River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-01-18

THREE ARE lYNCHED.
Vengeance of n Kansas Mob on a Band
of Nurderers.


of Nurderers-
RUSSELL, Kan, Jan. 10. For two
horses. saddle, watch, some clothes
and $50 four lives have beeen given.
The first was that of Frederick Dim
ming, whose disappearance last sum-
mer aroused the whole country.
The other three were .aken by
lynch law Sunday morning. These
were: William Gay, a settler, aged
30; his son John, aged 80, and
half-witted; and J. q. Burton, bach
elor and stock dealer living near Lucas.
ten miles northeast mob of one
hundred determined men entered the
Jail here between and s o'clock Sum
day morning, took out the three pris
oners and hanged them to a small rail-
road bridge short distance east OF
the depot in this city.
The crime for which they were
lynched was the killing of Fred Dim
ming IN July last on the Burton place,
20 miles northeast of this city. Inquiry
regarding draft payable TO DINING
and his mysterious disappearance led
10 an investigation and the arrest of
Burton. When closely questioned as
20 the whereabouts of Dining Burton
said he had gone to Okla IONA with
young man named Gay. A few weeks
once arrested.
Then followed a number of confes-
sions from all three which differed
materially as to details and the loca-
ton of the body, but appeared TO
show conclusively that each had
participated in the crime. although
Burton denied all knowledge that
Dining had been killed by the
Gays. After several fruitless efforts to
find the body Burton pretended to have
dream in which the spot where Din.
after the dream he remembered when
blowing corn to have seen q
spot that would indicate grave
This, taken in connection with
his dream, convinced him he could
locate the body. In company
with the officers Burton was taken to
that part of the county and another
search was made at tie place desig-
mated by him and the body was found
in badly decomposed state. 1t showed
that the skull had been crushed with a
blunt instrument.
At the coroner's inquest, which closed
Saturday, verdict was rendered find
ing that Dining had been murdered
by William Gay and that John Gay and
j. G.. Burton were accessories. The
evidence tended to show that Dining
had been killed by being struck Oh the
head with the hack of an ak. The mo-
tive for the killing of Dining appears
to have been for his property, valued
at $500 or $780,
At 2 o'clock Sunday morning resi-
dents of the north part of town heard
IA party of horesmen come in from the
north They left their horses at the
stock yards, where plans were ar
ranged, and the mob proceeded to the
Jail. Orders were given by signs
and obeyed without a word be-
ing spoken. The Jail is a small
wooden building surrounded by
an s-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 a moment for the Others of the
mob to gain entrance to the Jail build
ing. About this time Burton gave a
few loud yells and asked what they
wanted with him The masked mob
began to break off the locks from the
cells with sledges. which took some
time.
Burton was the first one taken out
and conveyed to the spot selected for
the lynching and there left under
guard. The rest of the party returned
and joined the guard watching the
Jail. The two Gays were then taken
and marched to the bridge,
where Burton had been left.
Ropes were placed around their neeks
and each given a chance to speak. Bur-
ton 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
he replied: mo. sir.
Young Gay made prayer and said
Burton had killed Dining with an AK.
Old man Gay said: 1--WE were led
into this. !"
The leader then clapped his hands
three times and quick as flash all
three were pushed off the bridge. The
Gays evidently died from strangulation,
out the moose on Burton's neck slipped
around and up over his chin and he was
heard to breathe heavily for a mo-
ment, when several shots were fired
into his body. Each of the others also
had bullet sent into him. The mob
then eft as quickly as they came, GO
ing north. The presumption is that ii
is composed of citizens from the north
part of the county, the home of the
criminals and the scene of the murder
of Dining.
Doubtless one of tie causes that Lee
to this taking of the law into their
hands was the fact of an organized gang
of thieves, of which these persons
were supposed TO be members, and
Burton one of the leaders among them.
1t would be easy to procure any
testimony that might be needed
to clear them. Stockmen especially
have been suffering from the depreda-
dations of this gang for several years
past by the frequent loss of horses, cat
tie, grain and other property, and it
was not considered safe for any person
to cause the arrest and conviction OF
bar 81 shia