Huntsville gazette., 1889-07-27
LAST OF CATT&E KATE.

e NoIorious Female RustIer aud Her
'on npanIon in Crime. James Averill. Or
hament Big Cottonwood in Carbon
county Wyoming-They Made Too free
with Other Peoples livestock, and
lhe Ranchnen Determined to Call a
HALT.
CHEYENNE, Wyo., July o. - James
Averlll and the notorious Cattle Queen
Kate Maxwell, were lynched bv COWBOYS
sunday night. The bodies of the rus
Tier" and range queen dangled from the
same limb of a big cottonwood Yesterday
morning. The scene of the lawless but
Jusilhable' deed of the midnight riders is
On the Sweetwater river, ia Carbon
County, near Independence Rock. land
marx made historical during the rush
overland to the California gold fields.
Averlll was postmaster at Sweetwater.
hate Maxwell was the heroine Of a sensa-
tlonal story which appeared in tho news
papers throughout the country three
months ago, wheB she raided a gambling
mouse and recovered large sum of money
won from her employees.
Stockmen of the Sweetwater region
nave been the victims of cattle thieves
Ior years On account of the prejudice
against the large outfits, it has been i'm
che rustlers have become very bold.
Averill 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 tho lariat and
branding iron with the skill of va
quero.
Fifty freshly branded steers were
Tad I,,f he.
Saturday morning. A stock detective
whose suspicious were aroused was
driven from the place when he was no
t9ced viewing The stolen property. This
circumstance was reported to the ranch
men, who determined to rid the country
OF the desperate pair.
AveTill and the woman have several
times been ordered to emigrate or cease
appropriating mavericks, but had disre-
Sarded all warnings.
After her celebrated gambling house
escapade Mrs. Maxwell degenerated from
a picturesque Western character into
reckless prairie virago Of loose morals,
and lost most of her following but con-
1nued partnership with the postmaster.
Word was passed along the river, and fif-
teen to twenty men gathered at a desig-
mated place and galloped to the cabin of
Averill and Cattle Kate without unnec-
essary noise. The rus stlers We're at home,
and peep through a window disclosed
the thieves and a boy in their employ
sitting beside rude fire. place smoking
| cigarettes AS half dozen men rushed
into the room, a Winchester was poked
through each window, and a command to
throw up their hands was given with un-
miStakable earnestness. The trio sprang
for their weapons, but were quickly over
powered. Ayerill begged and whined,
protesting his innocence. Kate cursed.
Her execration of the lynchers was some
thing terrible in its way. 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 50 violent that
| this was abandoned. She called for her
own horse to ride to the tree selected for
q scaffold, and vaulted astride the ami.
MAILS back from the ground.
Averill did not resist, and the boy, who
had been told that he would not be harm
ed, followed. Either end Of the rope was
fastened about the necks of the rustlers
as they sat in their saddles.
The boy made pass with a knife at the
man who was preparing Kate for hang
ing He was knocked insensible by
blow with the butt end of revolver.
The lad was nephew Of the bandit
queen.
When preparations for the execution
| had been completed Averill and the WON
an were asked to speak. The man spoke
only Of his Office, saying he did not wish
| a 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 as
quiet as possible, desiring that her mother
be kept in ignorance of her disgraceful
career and tragic death. 1t was useless
to deny that their herd had been stolen
from the ranchmen of that Sec
ton, but if they did not
wish to divide it among themselves she
would like to have it sold and the money
given to a home for wayward girls. Kate
| bade her nephew good bye and COM
menced to deliver a blasphemous har-
ague. The horses were led from under
the pair while Kate was still cursing.
Both kicked in a lively style for ten OF
fifteen minutes. A few bullets were fired
into AverilPs body, and the lynchers
rode away.
1t is doubtful If an inquest will be held,
and the executioners have no fear Of be-
ing punished. The cattle men have been
forced to this, and more hangiDgs will
follow unless there is less thieving.
"