The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-28
PLEADED FOR HIS LIFE.
Miss RusSell's Words Touched
the Hearts of Stern
Stockmen.
BETR0THED TO THE OUTLAW.
She Arrived at the Mob's Rendez-
vous as the Vigilantes We're
About to Start.

SPOKANE, WASH, Sept. GA very
romantic story has just come to light re-
garding Symes, the murderer OF Constable
Conlee OF Sprague, now in jail at Ritzville.
The facts concerning the murder are still
| fresh in the minds of the public in this
section, for it was one of the most cruel
and heartless that has occurred for many
years.
Symes, for the past several years, has
been the reputed leader of large band of
cattle and horse thieves, who have been
committing many depredations through
all portions of Eastern Washington. He
has been arrested number of times, but
the trials have come up before some Justice
OF the Peace who, perhaps, sympathized
with the gang, and Symes was always re-
leased. A far better case was secured
against him and warrant issued. A few
days afterward he was seen on the streets
OF Sprague, the county seat of the adjoin-
ing county, by Constable Conlee, who at
once arrested him, and, without waiting
for the train, secured a horse and started
with his prisoner for Ritzville. On the
way, Symes in some manner got his hands
released, and, drawing a pistol out of his
| bootleg, where it had been hidden, COM
menced to shoot at Conlee. Conlee fell
from his horse, and Symes, dismounting,
shot him again and then started across the
country to escape. A large reward was
offered, but he seemed to be gone as though
the earth had opened and swallowed
him up.
A couple of months later sheep-rancher
on the Lo Lo Pass in Montana saw one of
the posters and at once recognized the
man wanted as one of his sheepherders.
Sheriff Laughlin of Missoula was notified
and Symes was captured. The crime had
caused such general i'll feeling both on &C
count of the popularity of Conlee and the
i'll feeling that for long time had been
engendering against Symes, that every one
expected Symes to be lynched either at
Sprague or Ritzville. Symes himself ex-
pected to be lynched, and, though a man
of great nerve, began to grow white and
nervous when the train crossed the Wash
ington line.
When word was received that he had
passed Sprague in safety and was behind
the bars of the Ritzville jail every one was
surprised and could not understand why
he had not been lynched. So positive, in
deed, was every one that Symes. would
swing at the end of rope without judicial
proceedings that local dailies sent out re-
porters to write up" the execution. The
full story OF the reason why he was not
lynched is just out, and, while it may
have in it touch of fiction, it is vouched
for as being true in most of its details.
The day Symes was arrested-the fatal
day for Lee Conlee-Symes had come to
CIV +<<x.
was that night to have been married to
Miss Russell, young lady living not far
from the home of Symes. The young
couple. living among the rolling hills and
deep coulees of the Big Bend country, had
met often and taken long rides across the
prairie together. The girl loved the dar-
ing. reckless man, for with her, good horse
maSship, quick eye and steady nerve
werethe qualities in man to be loved and
admired. Many time they had ridden
together between their homes.
One day little different course was
taken, and Symes took her to deep cou-
lea great hole in the ground that one
cannot see until he is upon it. The bottom
of this was reached by a narrow path hid
den by a clump Of brush so that one might
search half the day without finding it.
This coulee, he told her, was the secret
meeting place of the Stockmen's Associa-
ton; that 1t was here they laid all their
plans, and should it ever happen that they
planned injury to him. here would be the
place they would meet. The solemn words
of Symes made great impression on the
girl, ard she remembered the road well.
From that day when he kissed her
farewell she did not see him until he was
landed behind the bars at Ritzville. After
he had escaped from the scene of the
murder the thought of his intended bride
was uppermost in his mind, and he wrote
her number of letters. The girl was true
to her reckless, outlawed lover; the ties
that bind were strong, and neither act of
ms nor decree of law could break them.
She read of his capture and murmur OF
lynching. The night before he was to
pass through Sprague the murmur of i'll
feeling grew louder, and the report came
to her ears that he was to be lynched that
night. Then she thought of the deep
coulee he had shown her and remembered
that it was here injury would be planned
against him.
Without waiting to don riding habit
the girl jumped on her pony with
neither saddle nor bride and sped across
the prairie, reaching the edge of the
coulee just at dusk. On the opposite side
from the path she secreted herself and
awaited developments. She had not long
to wait. Across the prairie from different
directions she saw men riding rapidly.
After twenty or more had gone down the
little trail she tied her pony and de-
scended the bride path.
The men were planning the capture and
manner of lynchlng. The leader ives APP
pointed and all details arranged when
suddenly she stood before them. The
crowd was SO taken by surprise that not q
| person spoke. She knew every one by
name and had danced with them at coun-
| try parties. More than one of the men
who looked into her white face had tried
to win the love that had gone to the reck-
less outlaw. Miss Russell turned to
him who had been appointed the leader
and began an appeal that touched the
hearts of every one present. In twenty
minutes the band had dispersed to
Sprague to lynch Symes, but back to their
homes, and to permit the law to take its
10 hal