The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-08-27
FOUR DEAD bad MEN
The Town Of Yreka Was Reminded Of
Its Early Days.
HOW A MOB DID THE JOB
Between Two Locust Trees the
Bodies of the Criminals We're
Strung Up In Good Old
Judge Lynch Style.

ITthdt Sdi., aug. so.-rouT HluIueIeIS
were taken out of the county Jail by a
mob of $50 men at o'clock this morn
ing and lynched. A band Of citizens
fearing that the law would not be car
ried out and angered over the atrocity
OF recent crimes. determined to take
matters into their own hands. The
lynching was a CHASTITY climax to. the
reign OF lawlessness which had pre-
vailed in Siskiyou county for some
months past. One OF the victims was
Lawrence Johnson, who, on the even
ing of July IS, stabbed his wife to death
In the town Of Etna. Another was
william Null. who shot Henry Hayter
in the back with q rifle near Gala
hans on April q. Louis Moreno and
Garland Semler, who are supposed to
have killed George Sears and Casper
Meirerhans at Bailey Hill on August 5.
were also hanged.
At II o'clock last night farmers from
all the surrounding country began to
drive into the town, and by midnight
the mob was ready to march to the
county Jail. Before taking step, how
ever, every precaution was taken to
prevent the plans Of the lynchers from
being frustrated by the officers of the
law. The sheriff and one of his depu-
ties were decoyed to another part of
the town by two members Of the mob
who were engaged In q sham fight and
the fire bell was muffled to prevent an
alarm from being given in that way.
When the jail was reached a number
Of the men. all Of whom were masked.
awakened Under Sheriff Radford and
demanded the keys from him. He re-
fused to open the door or give the keys
up. telling them that II they broke In
the doors. he would blow their brains
out. Finding that Radford was deter
mined not to give up the keys they
went across to the jail and got on top
of the stone wall which surrounds the
Jail.
Deputy Sheriff Henry Brantlacht,
who has been sleeping in the jail since
the commitment of so many murderers.
thinking some one was escaping from
the Jail, fired two shots out of the win
dow to alarm City Marshal Parks and
| Deputy Sheriff Radford. He then OPEN
ed the doors and was Immediately held
up by the mob. who took the keys from
him and entered the Jail. Having no
keys TO the different cells they were
compelled to burst the locks with a
sledge hammer. which they proceeded
| to do at once. Lawrence H. Johnson
was the first to receive the attention
Of the mob. They broke the lock from
the door Of his cell and placing a rope
around his neck. led him out Of the
Jail and across the street to where the
iron rail was laid between the forks Of
two locust trees. johnson pleaded for
mercy, but the silent gathering gave
no heed to his appeals and he was
quickly strung up, dying from strang-
ulation in a few minutes. The mob re-
turned to the Jail and next broke into
the cell Of william Null. Null desired
| to make a statement, but time was too
valuable to permit any such prelimi-
naries, and he was soon hanging along
side of Johnson. Louis Moreno was
then taken from his cell and was soon
swinging with Johnson and Null. The
last and youngest of the four murder
ers to pay the penalty Of his crime was
Garland Semler. aged about 10. The
rope was placed around Semler's neck
and he was led from the Jail in his
bare feet. Semler begged for mercy,
and his last words were Tell my dear
old mother l am innocent of the
crime" About this time Sheriff Hobbs
having been notified, arrived on the
scene. and starting for the Jail door,
was commanded to halt, the command
being emphasized by the display OF
several revolvers. He was told that
the lob had been done"
BY this time the greater part Of the
mob had dispersed, leaving only about
30 or 40 men on guard. who soon left
after the sheriff arrived. The bodies
were taken down by Coroner Schofeld
and Marshal Parks, who removed
them in a wagon to the engine house.
where they were laid side by side. The
coroner has summoned jury to hold
an inquest.
Yreka Is a little mining town and
years ago was frequently the scene Of
mob violence. The summary manner
in which justice was meted out to the
four murderers this morning reminded
the pioneers of similar scenes during
the gold excitement. 40 years ago. when
1t was not an uncommon spectacle to
awaken in the morning and see the
body OF a notorious criminal dangling
from a tree.