The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-25
MAN AND WoMAN LYNCHEp.
Postmaster Averill and Cattle Kate
End Their Career.
From the Neo York sta

hTOHI WS -NSU 4 OFN DLdFs
CHEYENNE, July 23.-James Averill and
the notorious cattle queen, Kate Maxwell,
were lynched by cowboys last night. The
bodies of the "rustler" and range queen
dangled from the same limb of big cotton
wood this morning The scene of the law
less deed is on the Sweetwater river,
in Carbon county near In
dependence rock, a landmark made his
torical during the rush overland to the
California gold fields. Av rill was post
mas .er at Sweetwater. Kate Maxwell was
the heroine of a sensational sto v which ap-
pelred in the newspapers throughout the
country three months ago, when she raided
a gambling house and recovered large
sum of money won from her employees.
Stockmen of the Sweet water regio have
been the vlcti MS of cattle thieves for years
The rustlers had become very bold. Averill
and mis- remarkable partner had been very
active in thieving. the woman could hold
ner own on the range, riding like a demon,
shooting on the slightest pretext and nan l.
ling the lariat aud branding iron with the
skill Of tle most expert vaoqnero Fifty
freshly bra ided Vearling steers we q
counted in the Averill and Maxwell herds
on Saturday morning. A stock detective,
whose SUI SpiciOns were aroused, was driver
ing the So len property. This circumS ance
was reported to the ranchmen, VINO de-
termined to rid the country Of the deperate
par.
Averill and the woman have several
times been ordered to emigrate or cease APP
propriating cattle, but they disregardet all
warnings. After her celebrated gambling
house escapade Mrs. Maxwell degenera ed
from picturesque western character into
I'll of II.
and lost most of her following, but con;in-
ued partnership with the postmaster.
. Word was passed along the river, and
fifteen u twenty men gathered at a lesig-
mated place a d galloped to the tbin
Averiil and Cattle Kate without unnecet-
sary noise. The IustlerS were at home, aud
| a peep through a window disclosed the
thieves and boy in the r employ sitting
beside q rude fire place smoking cigarettes.
AS q half dozen men rushed into the room
a Winchester was poked through each win
dow, and a Command to throw up their
hands was given with unmlStaktble earn
est es. The trio SpranG fJr their weapons,
but were quickly overpowered.
Averil begged aud whined, protesting
his innocence; Kate cursed. Her eKecra-
ton of the lyucAers was somethiug terrible
in its way. s % cursed everythl Y and
eve ybody, challenging the Deity to harm
her If he possessed the power. An attempt
was made to gag her, but her struggling
was so violent that this was abandoned.
She called for her own horse to ride to the
tree selected for a scatfold, I'd vaulted
astride the a imaIs back from the ground.
Ayerlll did OF re ist, a the boy. who had
been told that he would not be harmed, fol-
lowed. The ends of the same rope were
fastened about the neckS of tue rustlers as
tuey 81 in cir saddles. The boy made a
pass with knife at the man who was Ire
pairing Kate for hanging. he was knocked
lusensible by blow with the butt of a re-
volyer. The lad was a nephew of the
bandit queen.
When preparations for the hanging had
been com ,pleted Averlll and the woman
were asked to speak. The man sp Ike only
of his office, saving that he did not VISA a
certain man TO be his successor. The inhu-
ence of the party Tor another candidate was
promised him.
Kate made quite an address. She wished
the affair kept quiet as possible desiring
that uer mother be kept in ignorance of her
dl>graceful career and tragic death. 1t was
useless to deny that their herd had been
stolen from the rancnme Of that section,
but If they did not wish to divide it among
themselves she would like to have it sold
aud the monev given to a home for way
ward girls. Kate bade her nephew good-by
and commenced to deliver a blasphemous
harangde.
The n rses were led from under the pair
while Kate was still curSing. Both kicked
in live y style for ten or fifteen minutes. a
few bullets were Fl ed into AverilIs body,
a-d the lynchers rode away.