The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-19
NO ONE WAS LYNCHED,
The Monte Cristo Rumor En-
tirely Without Confirmation.
EXCEPT FROM A SCARED BOY.
Two Men Direct From the Scene Heard
Nothing Of Any Trouble.
EXCEPT FROM A SCARED BOY.
Person-Snohomish County Offcers
Start for the Mountains, but Turn


Of the alleged lynching on the line OF the
Monte Cristo railroad. When part of the
way up they met two men who had Just
come from the end of the line. They said
that no lynching had taken place They
had heard reports. but at the upper end of
the line it was said that the lynching
took place near GeteheiI. Messrs
Hagan and Heffner returned this
evening. satisfied that the report is hoax.
They are we'll acquainted with the men
whom the met, and say they are to be re-
lied upon. The report probably originated
from the affair on the Great Northern,
near the tunnel, two weeks ago. An
Italian struck boss with pick, from the
effects of which he died the first of this
week. The Italian escaped.
SEpRo, June 18.-[Special Edward
Latham. a boy who lives in this city. ar
rived this morning from Smiths camp on
the Monte Cristo road, where John Mel
son, the Swede boss, was murdered and
four of the Italian murderers lynched.
Latham is young boy, and he went up
lived here at his home and
had promised him an easy
job. Last Monday morning he saw Ne!-
N.
100 Italians, and was a great big fellow,
able TO handle half dozen ordinary men.
Latham was driving a team at another
part of the work some distance up the cut.
1t was about noon when the trouble oc-
CURED. Latham tells this story:
He heard commotion down the cut, and sew
eTal OF the men in his gang left and went to see
what was the matter. They were gone an hour
nearly and came back 10 work much excited
and told him in snatches the story OF
the murder and lynching. Nelson was
alone at the time, other white men being
near him. About twenty white men were work
Ing down the curve, just out of sight OF the
gang with Nelson They heard a commoton
and one OF them went UP and looked over. He
Nelson lying dead on the ground with
crowbar Though his body and six or
eight 1ralians quarreliDg and gesticulatng cx.
citedly. The maa gave the alarm and the
twenty white men swarmed into the pit. Sew
eral Italians escaped, but four were surrounded
a hurried consultation was held and the four
men were taken to 3 tree near by in the woods
and hung. gang was left TO bury them and
the rest wen. back to work.
Young Latham was scared very much.
as he is a boy about 15 years old, and as
the pack train TO Saak City was about to
start, he got his celthos, jumped on the
wagon and came away. He says that the
Italians in the camp greatly outnpmber the
Americans, and that they are treacher-
Gus lot. After the murder of his friend
Nelson he did not feel safe at ALL for Mel
son was liked by ali the men. and his
murder was SO daring that it set the camp
into the widest excitement. Lathan's
story is not generally believed.
MOUNT VERNON, June 1S-ISpecial /
y11rr ha
supposed scene of the lynching at Smith
Bros camp on the Monte Cristo road.
Unless some new evidence comes soon the
lynching will be put down as myth. All
the stories Of eye-witnesses published so
far are either creations of imaginative
prospectors or correspondents, for only
first information of the lynch
ing, has come to this city
since Monday Bressler got his informa-
tion from only one man in the camp, and
although he met several of the men while
he was there, none of the others spoke to
him about the affair He believed the
story, however, and thought that the rea-
son the men did not Vk much about
it was that they had probably
been instructed not to talk. Jacob
wagon between Sauk CITY and the
camp, told of the lynching to several per-
sons, but although be had been right at
the supposed scene of the tragedy he had
no particulars, in fact his information
stopped exactly where Bresslers story
stopped Taking everything into con-
sideration, it is doubtful whether the
lynching occurred. 4 day or two more
49, g. rgt-
is forty miles from Sauk and the
pack trains take five days to make the
round trip. From Sauk TO Mount Vernon
is fifty miles, about half of which is made
by stage or by the river, so that news
comes down slow indeed. There is no
such person as James DIETRICH whose
story was given in today's Te'egrGoh
ROME. June 1s-The Trijp,la. comment
ing upon the story from Seattle that four
Italian railroad laborers had been ivnched
for killing foreman. urges the govern
ment 10 make inquiry, and if Il proved 20
he another wanton attack on Italians TO
make strong protest to the government
Of the United States.
W NJ Macintosh, who has been in carnp in
tho mountains q short distance beyond Smith
Bros camp. arrived in the city last evening,
snd said IN regard 10 the reported murder and
lynching:
81 heard the rumor at our camp on Thursday
evening. 4 man came up TO our camp who had
come through smith Bros. camp, and he said
that teaus.er below had tod him the story
lie told IL sub stantiaIly as X was published
in the observation-disclosures. starten down on
Friday morning and stopped az smith Bros
camp. I did not say anything to the Smiths
about the rgmor. feeling some delicacy about
,,,.f
about *. They did not seem troubled about
aayth.ng. however, FOR they were IN
tne.r usual good spirits had
occasion 70 call ST their store and asked the
s.ocs-Eeeper whether there han been any trouble
among the men and he answered NO in a
tone OF surprise which carr!eQ conviction TO my
Mind"
g. 4 SPENCER, the Italian yice-caasul IN this
city yes terd ~ received the following telegram:
SAE FEANcIsco. June III beg YOU - see II
the news concerning tie lyaChiug Of four
Ztaiaua = @edro IS correct. and IN case II is 50
90 inform me Of the details and the stems taken
by the competent authorities 70 prosecute.
MARAZZi
Acting Consul General Ita,ian Government.
italian Con>ul-Gaaerai Br7uche, OF san Fran
cisco is on his wav to this city, bus not on a,!y
business connected with the reported lvuching
2fr. spencer saws that he VIII rot take any ac-
tloa until he receives more def rite information
thEa has vet reached him. he Is Of tie opinion
there Was no lyncAiag.
,. Il. W.iusms and William C. Butler, who
leil Monte Crisso on Monday afternoon a. 4