St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-23
The Notorious Cattle Queen
and Her Paramour Are
Lynched by Cowboys.
Thefts From the Neighboring
Ranches Caused the Dual
Choking.
Averill Whined Piteously, but
the Prairie Virago Cursed
Her Captors.

Kate Maxwell, were lynched by cow
boys last night. The bodies of the
''rustler" and range queen dangled
from the same limb of big cottonwood
this morning. The scene of the lawless
but justifiable deed of the midnight
raiders is OH the Sweetwater river, in
Carbon county, near Independence
rock, a landmark made historical during
tine rush overland to the California gold
fields. Averill was postmaster at
SWeetwater. Kate Maxwell was the
heroine of a sensational story which
appeared in the newspapers throughout
the country three months ago, when
she raided a gambling house and re-
covered large sum of money won from
her employees. Stockmen of the Sweet
water region have been the victims of
cattle thieves for years. On account Of
prejudice against the large outfits it has
been impossible to convict on this
charge. and the rustlers have become
very bold. Averill and his remarkable
partner have been very active in thiev-
ing. The woman could hold her own
on the range, riding like demon,
shooting ON the sligtest pretext, and
handling the lariat and branding iron
with the skill of the most expert
vaquerO, Fifty freshly branded yearl-
ing steers were counted in the Averill
and Maxwell herds Saturday
morning. A stock detective whose
suspicious were aroused was
driven from the 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
No an,h
ORDERED TO EMIGRATE
or cease appropriating mavericks, but
had disregarded all warnings. After
her celebrated gambling house esca-
pade, Mrs. Maxwell degenerated from
picturesque Western character into
reckless prairie virago of loose morals,
and lost most of her following, but con-
tinued partnership with the postmaster.
Word was passed along the river, and
fifteen to twenty men gathered
at designated place, and gal
ioped to the cabin of Averill and
Cattle Queen Kate without unnecessary
noise. The ''rustlers" were at home
and peep through window disclosed
the thieves and boy in their employ
sitting by a rude fireplace smoking
cigarettes. AS half dozen men rushed
into the room, Winchester was pOked
q
to throw up their hands given with I'M
mistakable earnestness. The trio sprang
for their weapons, but were quickly
overpowered. Averill begged and
whined, protesting his innocence, while
Kate cursed. Her eXecration of the
lyncherS was something terrible in its
way. She cursed everything 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 abandoned.
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 knife at the man who was
PREPARING KATE FOR HANGING.
He was knocked insensible by blow
with the butt of a revolver. The lad
was a nephew of the bandit queen.
When preparation for the execution had
been completed, Averill and the woman
were asked to speak. The man spoke
only of his office, saying that he did not
wish a certain man to be his successor.
lie 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 disgracefnl
career and tragic death. 1t was useless
to deny that their herd had been stolen
from the ranchmen 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
wayward girls. Kate babe her nephew
good bye and commenced to deliver a
blasphemous harangue. The horses
were led from under the pair while
Kate was still cursing. Both kicked
in lively style for ten or fifteen minutes.
A few bullets were fired into Averill's
body, and the lynchers rode away. 1t |
is doubtful if an inquest will be held, |
and the executioners have no fear of
being punished. The cattlemen have
been forced to this, and more hangings
will follow unless there is less thieving.