The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-31
A WOMAN LYNCHED.
KATE MAXWELL AND POSTMASTER
AvERILL PASS IN THEIR CHECKS.
Kate Was Called the Bandit-Gueen, and
She Was Terror-Eanged to Cotton
wood by Cowboys for Stealing Cattle.

and the notorious cattle queen, hate
Maxwell, were lynched by cowboys last
night. The bodies of the ''rustlerS and
range queen dangled from the same
limb of Il big cottonwood this morning.
The scene Of the lawleSS deed is on the
Sweetwater River, in Carbon County,
near Independence Rock. a landmark
made historical during the rush overland
to the California gold fields. Averill was
postmaster at Sweetwatcr. Kate Max
vel! was the beroine of a sensational
story, which appeared in the newspapers
throughout the country three months
ago. when she raided a gambling house
and recovered 4 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. Averill and his remarkable part
ner have been very active IN thleVlnS.
The woman could hold her own on the
range, riding like demon, shooting on
the slightest pretext, and handling the
lariat and branding iron with the skill
of the most expert vacquero. Fifty
freshly branded yearling steers We're
counted in the Averill and Maxwell
herds on Saturday morning. \ stock ae-
tcctivc, 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.
5verill and the woman have several
times been ordered to emigrate or cease
appropriating cattle, but they disrc-
garded all warnings. After her cele-
brated gambling house escapade, Mrs.
Maxwell desenerated from a picturesque
Western character into reckless pral-
rie virago of loose morals, and lost most
of her following, but continued part
nership with the postmaster.
Word passed along the river, and ff-
teen to twenty men gathered at a
designated place and galloped to the
cabin of Averill and Cattle Kate with
out unnecessary noise. The rusuers
were at home, and peep through a
window disclosed the thieves and boy
in their employ sitting beside a rude
fireplace smoking cigarettes. AS half
dozen men rushed into the room a VIM
chester was poked through each widow,
and command to throw up their hands
was gwen with unmistakable earnest
ness. The trio sprang for their weapons,
but were quickly overpowered.
Averill begged and whined, protest
ing his innocence; Kate cursed. Her
eXecration of the lynchers was some
thing 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 vio-
lent that this was abandoned. She
called for her own horse to ride to the
Se4sclected for scaHold, 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 was fastened about the necks
of the rustlers as they sat in their sad
dies. The boy made pass with a 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 nephew of the bandit queen.
When preparations for the hanging
had been completed Averill and the wo,
man were asked to speak. The man
spoke only of his Office, saying that ne
did not wish certain man to be his sue
cessor. The influence OF the party for
another candidate was pross him.
Kate made. quite an ~ She
wished the e.e4asef ker'eRaS |3|
sible, desiring that her moefe1 Ds Sept
in ignorance of her disgraceful career
and tragic dealh. 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 them
selves, she would like to have it sold and
the money given to home for wayward
girls. Kate bade her nephew goodbye
and commenced to deliver a blaspLe-
nous 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 fred 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, aDd more hanging
will follow unless there is less thieving.
CHEYENNE, July 23.-Averill, who
was lynched on Sunday night with the
Cattle Queen, Kate Maxwell, though
called coward and really cur, has 4
record of killing two men. One waS
shot IN the back from under cover,
The other was killed in a row over a
game of cards. No trial was had In
either case, though Averill was threat
ened with lynching, but his victims were
men of no prominence, and the TRACE
dies were soon forgotten.
The fellow was appointed postmaster
on account of the central location of his
ranch. As an official he was not entirely
satisfactory. Several men with whom
he had quarrelled had their letters sent
to a postofiice fifty miles away rather
than risk conflict with Averill.
Slrs Maxwell, whose rapid descent
since the debauch which followed the
gambling house adventure had some
what dimrncd her lustre, was character
indeed. She was once q Chicago variety
actress, but, with the adaptability of
women of her class, fell into Western
ways readily She improved vastly on
ranch life by importing race horses,
fighting dogs and sprinterS, and holding
Journeys at her place.
Her husband died mysteriouSly. 1t
was whispered that she poisoned him.
The ranch foreman, whom she had
known in the East, became proprietor
Kate was true to her lover. She re-
sented the familiarity of a drunken
Mexican by sending bullet through
him. Mrs. Maxwell took part in an In
diam war before she had been in the