New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-25
STAGE ROBBERS LYNCHED.
CHARLES AND JOHN lHUCcTIFS PUT IO
DEATH BY A MOB IN CALIFORNIA.
THE BRUTAL MURDER OF wELLs-FARGO MIS-
sENGER RENENGED-INCIDENTS THAT IN
FLAMED PEACEFUL COMMUNITY
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TgIBUNE.1

rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TgIBUNE-1
ReddInr. Cal. July 24.--When the Weavcryille
stag, was robbed last May bv two masked men
and the express messenger, " Buck" Montgomery
one OF the bravcst men in the Wes-Fargo service
was killed and two other men wounded, the
people Of Roddng declared that should the robbers
Ike caught they would be lynchcd. Charles Ruggles
was captured the following day, but he WAS
Thought to lie mortally wounded so popular ven
geance stayed its hand. lie recovered in q It"
davs but feeling had cooled and there was no more
talk of lynching Just a month after his capture
his brother John was run down, and aiter
savage fight was arrested. John also was thouVilV
TO he fatally injured, as he was shot in the n'0h
by constable while resisting arrest lie ral'ic''
however. and was taken to Rcdding. Here ne
has shown cynical contempt for all law al"
decency lie declared that he felt no reinorse i''
killing Montgomery, as any man deserved ~
shot like dog who would hire hlmseli 10 Nn'''
others He also refused TO tell where Hc n"'
hidden the So. 900 in bullion that he stoe Ho"'
the express box, as he said he needed TINS ihon'S
10 pay lawyers and TO strengthen his pun
His father is wealthy Tuare ranch'r anu "iU
everything in his power to help his poSS " "''
10 this the prosecution showed no energy III P.,' P
ina tho case AGAINST the brothers and their lie
in jail was enlivcncd by the attentions oil mum
hor of sentimental young women who brought
the prisoners fruit, cake and other dellcaces' anu
EXPRESSED much sympathy for them Fully two
weeks ago the Sheriff warned them not 10 tam
and 10 beg their female friends to bc less AZ
tentivc. a> he feared the growing anger oi 'he
community would result in lynchlng. WhaJ III
creased the popuar excitement was that STACY
robhcr one Jones' who looted a stage near Shas'a
recently. had escaped the gallows, and that 'h'
widow Of the messenger, Montgomery, shot by 'he
elder Rugglcs is dependent for support ot her-
self and little children on the express company
All these causes combined 10 arouse excitement anu
carried away 10y it, a mob early thus Sunday
morning broke open the Jail, took out the Rug
glcs brothers and lynchcd them
4 more cold-bloodcd and brutal crime than the
STAG, robbery and murder for which the Rugglcs
brothers were lynchcd IL would be dilrult J."
find On the evening Of May ! last the Weaver
vile stage was stopped near Redlng hy Nv"
masked men. one ordered the driver To throw
ont tho cXprcss boxes. which hc did. As the
second roblcr advanced to get the boxes the eA-
prcss messenger. Bucl, Montgomery fired on the
first robler and brought the fellow To his knees
Loth robbers returned the fire. The dnNer ana
passenger on the box sat were "ouhd'i ny s.",
from the gun of tie robbrr VINO had hai''I Wv wv
Stage while Montgomery Was m'rhHN ""nH"'',
hy the second rObbcr. The hOTscS ran away. ana
th, lat seen OF tie robbers. they wcfc dfae-lh-
the cNpr~S boxes into the bushes. M"h'-"nrIN
died soon after reaching Rcdling, surrounded
by his weeping wife and children. lie was a
great fayoriic and every man IN town VINO como
get gun turned out IN the Srhrcn Tor tn' Ip'
hers Charles Rugglcs the younger OF the brot'rIs
wno ordered thr stage 10 halt ana who "ouh'T'I
the driver and passenger, was captut'h on u"
following day near the scene "i ,le IoI",'
lie was halfcrazcd from wounds in the head, ana
had been left 10 die by his brother. lie slowly
recovered. and in u few DAYS confessed that Ms