The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-30
.A MOST H|DEOUS LYNCH|NG
The Sequel of Illicit Love and
Murder
THE LIMIT OF BRUTALITY
Reached by BloOdthirsty Mob Of
Kentuckians
A House Fired Over the Heads Of a Sick
Woman and Her Aged
D~~
THE LIMIT OF BRUTALITY

Associated Press Special Wire.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Dec. 29.-A special
from Lebanon, Ky. says:
Within two miles of this city last night
relentless mob burned to death a pregnant
woman and riddled with bullets her gray
haired paramour. The blackened and dis
figured corpses of the victims, Mrs. Thomas
West and William Devers, were found in
the ruins of the woInan's home today by
the fourteen-year-old daughter of the old
man.
The tragedy was one of the most brutal
ever enacted under the gruesome sway of
judge Lynch. Despite the pleadings for
her fathers life, of hGlf-clad, frightened
child, and the prayers and tears of an i'll
and helpless woman, the mob went through
with it's work with cold-blooded. cruel de-
liberation, and only left when certain that
both man and woman were dead.
The affair was the outgrowth OF the old
story of faihless wife and vengeful hus-
band. Several months ago Devers,
middle-aged widower. was accused by
Thomas West, a prosperous farmer, of in
timacy with Mrs. West. Quarrel followed
quarrel throughout the fall until West in
stituted divorce proceedings and declared
Devers must die. The men met in Leba-
non; West snapped his revolver, which
missed fire, vile Devers killed him on
the spot. On the plea of self defense the
murderer secured bail and scandalized the
neighborhood by immedia ely taking his
two daughters and moving into Vests
house. The relatives of the murdered
husband swore vengeance. and last night
it came. Close to 10 o'clock a band OF
men rode up to the West homestead and
demanded admittance.
''Tom West is dead, now it's your turn"
the spokesman called, and Devers and the
woman awoke to find their house sur
rounded. Mrs. West rushed to dark
ened window and began a wild, hysterical
plea for mercy. A dozen hu let's answered
her cries and the demand for surrender
was repeated. Devers. too, asked for a
hearing, but his request was greeted with
shower of shots.
"We'li give you ten minutes to open up,
then you burn,'' said the mob's leader.
and his men quietly retired from the door.
hurried consultation was held inside the
house, and then, white and terror stricken,
the little girl of Devers was thurst out to
plead with the mob. Clad in her night
bravely walked into the moonlight, and
sobbed out q prayer for her white-haired
fathers life.
"Get ou', you're liable to get shot your
self, ,''the ruffian said, and thoroughly fright
ened, the child fled to the cabin of negro
neighbOr.
Mrs. West then appeared at the door and
referring to her condition, made a last APP
peal for mercy. II was unavailing and in
another moment sthe house was fired.
The shrieks of the imprisoned wretches
failed To move their lorturers, who after
the flames reached the living room. could
see the man and woman in agony of death
by fire.
just before The roof fell the woman was
seen to reel across the room and plunge
headlong into the fireplace among the
burning Goals; and there she died. Wild
with pain, Devers at the last moment made
dash for jibe ", but a score of bullets
stopped him half dozen steps from the
door.
THIS morning the little girl led her negro
protector to The scene. and there the bod
les. scorched beyond recognition, were
found untouched ny The lynchers. There
is but little DOUBT that the members of the
mob will he captured. as they were with
out masks and made no attempt at Sc
cresy.
1t is not improbable that the scenes of
last night will be re-enacted in the vicinity
shortly, as the outrage has aroused the
most intense indignation among the peo.
pie of the country. Because of the fact
that Vests relatives had threatened VEN
geance there is a strong belief that they
were responsible for last nights crime.
The uncertainty. however, as to just who
was implicated has so far prevented fur
ther trouble.
i he cnllu OF DeVerS,WlO was q Witness
to the tragedy. is dangerously i'll as the re-
suit of the fright and exposure, but upon
her recovery she may be able to identify
some of the lynchers.
The scene of the horror was visited by
crowds of curious people today, and it was
we'll toward noon before the bodies were
cared for by an undertaken. Mrs. Vests
corpse was charred almost beyond human
semblance. Overcome by the flames, she
had fallen into the large ld.fashIoned fire.
place of the living room, and the head was
almost burned from the body. Devers'
body was pierced by at least twenty-five
bullets. Before his desperate dash for lib
erty he had been frightfuily burned and
would probably have died without the gun
shot wounds. His hair and beard were
burned off, his clothes were in charred
shreds and his faue was blistered and
blackened.
No arrests have SO far been made, but
developments are expected tomorrow.
Justice Nave late this afternoon held an
inquest upon the bodies of the victims.
Several witnesses re examined but moth
ing tending to iucriminate any one was
developed. The investigation will be con-
tinued tomorrow. Devers formerly lived
in Knoxville, Tennessee.