The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-14
Prisoners Pursued to the Jail,
Where the Bloody Work
Is Completed.
RIDDLED IN THEIR CELLS
Mercy Was Not Shown by the Law
less Band of Armed, Des-
perate Men.

Colo, says: -Four dead bodies are now in
the hands of the Coroner of Huerfano
county as the result of the vengeance
wreaked last night on the Italian miners
who were charged with the killing of Alb
ner Hixon in a most brutal manner at
Rouse last Sunday night, by beating him
over the head with a club, and two more
Italians have unquestionably been riddled
with bullets by friends of the popular sa-
loon keeper. A few hours viii almost GER
tainly bring discovery of the corpses, and
every man against whom there was the
slightest suspicion or completely in the
killing has met with summary and fright
full punishment Three of the four bodies
are those of Hixon's alleged assailants and
the fourth is that of Joe Welsby, who was
driving four of the Italians to the jail in a
wagon when he met his death.
Appended is a list of the dead:
Antonio Lorenzo, declared 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
Italian citizen.
Stanislaus Vittart, so years of age, mar
ried, leaves widow and three children in
Italy; declared his Intention of becoming
an American citizen.
Francisco Ranchetto, q years Of age, I'M
married; citizenship intention declared.
Joe Welsby, % years of age, unmarried.
Pietro Glacabino, 81 years of age; said to
have taken out first papers.
Antonio Zapetto, "a years of age, wife
and three children in Italy; first papers
taken out.
The bodies of the first four named are in
the hands of the Coroner.
Though the mob commenced its work
last evening when the sun had been set but
little while, it was not until this morn
ing that they completed their work of re-
veage, after having killed three of the sus-
pected homicides and brought death to
the young wagon-driver, who had nothing
10 do with the killing of Hixon.
When the three Italians captured from
the wagon at Bear Creek bridge, where
Welsby was killed, had been made away
with, the small but determined mob waited
for the excitement to subside and then
came to the County Jail here, and few
minutes before clock this morning COM
pleted the work of revenge on which they
had commenced six hours before Ron
Ghetto, who had been wounded in the breast
at the Bear Creek trouble, was found
asleep in the calaboose with Lorenzo. The
guards placed at the Jail, William Smith
and Henry Farr, were playing high FIVE,
when a rap came at the outer door of the
Jail. They asked who was there, and were
told that it was Sheriff O. Malley Without
a moments hesitation they unbarred the
entrance, and instead of seeing 0'Malley
they looked down the barrels of two re-
volvers in the hands of two masked men.
The experiences of others earlier in the
night taught them to obey the command
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 handkerchief
and carrying big guns in their hands,
stalked in. One of the last arrivals picked
up from the table the keys to the cell in
the adobe Jail, and going back into the
building opened the door where lay the
now trembling Italians who felt sure their
time had come and in their broken Eng
lish begged piteously for mercy The
avengers had some mercy, but not for the
doomed Italians. In the cell with them
was Frank Ok, who IS charged with a
brutal criminal assault. He was gruffiy
told to stand aside and skunk into one cor
ner of the cell. The masked men then
turned their pistols loose on the Italians
who shrieked in agony as bullet after
bullet was sent tearing into their defense
less bodies.
One of the first shots must have brought
relief to Lorenzo, who the men seemed tc
regard with especial hatred as the off
L.
were sent into his brain Rochetto 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 fortune, for he
writhed and groaned in intense agony fol
as much as twenty minutes.
When the vigilantes felt that their work
was sure they turned away, leaving theil
victims writhing in their own and one an.
others blood, while the covering brute
who had seen it all was too terrified te
utter a sound. When the last bullet had
been fired that was thought necessary tc
avenge one death with SIX the men whc
had done the latest piece of killing walked
ont from the jail into the dark night A
moment or two later the keepers of tn,
two guards backed out through the doc
and closed it behind them. Farr anC
Smith now picked up their own weapon
and fired five shots through the heav,
wooden door after the retreating men
Summoning up courage, they peered on
themselves in a few seconds, and, seem:
six or eight men making off on foot acros
the railroad tracks, they shot at them unit
their pistols were empty, but withou
effect. They gave the alarm, but befor
sufficient men for pursuit had gathered
the men who had done the latest deec
were safely away and Farr and Smiti
could give no description in detail of thei
recent visitors. A, physician was sum
moned, and for ten minutes the now good
sized crowd was compelled to watch anC
hear the evidences of Rochetto's dealt
throes,
The work so vigorously begun early il
the evening was now complete, and ever.
one was sure that the three Italians cap
tured at the bridge had long since me
death. The first step of the avengers wa
not SO horrible, but they knew what they