Evening journal., 1895-08-27
WHOLESALE LYNCHING.
-Four Men Hanged by a Mob at
Yreka, Cal.
ALL WERE CHARGED WITH MURDER

Tho Citizens feared That the Prisoner
Would Escape Through the Laws Delay,
So They Broke Into the Jail and Hanged
Them From Tree Across the Road.
YREKA, Cal, Aug. 97.-Four murderors
were taken from the county jail by mob
OF 25O men and lynched. A band Of citi.
zens, fearing that the law would not bo
carried out and angcrcd over the atrocity
of recent crimes, determined to take mat
tors into their own hands.
The lynching was the ghastly climax to
the reign OF lawlessness which has pre-
vailed in Siskiyou county for some months
past
One OF the victims was Lawrence John
son, who on the evening of July % stabbed
his wife TO death in the town Of Etna
Another wns William Null, who shot
Henry Hayter in the back with rifle near
Callahan's on April 81.
Louis Moreno and Garland Soemler, whe
are supposed TO have killed George Sears
and Casper Meirerhans at Bailey Hill on
Aug. o, were also hanged.
At IL o'clock at night farmers from all
OF the surrounding country began Co drive
into town, and by midnight the mob was
iitAll W AltAi1n W llit Nbunil JUL DtlOIt
proceeding, however, every precaution was
taken 60 prevent the plans of the lynchers
from boing 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 mombcrs of the mob, who
were engaged I'm a shan fight, and the fire
bell was mufiled TO prevent an alarm be-
ing given in that way.
When the jail was reached, n number of
the men, all Of whom were masked, awalz-
ened Under Sheriff Radford and demanded
the keys from him. He positively refused to
open the door or to give up tho keys, tell
ing them that II they broke in the door he
would blow their brains out Finding that
Radford was determined not TO give them
the keys, they went across 20 the jail and
got on top Of stone wall which surround
cd it.
Mob Broke Into the Jail.
Deputy Sheriff Henry Brahtlacht, who
has been sleeping IN the jail since tho
commitment of so many murdorers think
ing somo ono was escaping from the jail
fired two shots out Of the window TO alarm
City Marshal Parks and Deputy Sheriff
Radford. He then opened tho 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 wero compelled to burst the locks
with % sledgehammer, which they pro
oeeded TO do at ones
Lawrence il. johnson, who brutally
stabbed his wife to death at Etna on Sun
day evening, July 2S, was tho first TO re-
oeivo the attention Of the mob. They
broke tho lock from the door Of his coll
and placing a rope around his neck led
him out of the lail and across the street TO
where the iron rail was laid between the
forks of two locust trees. johnson plead
cd for mercy, but the silent gathering
gave no heed to his appeals, and he was
quickly strung up, dying from strangula-
tiOn in q few minutes.
The mob returned to tho Jail and then
broke into the cell of William Null, who
shot Henry Hayter at Callahan's on April
81 in dispute over q mining property.
Null desired to make a statement but
time was too valuable to permit any such
proliminaries and he was soon hanging
alongside of johnson.
Louis Moreno, who was charged with
having killed George Scars on the 9TH of
this month, was taken from his cell and
was soon swinging with johnson and
Null.
The last and youngest of the four muir
dorers to pay the penalty of his crime was
Garland Soemler, aged about 10, who, in
company with Moreno was charged with
having killed Casper Meirerhans at Bailey
Hill on the 9TH Of this month. A rope was
placed around Seemler's neck, and he was
led from the jail I'm his bare feet. Seemler
begged for mercy, and his last words were,
"Tell my dear old mother 1 am innocent
OF the crime"
Held Up the Sherin.
About this time Sheriff Hobbs, having
beon notified, arrived on the scene, and
starting for the Jail door was commanded
to halt, tbo command being emphasized
by the display of several revolvers. He was
told that the "job had been done" BY
this time the greater part Of the mob had
dispersed, leaving only about 80 or 40
men ON guard, who soon left after the
sheriff arrived.
The bodies were taken down by Coroner
Schoneld and Marshal Parks who re-
moved them in wagon to an engine
house, whore 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 yio-
lence. The summary manner in which
Justice was meted out to the four murder
ers reminded the pioneers Of similar scenes
during the gold excitement 40 years ago
when it was not an uncommon spectacle
to awaken in the morning and see the