The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-08-01
WITH CURSES ON HER LIPS.

Kate Maxwell. tho Notorious Cattle Queen
and Bandit. Meets Death ~ the Hands
Of Mob Of stock,nen. Enragcd st the
IDepredafions Committed by Her and
Postmaster Averill, Her ParamOur-
Both Are Hanged from tho same Limb.
CHEYENNE. Wy r.. July 23-James Az
erill and the notorious, cattle queen, Kate
Maxwell, were iynched by cowboys Sum
day night The bodies Of the .rnstler' and
the range queen dangled from the same
limb OF = big cottonwood The scene OF
the lawiess but justjfiable deed OF the
midnight riders is on the Sweet Water
river. In Carbon County. near Indc-
pendence Rock, landmark made his
t0rtcal during the rush overland to the
California gold fields. Avcrill was post
master at sweet Water. Kate Maxwell Is
the heroine of sensational story which
appeared throughout the country few
months ago when she raided gambling
house and recovered q large sum OF
money won from her employers. Stock
men Of the Sweet Water region have been
tho victims Of cattle thieves for years On
account of prejudice against the large out
fits II has been impossible to convict on
this charge, and the rnstlels have become
very bold Averill and his remarkable
partner had been very active In thieving
The woman could hold her own ON the
range, riding like q demon. shooting on
the slightest pretcnce and handling
the lariat and branding Iron with the
skill OF the most expert vaqnero. Fifty
freshly-branded yearling steers were
counted in the Averill and Maxwell herd
Saturday morning A stock detective whose
suspicious were aroused was driven from
u L..
tho stolen property. This circumstance
was reported to the lanchmen, who
determined to rid the country Of
the desperate pair. Averill and
tile woman had several times been ordered
to emigrate or cease appropriating maver-
icks but had disregarded all warnings
Aftor her celebrated gambling house esca-
pade Mrs. Maxwell degenerated from i
picturesque Western character into d reck-
less prairie virago OF loose morals, and lost
most OF her following, but continued part
nership with the postmaster.
Word was passed along the river, and fif-
teen TO twenty men gathered at o desig-
mated place and galloped to the cabin OF
AveriIl and Cattle Kate without unnecessary
noise. The 'rustlers'' were at home, and
peep through the window disclosed the
thieves and q boy In their employ sitting
beside rude fireplace smoking cigar
cites. As half dozen men rushed into the
room a Winchester was poked through each
window and the command to throw up
hands given with unmistakable earnestncas
The trio sprang for their weapons, but
were quickly oyerpowered Averill blub-
bcrcd. begged and whined protesting his
innocence. The boy was quiet Kate
cursed Hcr execratfon of the lynchers
was something terrible in its way.
All extensive vocabulary collected dur
ing long association with roughs and
rufiians was exhausted and repeated
In summing up, she cursed every
thing and every body, challenging the
Deity to harm her ii 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 a
scafiold. end vaulted astrida the animal
back from the ground Averiildid not resist,
aud the Doy. 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 q pass with q
knife at The man who was preparing
Kate for hanging. He was knocked in
sensible by q blow with the butt of re-
volyer. IL appears that the lad was
nephew Of the bandit queen. When prep
arations for the execution had been CON-
pleted Averill and the woman were asked
to speak. The man spoke only of his Of
ilce, saying that he did not wish q
certain man to be his successor.
Ho was promised the influence OF
the party for another candidate.
Kate made quite IN address. She
wished the affair kept quiet as possible, de-
string that her mother remain in ignorance
Of her disgraceful career and tragic DEATH
It was useless to deny that their
herd had been stolen from the ranch
men of that section, but II they did
not wish to divide 1t among themselves
she would like to have it sold and the
money given to . home for wayward girls
She bade her nephew goodbye and COM
menced to deliver a ablaspheinous harangue
The horses were led from under the pair
while Kate was still cursing. Both
Kicked in lively style from ten to fif-
teen minutes a few bullets were sent into
Avsrilrs body and the lynchers rode away.
1t is doubtful II 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
Is less thicving