People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-01-19
A TRIPLE LYNCHING.
THREE MEN HANGED TO A
BRIDGE AT RUSSELL, KAN.
j. G. Burton, William Gay and His Son
John Strung Up for the Foul Murder
of Fred Denniny-A Mob Perfectly Or
ganized in Every Detail

RUSSELL, Kan, Jan. ia terrible
exhibition of prairie justice was seen
here Saturday night when three men,
j. G. Burton, William Gay and his son,
John Gay, were lynched by deter
mined mob The men were held guilty
OF the murder of Fred Dinniny last
July. Dinniny lived with T. w. Bur-
ton on farm eleven miles north, and
July 9 he disappeared. Burton had
his team and even wore some of his
clothes, but claimed that Dinniny had
gone to Oklahoma with young Gay.
Gay returned a short time ago, and,
on close questioning, confessed that
Burton had poisoned Dinniny. The
elder Gay attempted to point out the
place of burial, but failed. Burton
then made a confession that the Gays
killed him, and Thursday took the
sheriff to corn-feld IN a ravine where
the body decomposed, mutilated,
skull crushed, was found Indigna-
ton ran high, and it was with diff
Guilty the three men could be got back
to the Jail, where they had been con-
fined since their arrest late in De-
cember.
Saturday night two men from the
Burton farm came into town and were
reinforced by farmers from all parts
of the country. The party appeared
to have been picked, for there were
only about 1870 in all when, at md
night, they surrounded the little Jail
and demanded the prisoners. This
was refused by the sheriff, but
the parley was short The mob easily
forced their way into the Jail and
dragged out the terrified trio from
their cells.
The mob was cool and apparently
well organized and made no attempt
at cOncealment, though there were
many onlookers. They took the men
out through the streets and guarded
them with jealous care leading them
along the Union Pacific track. A
short distance from town a little
prairie stream is crossed by the rail
road and wagon road, about 100 rods
east of the Russell depot.
To the bridge over this the mob
went and placed the trembling
wretches near the edge. Ropes were
ready and one was put around the
neck of each of the men and tied to
the stringers. There was no time for
prayers or pleadings but at signal
all three were pushed off the edge and
dropped eight or ten feet with al. the
precision of a professional hanging.
To make sure of carrying out their
purpose the mob fired two shots into
each body, although death came
quickly by the rope. Then the lynch
ers rode away quietly and the bodies
swung cold and stiff.
When morning came, passengers on
the east bound express train had a
PLAIN view OF the bodies as they hung
from the high bridge. Hundreds Of
people gathered around, out it was
not until 1880 that the bodies were
cut down. The coroner at once held
an inquest and without delay the Jury
returned a verdict that deceased came
to their death at the hands of persons
unknown.
There is little sympathy felt for the
victims. The murder was cruel and
heartless one, and the murdered man
had many friends Ever since his dis.
appearance suspicious have grown
more pointed, and the three men
lynched were considered guilty. Thei,
mutual recriminations and cross con.
LESSONS convinced the people that all
OF them were guilty, and during the
past week, and while the inquest over
Dinniny's remains were being held
attention has been given almost ey-
eluSively to the matter. The trivial
booty secured and the evidence Of
mutilation given bv the bod robbed
the murderers of all sympathy
1t is not likely that an attempt will
be made to prosecute the lynchers.