The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-01-18
TRIPLE LYNCHlNC.
c.F and Stark Swing tho Bodies
 of Three Murderers.
cprVSOIE SIGHT AT RUSSELL, KAN,
u., rrutnl Killing of Fred Dennlny Is Avenged by Neighboring Farmers The Little Jail Easily
 Stormed.

r1.ssrIL. Kan, Jan. 15.-A terrible exhibition of prairie justice was seen t,r, saturday night when three men, f. Eurton. William Gay and his son, I,bn Gay, were lynched by a deter mined mob. The men were held guilty of ,he murder of Fred Dinniny last rrlv Dinniny lived with T. w. Burton nm n farm eleven miles north, and July obe disappeared Burton had his team and even wore some of his clothes, but claimed that Dinniny had gone to Okla boma with young Gay.
 Cav returned short time ago, and, on close questioning. confessed that Eurton had poisoned Dinniny. The elder Gay attempted to point out the rIace of burial, but failed. Burton then made confession that the Gays killed him, and on Thursday took the sheriff to a cornfield in ravine where tbe body, decomposed and mutilated, with the skull crushed, was found. Indignation ran high, and it was with difficulty that the three men could be got back to the jail, where they had been COullcu SluCS NASAA bAl AuNS 'N December.
 Saturday night a number of men from the vicinity of the Burton farm came into town and were reinforced by farmers from all parts of the country, The party appeared to have been ptcked, for there were only about lS( in all when, at midnight, they sur rounded the little jail and demanded the prisoners This was refused by the sheriff, but the barley was short The mob easily forced their way into the iail and dragged out the terrified trio from their cells.
 The mob was cool and apparently well organized and made no attemp at concealment though there were many onlookers. They took the meI out through the streets and guarded them with jealous care, leading then along the Union Pacific track. A shor distance from town, a little prairie stream is crossed by the railroad ant wagon road, about 100 rods east of th' Russell depot.
 To the bridge over this the mob wen and placed the trembling wretche near the edge. Ropes were ready an one was put around the neck of eacI of the men and tied to the stringers There was no time for prayers or plead ings, but at a signal all three wer pushed off the edge and dropped eigh or ten feet with all the precision of professional hanging.
 To make sure of carrying out thei purpose the mob fired two shots int each body, although death cam quickly by the rope. Then the lynct CTS rode away quietly and the bodie swung cold and stiff.
 When morning came passengers O the east bound express train had plain view of the bodies as they hun from the high bridge. Hundreds ( people gathered around, but it was nc until 1O:3O that the bodies were ct down. The coroner at once held an il quest and without delay the jury r turned a verdict that deceased came their death at the hands of persons u known.
 There is little sympathy felt for u victims. The murder was crslel ar heartless one, and the murdered ma had many friends. Ever since his di appearance suspicious have grown mo pointed, and the three men lynch' were considered guilty. Their mutu recriminations and cross confession convinced the people that all them were guilty, and during u past week, and while the inquest ov Dinniny's remains were being held, a tention has been given almost excl sively to the matter The trivial boo secured and the evidence of mutilatiC given by the body robbed the murde CTS of all sympathy.
 It is not likely that any attempt W be made to prosecute the lynchers-