The Dickinson press., 1889-06-22
CLEANING OUT THE GANG.
SOME STIRRING SCENES IN THE
EARLY DAYS OF RAWLINs, wy. T.

Wild Times in the West, When Robberies
Were Openly Plannei-The Lynchin: of
Lacey and Opium Bob-Carter Allowed
to Escape Because He Was Half Decent.
Each Easter Sunday majority of the citi-
zens of the little town of Rawlins. Wy T..
walk out to the stock yards. gaze at the high
fences and great gates of the strong pens and
has its significance 1t is in commemoration
of Wyomins's only double lynching, an event
which had the salutary effect of wrestling un-
limited authority of power from desperate
and lawless gang of thieves and murtlerers
The town of Rawlins is quiet enough now,
but eight years ago it was one of the liveiest
of the many bustlins communities. Every
other house was gambling hell and the in.
tervening buildings were dance halls of the
worst sort There were three variety thea
tres in full blast, with club and wine rooms
attached.
The auditorium Of one of these two tlens-
LAWNS Palace-was tent Serious brawls
here were of nightly occurrence, and men were
frequently wounded and occasionally killed
AT tho firing of the first shot there was al
ways grand scattering of non-combatants
Those nearest the walls whipped out knives
slashed half moons in the canvas and lcaped
through the improvised exits In time there
wasn't yard of intact material in the tent
THE LEADERS AND THEIR uAuNTs.
The recognized leaders of the thugs and
gamblers wero Lacey, Opium Bob and Car
ter 1t was strong triumvirate, and their
edicts were law Lacey had been a heavy
weight prize fighter, and had killed n man in
bar room row in New Mexico Opium Bob
came from Chicago, was general crook and
a finished card sharp. He was the director
Of the operations of the gang-prmc min
lister to I.acey's rex. Carter had been range
foreman for big cattle outfit, but was dis
charged after months of dissipation and neg
lect OF bis duties He was the gun Gghter''
of tho party, was quick as wink with his re-
volver, an excellent shot and stranger to
fear Carter came from Texas
This gang halted at nothing They stole
cattle and horses by the herd, held up stage
coaches burglarize,l, sandbagged and cheated
at cards They robbed half the stores in
town, but no one dared complain. Several
times IT, y made men stand and deliver III
broad daylight. The reputation of the town
became SO bad that drunners did their So
Letting by m,.il and the doors of the pas.
senger coaches were locked while trains halted
for us brief time as possible. a prominent
citizen suggested that tho government be
called upon for assistance. His house was
burned to the ground that night.
Scott Lilly, tin horn gambler and opium
ticnd, who was regarded as only a hanger on,
was tho traitor in the Lacey camp Early
one morning hc confided to the sheriff. Ike
Miller, that on that very night the gang pur.
posed cracking the safes of tho Hugus Com
mcrcial company. at Rawins. and Fort
Steele, a military post twenty miles away
There wero no banks in tic country at that
time, and the repositories in town and at tho
post traders store contained large sums of
money. Miller notified the commander at
Fort Steele, and he answered that tho raiders
would be properly received. Then the cour.
agcous sheriff, determined to take a stand
against the despcradoes. enlisted and organ
lied Il formidable posse. Lacey heard of this
but declared, that the ''trick should be turned
ut all events.
The gang fell to drinking during tho day
and there were several serious conflicts be
tween citizens and members of the lawless
mob. Lato in the afternoon Miller and O
pair OF deputies rushed into Chinese wash
house, where a lively row was in progress.
Lacey, Opium Bob and Carter, drunk with
opium, had beaten one Chinaman to iusensi.
bility and were making the same use of his
partner. The sheriff and his companions
lcve!cl their six-shootcrs ut the trio and
easily captured them, as the men wero com
pletely off guard. These deputies were Bill
Findly and Charles Landenbcrger The for
mcr had killed man who refused tc
come to a 'hands up lie was subsequently
sergeant-at-arms for the territorial house OF
representatives Landenberger was stock
flotpptiyo