The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-12-30
A KENTUCKY HORROR.
An Erring Wife and Her Aged
Paramour Meet Death.
FEARFUL VENGEANCE OF a MOB.
zhc Woman burned TO Death in Her Home
and tho Man Riddied with Bullets as He
Flsd from the Burning Busidlng-The
Lynchers Unmasked.

The Woman Burned to Death In Her Home
and tho Man Rlddled with Bullets ~ He
Fled from the Burning Building The
Lynehers Unmasked.
LEBANON, KY, Dec 90.-Within two
miles Of this city saturday night a relent-
less mob burned TO death pregnant wo-
man and riddled with bullets hcr gray
haired paramour. The blackened and dis
figured corpses OF the victims, Mrs. Thomas
West and William Deveres, were found in
the ruins Of the woman's home yesterday
by the 14-year-old daughter Of the mtr.
dered man.
The tragedy was one Of the most brutal
ever enacted under the gruesome sway of
dread Judge Lynch. Despite the plead-
ings for her fathers life Of o half clad,
frightened child and the prayers and tears
Of the i'll and helpless woman, the mob
went through with its work, with cold
blooded, cruel dcliberation, and only left
when the man and woman were dead.
The affair was the outgrowth of the old
story of faithlcss wife and revcngeful hus-
band Several months ago Deveres, a
middle aged widower, was accused by
Thomas West, prosperous farmer, Of in
timacy with Mrs. West Quarrel followed
quarrel throughout the fall, until West In
stituted divorce proceedings and declared
that Deyeres must die. The men met in
Lebanon and West snapped his revolver,
which missed fire, and Deveres killed him
on the spot.
On the plea Of self defense the murderer
secured bail, and scandalized the neigh
borhood by Immediately taking his two
daughters and moving into Vests house.
The relatives Of the murdered husband
swore vengeance, and Saturday night 1t
came. About 10 o'clock band Of men
rode up to the West homestead and de-
manded admittance.
TON West is dead, and now it's your
turn" the spokesman called, and Deveres
and the woman awoke to find their house
surrounded. Mrs West rushed to q dark
ened window and began wild, hysterical
plea for mercy. A dozen bullets answered
her cries and the demand for immediate
surrender was repeated. Deveres, too,
asked for hearing, but his request wcs
greeted with shower of shots.
eWe'll give you ten minutes to open up;
then you burn" snid the inob's leader, and
his men quietly retired from the door. A
hurried consultation was held inside the
house, and then, white and terror stricken,
the little girl OF Deveres was thrust out to
plead with the mob Glad in her night
robe, barefooted and unprotected, she
bravely walked out into the moonlight
and sobbed out n prayer for her white
haired fathers life.
Get out; you're liable to get shot your
self" one ruffian said, and thoroughly
panic stricken the child fled to the cabin Of
negro neighbor.
Mrs West then appeared at the door
and, referring to her condition, mnde u
last appeal for mercy. 1t was unavailing,
and in another moment the house was
fred. The shrieks OF the imprisoned
wretches failed to move their torturers,
who, as the flames reached the living
room, could SEQ the man and woman in
the 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 The corpse was charred
almost beyond semblance, and the head
was almost burned from the body.
Wild with pain Devercs, at the last mo-
ment, made dash for liberty, but fusil-
iade Of bullets stopped him half dozen
steps from the door. His body was pierced
by at least twenty five bullets. Before his
desperate dash for liberty he had been
frightfulty burned and would probably
have died without the gunshot wounds.
His hair and beard were burned of, his
clothes were in charred shreds, and his
face blistered and blackened.
1t is not probable that the scenes of Sat
urday night will be re.enacted in the vi
cinity shortly, as the outrage has aroused
the most intense Indignation among the
people Of the county. Because Of the fact
that Vests relatives had threatened ven
geance, there is II strong belief that they
are responsible for the crime.
The child Of Deveres, who was witness
to the tragedy, is dangerously i'll as the re-
suit of fright and exposure, but upon her
recovery she may be able, it is hoped, to
identify some of the elynchers. The night was
brilliant with moonlight, and the I'M
masked faces of the members of the mob
should be easily identified as soon as the
child is able to appear in court