in their saddles. The boy made pass
with a knife at the man who was preparing
Kate for hanging. He was knocked lnsensl-
BILE by blow with the butt OF revolver.
The lad was nephew Of the bandit queen. :.
When preparations for the hanging had
been completed Averill and the woman were
asked to speak The man spoke only OF his
Office, saying that he did not wish certain
man 10 be his successor. The influence OF the
party for another candidate was promised
him.
Kate made quite an address. She wished
the affair kept as quiet as possible, desiring
that her mother be kept in ignorance OF her
disgraceful career and ira gic death. 1t was use
less to deny that their herd had been stolen
from the ranchmen OF that sectlon' put II
they did not wish to divide it among them
selves, she would like to have it sold and the
money given to home for wayward girls.
Kate bade her nephew good-by and COM
Inenced to deliver blasphemous harangue.
The horses were led from under the pair
while Kate was still cursing. Both kicked
In lively style for ten or fifteen minutes. A
few bullets were fired into Averilfs body
and the lynchers rode away.
Kate had come up from the Indian Nation
Immediately after the opening Of Oklahoma
and brought with her several hundred head
of cattle, which she rounded up" on the
way.
She Wis gathering up all the mavericks in
the range preparatory to driving them to
Cheyenne, Wyoming, aud selling them when
the cowboys organized to drive her south:
In appearance she was remarkably fine
looking woman, tall, well-formed, with
regular features. Her face was tanned
from exposure, and she sat a horse like q
man. Her dress was partly a mans and
partly woman's She was dead shot with