St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-15

Pushed From Bridge-Bul-
lets Fired Into Their Bodies
Their Crime an Atrocious MUIR
der.
RUSSELL, Kan, Jan. IA mob of
about twenty men entered the Jail last
night. took out j. q. Burton. William
Gay and his son, John Gay, and hung
the trio to a small railroad bridge a
snort distance east of the depot in this
city, between the hours of l and
O'Clock. Abont midnight the residents
or the north part of town heard party
OF fifteen or twenty horsemen come i'll
from the north. They left their horses
at the stockyarda, where plans were
arranged, and the mob proceeded to the
Jail. A few citizens who happened TO
De out late noticed the suspicious ac-
tlonS Of the mob, but were powerless 70
thwart the purpose of such a deter
mined band of armed men, and watched
the proceedings from a safe distance.
NO officers were aroused or even were
aware of what was going on until early
morning, SO quiet were the actions of
of the mob. Orders were given by
signs and
oBEYED WITHOUT A WORD
Deing spoken. The Jail is small
wooden building surrounded by an
eight-foot board fence. In the jail were
two steel cells, in which the prisoners
were confined. Guards were placed
about the Jail, and it was but the work
OF moment for the balance of the mob
TO gain an entrance to the jail building.
About this time Burton gave few loud
yells and asked what they wanted with
him. The masked mob began to
break off the lock Of the 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 guard, who were watching
the jail. The two Gays were then taken
and marched to the bridge where Bur
ton had been left. Ropes were placed
around their necks and each given
chance to speak. Burton said he could
tell lots about his stealing cattle,
selling whisky and other things. but
when asked to tell about the Dinning
murder, replied: mo sir" Young
Gay
MADE A PRAYER,
and said Burton had killed Dinning
with an ak. Old Man Gay stated: 1--WE
were led into this" The leader then
ciapped his hands three times, and
quick as q flash 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 to breathe
heavily several times. when several
shots were fired into his body. Each of
the others also had bullet sent into
him. The mob then 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 Dining. The crime for which the
men were lynched was the killing of
Fred Dinning in July last on the Bur-
ton place, about twenty miles northeast
of this city. Inquiries regarding draft
payable to Dining and his mysterious
disappearance led to an investigation
and the the arrest of Burton. When
closely questioned as to the where
abouts of Dining, Burton SAID he had
GONE TO OKLAHOMA
with young man named Gay. A few
weeks ago young Gay returned, and was
at once arrested. Then followed num-
ber of confessions from all three, which
differed materially as to details and the
location of tho hnAu hut oh
clusively that each had participated in
the crime, although Burton denied all
knowledge that Dinning had been
killed by the Gays. After several fruit
less efforts to find the body. as located
by the Gays, Burton pretended to have
a dream, in whicn the spot where
DinniDg was buried was revealed
to him. and that, after the dream,
he remembered when plowing to
have seen spot that would indicate
grave, which taken in connection with
his dream, convinced him he could To-
cate the body in company with the Off
GERS. Burton was taken to the part of
the county and another search was
made at the place designated by him,
and the body was found. The skull
had been crushed by dull instrument.
At the coroner's inquest, which
closed yesterday, verdict was
rendered. finding that Dinning had
been murdered by William Gay, and
that John Gay and Burton were
accessories. The evidence tended to
show Dinning had been killed by Will
lam Gay at the instigatlon of Burton,
and that he was killed by being struck
on the head with the back of an ak.
The motive for killing appears to have
been to obtain property valued at $500
or S400. Dol btless one of the causes
that led to IT, mob's action was the ex-
is.ence of an organized gang, of which
these parties. were supposed to be
members, ar, as Burton was one of the
leaders among them, it would be easy
to procure testimony to clear them.
Stockmen have been suffering from the
depredations of this gang for several
years past, and it was not considered
safe for any person to cause the arrest
and conviction of any member of the
gang.