The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-03-14
MhSSACRED ITALIANS.
Colorado I,ynchers Add Two More
to Their List of Victims.
SIX LIVES SACRIFICED FOR ONE

In the Murder OF Hixon Riddled with
Bullets by Two Masked Men as They
Crowded tn Their Prison Cell. III
WAIIEyBURG, Colo, March 14-Four
dead bodies arc now in the hands OF the
coroner of Hueriane county asthe result
of the vengeance wreaked Tuesday night
on the italian miners who were charged
with the killing OF Abner Hixon in most
brutal manner at Rouse, last Sunday
night by beating him over the head with
club, and two more Italians have I'M
auestlonably been riddled with bullets
by friends OF the popular saloon keeper, A
few hours will almost certainly bring the
discovery of the corpscs and every man
against whom there is the slightess sus-
picion of completely in the killing has met
with summary and frightful punishment.
Three of the four bodies are those OF
Hixon's alleged assailants; the fourth Is
that of Joe Welsby, who was driving four
of the Italians to Jail in wagon when he
met his death The dead are (the first four
being In the hands of the coroner):
Antonio Lorenzo, charged by the coro-
ner's jury to have struck the blow which
crushed Hixon's skull and caused his
death, "a years of age, unmarried, an ltal-
ian citizen.
Stanislau yettari, 80 years of age, mar
ried, wife and three children in Italy; in
tention of becoming an American citizen
declared.
Francisco Penchetto 81 years of age I'M
married; intention of becoming an Amer
lean citizen declared
Joe Welsby, 30 years. unmarried.
Pictro Giacabino "a years of age; young
son living here; said to have taken out
first papers.
Antonio Apetto, "a years of age mar
ried; wife and three children in Italy;
first papers taken out.
Though tho mob commenced its work
Tuesday evening, 1t was not until yester-
day morning that the work Of revenge was
completed, after having killed three OF the
suspected homicidcs and brought death to
the young wagon driver, whohad nothing
to do with the killing of Hixon.
When the three Italians captured from
the wagon at Bear Creek bridge, where
Wclsby was killed, had been made way
with, the small but determined mob
waited for the excitement to subside, and
then camo to the county Jail here, and a
few minutes before II, m. completed the
work of revenge they had commenced six
hours before. Pcnchetto, who had been
wounded in the breast at the Bear Greek
trouble, was found asleep in the calaboose
with Lorenzo.
The guards placed at the jail, William
Smith and Henry Farr where playing
cards when a rap came at the outer door
of tho jail They asked who was there,
and were told it was Sheriff O'Malley.
Without Il moments hesitation they I'M
barred the entrance, and instead of seeing
O'Malley they looked down the barrels OF
two reyolyers in the hands of two masked
men. The experiences OF Others earlier in
the night taught them to obey the com
mand to throw down their pistols and
throw up their hands.
While the first two men covered Farr
and Smith with their pistols, another pair,
with their faces hidden by handkerchiefs,
and carrying big guns in their hands,
| stalked in. One OF the last arrivals picked
up the keys to the cell in the jail, and, go
| ing back into the building, unlocked the
door where lay the now trembling ltal-
ians, who felt sure their time had come,
and in their broken English begged pit
eously for mercy.
The avengers had no mercy for the
doomed Italians In the cell with them
was Frank Ok, who ia charged with a
brutal rape. He was gruffiy told to stand
aside and skunk into IA corner OF the cell,
The masked men then turned their pts,
tolls loose on the Italians, who shricked in
agony as bullet after bullet was sent tear
ing into their defenseless bodies One OF
the first shots must have brought relief to
Lorenzo, whom the men seemed to regard
with especial hatred, as the officially de
elarcd murderer for their leaden balls
were sent into his brain.
Penchetto was not so fortunate. One
bullet passed through his head and two
tore great holes in the thoracic cavity, but
instant death was not to be his good for
tune, for he writhed and groancd in in
tense agony for as much rs twenty min
utcs, when the yigilantcs felt their work
was surely done, and turned away, leaving
their victims writing in their own and in
one another's blood, while the covering
brute who had seen it all was too terrified
to uttgr u sound.
When the last bullet had been fired that
was thought necessary to avcnge one
death with six, the men who had done the
latest piece of killing walked out from the
Jail into the dark night. moment or
two later the keepers Of the two guards
backed out through the door and closed it
behind them. FAIR and Smith now picked
up their own revolvers and fired five shots
through the heavy wooden door after the
rctreating men, Summnning up courage,
they peered out in a few seconds, and see
ing six or eight men making off on foot
across the railroad tracks, they shot at
them until they were out of sight.