Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-08-29
AFRAID OF THE LAW
THE MOB TAKES HOLD OF THE
CASE ITSELF.
FOUR MURDERERs HANGED
Clever Seheming to Get Officers Out
of the Way Burst Open
With Sleige Hammers The Vic.
Tins Plead for Mercy to Deaf
Ears.

Yerka, Cal, Aug. 27,-Four murder
ers were taken from the county Jail
by mob of 20 men yesterday morn.
ing and were lynched, A band of citi-
zens, fearing the law would not bel
carried out and angered over thel
atrocity of the recent crimes, deter.
mined to take the matter into their
own hands, The lynching was al
CHASTITY climax TO the reign OF law.
lessness which has prevailed in Slski-
you county for some months past.
One OF the victims was Lawrence
Johnson, who on the evening Of July
IS, stabbed his wine 10 death in the
town OF Etna, Another was William
Null, who shot Henry Hayter in the
back with a rifle near Callahan's,
April - Amos Moreno and Urlandl
Seemler, who are supposed to have
Killed George Sears aud Casper Melr-
hano at Bailey hill, Aug. :. also were
hanged.
At III o'clock at night the farmers
from all the surrounding country be-
gan to drhe into town and by mid
night the mob was ready TO march toI
the county Jail Before taking step.
however, every precautlon waS taken
to prevent the plans OF the lynchers
from being frustrated by the officers
of the law. The sheriff and one OF
his deputies were decoyed to another
part Of the town by two members of
the mob, who engaged in a sham
tight, and the fire bell was muhed tot
prevent tie alarm beug given. When
the jail was reached a number Of
masked mon awakened J'ndcrsherilf
Radford and demanded HE KEYS from
him. lie refused to give them M,
Ending Radford determined not to
give them the keys, the mob went
across 10 the jail and got on top of
the stone wall which surrounds it,
Deputy Sheriff Henry Bahtlacht,
thinking some che was escaping from
the Jail, fired two shots out of win
dow TO alarm City Marshal Parks
aud Deputy Sheriff Radford He then
opened the doors and was Immediate
~ held up by the mob, who took the
keys from him and entered the Jail.
Having no keys to the different cells.
they burst the locks with sledge ham
mers
Lawrence II. johnson was the first
to receive the mob's attention. A
rope was placed around his neck and
they led him ont Of the Jail across
the street to where an iron rail was
hid between tine forks OF two trees
Johnson pleaded for mercy but the
silent gathering gave no heed TO his
appeals and he was quickly strung up.
William Null and Moreno then were
taken frm their cells separately and
soon We're swinging with Johnson.
The last and youngest of The four
mtwdgef's To pay the penalty of his
crime WAS Garland Sccmlcr, aged
about TO- \ rope was placed around
HIS neck and he was led from the Jail
In his bare feet. Seemler begged for
mercy and his last words were:
Tell my dear Oh mother | am IN
nocent of crime
About This time Sheriff Hobbs hay
ing been notified, arrived on the scene,
and starting for the Jail door. was
commanded to halt. the command bc-
Ing emphasized by a display Of sew
cral reyolyers. He was told ''the
job had been DONE The mob then
dispersed The bodies were taken
down by Coroner Sehofield who has
summoned n jury to hold an inquest
------z-------
CONFLICT OF LAWS.