The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-10-01
]. W. Smith Mortally Shoots His
Wife and Kills His Child.
THE MURDERER CAPTURED AND
PUT TO DEATH
San Joaquin Valley Experiences a Very
severe Thunder and Lightning and
Windstorm, Causing One Fatality
A Thirteeu-Y ear-Old Boy Commits
Suicide at Ashland, Blowing the
Top of His Head Off With an Old
Fashioned Musket.
Special to the RECORD UNION.

special 10 the RECoRD-UNIoN.
DUNsMUIR, Sept. 3d.. w. Smith, q
carpenter who has been working in
Dunsmuir this summer, took his wife
and little daughter down to Castella, six
miles below here, last evening, and in the
night MORALLY wounded his wife, killed
his child and attempted suicide
When j. w. Smith and family got of
the train last evening at Castella they
went to Mrs. Mullen's and engaged lodg-
1ngs and board for a week, but when
shown to the rooms Smith refused to stay
In them, acting all the while like a crazy
man. He took his wife and daughter to
tent in the brush and timber in the back
of the house, where some party had been
camping. They thought the tent would
do, and save expense.
About 10 O'Clock shot was heard, and
from that time on the shooting was kept
up till daylight. J. w. Smith then
brought bundle in a blanket and laid it
on the porch in front of the store. The
storekeeper, noticing blood on the bundle,
laid back the wrappings, and was horri-
fed at seeing the mutilated form of lit
tie girl. One side of her body had been
blown and torn away by the shooting,
and her throat was cut, nearly severing
her head.
j. w. Smith was walking around in a
dazed condition.
In few minutes Mrs. J. W. Smith
came tottering toward the store, her left
arm and shoulder being shot away. She
was put to bed by Mrs. Mullens. She
said that she gave Smith two revoIyers
and shotgun. and that they agreed for
him to kill the child first and then to kill
her, and last himself. She said vigil
lance committee was after them, and that
they wanted to Getaway from them. She
was very weak, but seemed rational
Smith seems to have made an effort to
kill himself, but the charge only grazed
and blackened one side of his head. He
was arrested and tied down to the floor
in the store.
The family came to Dunsmuir from
Sisson. Their neighbors here speak well
of them. Others say that she wanted to
leave him and take her child with her.
They had not always been harmonious,
and he said after he was arrested that he
took his family away from Dunsmuir to
murder them, being afraid to do so in
this town.
Mrs. Smith was bright and nicely
appearing lady, and the little girl, Years
old, was lovely child. Smith has been
a common drunkard.
DR.. Treloan, Just in from the scene.
says Mrs. Smith will die this evening
and that the prospects are fair for a lynch
ing tonight. Smith is playing crazy.
SMITH LYNCHED.
DUNsMUIR, Sept. 30.-J. w. Smith was
lynched this evening by regulators. He
thanked the crowd for doing it.
AS the south-bound express left Duns-
muir at o'clock this evening about fif-
teen men boarded it with rope, and ev-
erything was ready for quick work, and
as soon as the train slackened speed at
Castella they jumped off and rushed up
to where the Deputy Sheriff of Shasta
County stood with a guard and Smith.
They were ready to board the train and
take the prisoner to Redding. With
drawn pistols the party forced the Dep
uty Sheriff and guard to stand aside. and
while some of the party kept the officers
covered, the others took Smith short
distance away and hanged him to an GA k
tree. Within ten minutes after the train
halted Smith was dead man.
Before being lynched he said: Gentle
men, [ deserve it; did wrong" Before
nightfall the avengers were back in their
homes.
Some believe that it was Smiths threat
ening that made Mrs. Smith tell the story
of their agreement to murder the child
and then herself. Mrs. Smith passed
away at 7:30 this evening.