Evening star., 1893-07-27
THE DENVER LYNCHING. +.
Particulars of Last Nights Tragedy at the
Colorado Capital.

DENVER, Col. July 27.-Wednesday
night c. Lghtfoot, an old Grand Army
man of this city, entered a saloon in the
bottoms kept by Dan Arata, an Italian Of
unsavory fame Lightfoot asked for
glass of beer and paid for it. When he had
drank it Arata asked him to have another.
Lightfoot, supposing it to be treat, ac-
cepted, and starting to leave the place
Arata stopped him and demanded pay for
the beverage. Lightfoot did not have the
necessary money and the Italian picking
up chair, brutally assaulted him, knock
ing out the left eye at the first blow.
The murderous bartender followed him.
literally beating the poor old man who
was sixty years of age and rather childish.
nearly 10 death. But he was not quite
dead and to make sure of his victim Arata
shot him through the heart. The murderer
was arrested and placed in jail.
All day yesterday there were murmurs,
not only among the Grand Army men, but
MANY e. the
were heard. but not needed by the staid-
going people of Denver who thought that
quick Justice had passed away with the
pIoyed was called for last evening at 18th
ana Market streets. where speeches were
MADE mao deploring the present stringency in
the money market and the resultant idle
ness. When the speakers were through,
tall gray headed whiskered veteran,
the stand and said:
Follow me-"
The words were few, but everybody un-
followed the leader to the county jail. fully
a mile and a quarter distant, through mud
and slush caused by the heavy shower dur
The crowd gained members in their long
march. and before the Jail was reached full
~ 10000 were in line, and people were flock
ing in from every street, most of them
bent on seeing what was going to be done.
Arriving at the Jail the mob hesitated.
for they had forgotten to supply themselves
with sledges and other necessary tools for
breaking down the doors. Numerous calls
were made for battering rams, &c. and the
eager crowd rushed hither and thither, and
were not long in procuring the objects re-
quired.
The crowd at once attacked the Jail, and
finally battered down III the sheet iron door
At this point Capt. CreWes, the 1alior.
turned heavy stream of water upon the
men battering at the door. Although the
force of the Stream threw the angry mob
back repeatedly yet they kept on at their
work The guards inside began to fire. Al
crowd rushed in. overpowering the guards
and making them prisoners. At last Ara
ta's cell was broken into and the murderer
found crouching in the corner
Some one drew a huge knife and ripped
the murderer up the abdomen. Then the
for the rope. He was hustled out of the
Jail across the street to a cottonwood tree.
and in the dim light cast by an arc lamp
from a nearby COTneI, Was pulleu up
was asked if he had anything to say.
I'm feeble tones. bleeding from wounds on
his body, he said: Il am the man; ] killed
him In self-defense."
The murderer suddenly jerked off of
the earth and several persons drew revol-
vers and riddled his body with bullets.
heart of the city. and at 18th and Curtis
streets strung 1t up to a telegraph pole for
the ediication of those who had not been
present at the original hanging.
No arrests have been made and probably
none will be. as the general opinion is that
the lynching was justified.