Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-10-15
THEKENTUCKY WAY
Another Blue Grass Lynch
ing on Saturday.
HE WAS A WEALTHY MAN.
He Had Killed Three Men in the
Past Six Months,
THE EXECUTION WAS ORDERLY
The Mob slmp,s Pit Rope Around
Morton's Neck and Made Him Jump
aud Hang Himself Then Riddied
His Body with Duilcts--oId Teuda
May begin Again.

Louisville. Ky, Oct. IA special to
the Commercial from Arlington. Ky,
says: Another lynching was added to
the unusually large fall list of Blue
Grass lyeoAing bees. Yesterday at the
close Of the Beattyville fair Oscar Nor
ton, prominent citizen, OF stanton.
In Powell county. went on the war
path. Only two weeks ago Morton kill
ed his man at Stanton and was out on
$4,000 bond to appear next week at the
Powell circuit court. When Morton ar
rived at the fair he proceeded TO get
drunk and then went to hunt for Sher-
in William Simms. who was his deadly
enemy, a feud Of long standing having
existed between the two men, Simms
aud Morton met near the entrance to
the fair grounds, and after few words
both drew their guns. a quick eX-
change of shots followed Morton us
ing two guns. His first shot broke the
sheriff's arm at the elbow. and John
Hogg, friend Of Slmms, whipped out
his gun and Joined in the battle. When
the smoke cleared away II was found
that Sheriff simms was dead, having a
shot through his breast. one In his
abdomen and another through his arm.
Morton was shot through the neck,
while Hogg was unhurt Before "A
crowd could collect. Morton WAS hus-
tied to the county jail and placed under
guard
The people became Infatuated and n
big meeting was held at once ON the
square. Colonel John Drummond
mounted barrel md made a speech
in which he said that the murderer
must be hanged and that the work
must be done quickly and in perfect or
der. Morton had killed two men In
less than two weeks time and he must
die by the rope.
a mob was quickly formed and
marched to the Jail The TALLER was
averpowered, and the keys to Morton's
cell obtained. He was found lying In
his shirt sleeves on the floor Of his
cell, and after a bitter struggle was
seized and dragged out He then be-
came very impudcnl and told the mob
he did not care what they did with him.
provided they did their work quickly.
After a short parley he was taken TO a
little bridge, some distance from town
and the rope was placed around his
neck. The leaders drew their guns,
and told him to jump or else he would
be riddled with bullets. Turning
around the doomed man cursed his
captors and utterlng wild imprecatlons.
leaped into space The jump broke his
neck and after dangling in the air for
some minutes he became still and a
volley OF shots were iired into him.
The mob then disappeared and the
body was left hanging from the bridge.
AT noon today II was still there.
None Of the mob made any attempt to
conceal their Identity and the hang
ing was conducted with as much for
mnllty as II 1t had been n legal affair.
The dead sheriff was only recently mar
rled and leaves young wife. The
murderer was a wealthy man who lived
at Stanton. He has killed three men.
Coming to the fair he attempted to kill
the fireman OF the train because he
would not increase the speed of the
locomotive he was running. This Is the
eighth lynching In Central Kentucky In
the past six months and the people
have determined to put down murder
II they have to take law Into their own
hands every time a man Is killed.
Morton's relations are lncensed over
the lynching and i may be that some
OF the old feuds will be reopened.