Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-31
WITH CURSES on HER LIPS.

Katc Maxwell, tho Notorious Cattle Queen
and Bandit. Meets Death at the Hands
Off Mob OF Stockmen, Enraged at the
Depredations Committed by Her and
Postmaster Averlll, Her Paramount
Both Are Hanged from tho Same Limb.
CHEYENNE, Wy. T., July 2a-James Av-
GRILL and the notorious cattle queen. Kate
Maxwell, were lynched by cowboys Sun
day night The bodies of the .'rustler' and
the range queen dangled from tho same
limb Of big cottonwood. The scene of
the lawless but justifable deed of the
midnight riders Is on the Sweet Water
river, In Carbon County, near hide
pendence Rock, landmark made his
torical during the rush overland to the
California gold fields. Averill was post
master at Sweet Water. Kate Maxwell Is
the heroine Of a sensational story which
appeared throughout the country a few
months ago when she raided gambling
house. and recovered large sum of
money won from her employers Stock
men of the Sweet Water region have been
the victims OF cattle-thieves for years. On
account Of prejudice against the large out
fits it has been impossible to convict on
this charge, and the rnstlers have become
very bold. Averill and his. remarkable
partner had been very active in thievving.
The woman could hold her own ON the
range, riding like Il demon, shooting on
the slightest pretence and handling
the lariat and branding-iron with the
skill Of the most expert vaquero Fifty
freshlyrbranded yearling steers were
counted in the Averill and Maxwell herd
Saturday morning A stock detective whose
suspicious were aroused was driven from
this place when he was noticed viewing
the stolen property. This circumstance
was reported to the ranchmen. who
determined to rid the country of
the desperate pair. Averill and
the woman had several times been ordered
to em1grate or cease appropriating MAYER
icks, but had disregarded all warnings.
After her celebrated gambling house esca-
pade Mrs. Maxwell degenerated from
picturesque Western character into a reck-
less prairie virago OF loose morals, and lost
most OF her following, but continued part
nershlp with the postmaster
Word was passed along the river, and fif-
teen to twenty men gathered ut desig-
mated place and galloped to the cabin of
Averill and Cattle Kate without unnecessary
noise. The ''rustlers" were at home. and
peep through the window disclosed the
thieves and boy in their employ sitting
beside rude fireplace smoking cigar
cites. AS half dozen men rushed into the
room Winchester was poked through each
window and the command to throw up
hands given with unmistakable earnestness
The trio sprang for their weapons, but
were quickly overpowered Averill blub-
bered, begged and whined, protesting his
Innocence. The boy was quiet Kate
cursed Her execration of tho lynchers
was something terrible in its way.
An extensive vocabulary collected dur
ing long association with roughs and
rufdans was exhausted and repeated
In summing up, she cursed every
thing and every body, 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 prolonged She called for her
own horse to ride to the tree selected for
scaffold and vaulted astride the animals
back from the ground Averill did not resist.
and the boy, who had been told that he
would not be harmed, followed Either end
OF the same rope was fastened about the
necks OF the 'rustlers' as they sat in their
saddles. The boy made a pass with
knl1e at the man who was preparing
Kate for hanging. He was knocked in
oSA5AOA0 W u OAON Will Iuo UuUL OIL u re-
volver. 1t appears that the lad was a
nephew of the bandit queen. When prep
arations for the execution had been COM
pleted AverilI and the woman were asked
to speak. The man spoke only of his Of
nee, saying that he did not wish q
certain man to be his successor.
He was promised the influence OF
the party for another candidate.
Kate made quite an address She
wished the affair kept quiet as possible, de-
string that her mother remain in ignorance
OF her disgraceful career and tragic death.
1t was useless to deny that their
herd had been stolen from the ranch
men of that section, but If they did
not wish to divide it among themselves
she would like to have it sold and the
money given to home for hayward girls.
She babe her nephew goodbye and COM
menced to deliver a blasphelnous harangue.
The horses were led from under the pair
while Kate was still cursing. Both
kicked in lively style from ten to ff-
teen minutes A few bullets were sent into
Averilps body and the lynchers rode away
1t is doubtful if an inquest will be held and
the executors have no fear of punishment
The cattle men have been forced to this,
and more hangings will follow unless there
ia less thjevinr