Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-08-02
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 lynched 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 the Sweet
water River, in Carbon County, near
Independence Rock, Wyoming, land
mark made historical during the
rush overland to the California
gold fields Averi1 was Postmaster at
Sweetwater, Wyoming. Kate Maxwell was
the heroi-e of a sensational story which ap-
peared III the newspapers throughout the
country three months ago. when she ralded
gambling house, and recovered large sum
of money won from her employees.
Stockmen Of the Sweetwater region have
been the victims of cattle thieves for years.
The rustlers had become very bold. Avernl
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 handhnG
the leriat and branding iron with the skill OF
the most expert vaCGuerO. Fifty freshly
branded yearIing steers were counted in the
Averill 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 TO
nd the country of the desperate pair.
Averill and the woman have several times
been ordered to ernigrate or cease appropriate
ing CATTLE but they disregarded all warnings.
After her celebrated gambling house esca-
pade Mrs Maxwell degenerated from pic
turesQue Western character into reckless
prairie viragO, and lost mOstOf her following,
but continued partnership with the post
master.
Word was passed along the river, and fif-
teen to twenty men gathered at designated
place and gallOped to the cabin OF
Averill and Cattle Kate without IN
necessary noise. The ruStlers were at
home and a peep through q window
disclosed the thieves and boy in their en-
plOy sitting beside a rude fireplace smoking
cigarettes. AS half dozen men rushed into
the room Winchester was pOked through
each window, and a command to throWup
their hands was given with unmistakeable
earnestness The trio sprang for their weap-
ons, but were quickly overpOwered.
Averill begged and whined protesting MS
innocence; Kate cursed. Her execration of
the 1ynchers 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 SO violent that this was
abandoned. She called for her own horse
to ride to the tree selected for scat
fold 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.
The ends of the same rope were fast
ened about the necks Of the rustlers as they
sat in their saddles. The boy made a pass
with a knife at the man who was preparing
Kate for hanging. He was knocked insensi-
BILE by a blow with the butt of revolver.
The lad was a nephew of the bandit queen.
When preparations for the hanging had
been completed AverilI and the woman were
asked to speak. The man spoke only Of his
office, saying that he did not wish certain
man to 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 possible, desiring
that her mother be kept in ignorance of her
disgraceful career and ira gic death TWAS use
less to deny that their herd had been stolen
from the ranchmen of that section but if
they did not wish to divide it among them
selves she would like to have it sold and the
money given to home for maynard girls.
Kate babe her nephew goOd-by and COM
menced to deliver a blasphemous harangue.
The horses were led from under the pair
while Kate still cursing. Both kicked
in lively style for ten or fifteen minutes. A
few bullets were fred 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 was gathering up all the mavericks in
the range preparatory to driving them to
Cheyenne Wyoming, and selling them when
the cowboys organized to drive her south.
In appearance she was a remarkably fine
looking woman, tall, weu-formed, with
regular features. Her face was tanned
from exposure and she sat a horse like
man. Her dress was partly a mans and