The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-17
THREE STRUNG UP,
Triple Lynchihg by a Mob
at Russell, Kas.
]. G. Burton, William Cav
and Son the Victims,
Their Crime. Being the
Murder of Fred Dinninq.
LAWLESS, MIDNIGHT DEED
BY a Party or Twenty or
Thirty Armed Horsemen
Who Took the Town Entirely
by Surprise.
The Jail Small, Weak, Wood
en- Structure,
BY a Party or Twenty o
Thirty Armed Horsemen
Who Took the Town Entirel,
by Surprise.
The Jail a Small, Weak, Wood.
en- Structure,
AGOrding hut LiffIe Obstruction to
the Work of the Mob-The Crime for
Which the Men Died

RUSSELL, Kas., Jan. IA mob of
about twenty men entered the Jail last
night, took out J. fG. Burton. William
Gay and his son, John Gay, and hung
the trio to a small railroad bridge
short distance east of the depot in this
city.
About midnight the residents of the
north part of town heard a party Of fif-
teen or twenty hOrsemen come in from
the north, who left their horses at the
stock yards. where plans were arranged
and the mob proceeded to the jail.
A few citizens who happened to be out
late noticed the suspicious actions Of
the mob but were powerless to thwart
the purpose Of such a determined band
of armed men and watched the proceed
ing from a safe distance. No officers
were aroused or teven were aware of
what was going on until early morn
ing, so quiet were the actions Of the
mob. Orders were given by signs and
obeyed without a word being spoken.
The Jail is a small wooden building,
surrounded by a eight-foot board fence.
In the jail were two steel cells, in which
the prisoners were confined. Guards
were placed abort the Jail and it was
but the work of moment for the bal
ance of the mob to gain entrance to the
Jail building. The masked mob began
to break off the locks Of tho Jail with
sledge hammers.
Burton was the first one taken out
and proceeded with TO the spot selected
for the lynching and left under the
guard. the balance of the party returning
and Joining the guards, who were watch
ing the Jail. The two Gays were then
marched to the bridge, where Burton had
been left Ropes were placed around
their necks and each given a chance to
speak.
Burton said he could tell lots about
his connections with stealing cattle, sell
ing whisky and other things, but when
asked to tell about the Dining murder.
replied: NO. sir"
Young Gay made a prayer ana 6ald
Burton had killed Dining with an ak.
Old man Gay stated:
1--WE were led into this"
The leader then claped his hands to-
gether three times and. quick as hash,
all three were pushed off the bridge. The
GAYS evidently died from strangulation,
but the moose on Burton's neck slipped
around up over his chin and he was
heard 10 breathe heavily for the mo
ment. when several shots were fired into
his body. Each of the others also had
bullet sent into him.
The mob tnen left as quietly as it
came, going north. The presumption is
that it was persons from the north part
of the county, the home of the criminals
and the scene of the murder of Dinning.
The crime for which the men were
lynched was the killing of Fred Dining
in July last on the Burton place, about
twenty miles northwest Of this city. IN
quiries regarding a draft payable to
Dining and his mysterious disappear
ance led to an investigation and the ar
rest Of Burton, who implicated the other
men. Each made a confession, which
led to the finding of Dinning's body
buried I'm a field near the scene of the
murder.