The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-30
Two Human Beings Cruelty Burnct
to Death.
VENGEANCE ON A FAlTHLESS WIFE.
l Kentucky Mob Ignores the Pieadins'
and Prayers ora Woman and
Her Child.

|
a relentless mob burned to death prog
nant woman and rtddled with bullets h r
gray-haired paramour The blackencd and
disagured corpses of the victims, Mrs.
Thomas West and William Dsveres. were
found In the ruins of the woman's home
today by the H-year-old daughter Of the
murdered man. The tragedy was one OF
the most brutal ever enacted und-r the
gruesome sway of dr. ad Judge Lynch. D.
spite the plead.ngs for her fathers fa
of half-ciad. frigh ened child, and tbs
prayers and tears of the III and he.pl, SO
woman. the mob went through VITA its
work with cold -blooded cruel delibsrati1n,
and only left when certain that both man
and woman were dead.
The affair was the ou growth of the old
story of faithess wife and vengeful hus
band. Several months ago Deveres. a
middle-aged wild wer. was accused by
Thomas West. a prosperous farmer. of in
t!nacy with Mrs. West. Quarrel followed
quarrel throughout the fail. Divorce p. o.
ceedings were instituted and West d
clared that Deverss must die. The m II
met in lebanon West snapped his revol-
yer, which missed fire, and Dever,s killed
him on the spot. On the pisa of s-lf-
defense the murderer secured lail and
scandalized the ne!ghborhood by INN di-
ately takin his two daughters and moving
ing into Vests house The rela ives of
the murdered husband swore veng aance,
and last night about u o'clock band OF
men rode up to the West homestead and
demanded Abundance.
Tom West is dead; now It's you turn"
The spokesman called and Deveres and
the woman awolSe 10 end their house sur
rounded Mrs. West rushed to a dar-
kened window and began a wild, hys-
terical plea for mercy. A dozen bullets
answered her cries and the demand for
immediate surrender was repeated De-
veres, too asked for a hearing, but his
request was greeted with shower OF
shots.
Wen give you ten minutes to open.
Then you burn" said the mob's leader
and his men quietly retired from the
door. hurried consultation was held
inside the house and then, white and ter
ror stricken the Ettle girl of Deveres'
was thrust out to plead with the mob.
Clad in her night robe. bare footed and
unprotected, she bravely walked out into
1 the moonlight and sobbed out a prayer
for her white-haired fathers life.
: Get out. you are liable to get shot
9 yourself" a rufhan said and the terror
: stricken little child fed to the cabin of
. a negro neighbor.
. Mrs. West then appeared at the door
and. referring to her condition, made a
last appeal for mercy. 1t was unavail-
ing and In another n oment the house was
fired The shrieks of the imprisoned
: wretches failed to move Their torturers
}, who. as the flames reached the living
C room, could see man and woman in the
. agony of death by fire. Just before the
II room fell, the woman was seen to reel
:, across the room and plunge headlong into
V tho fireplace among the burning Goals
Il and there she died. Wild with pain
II DeVeres at the last moment made a dash
/ Tor liberty, but a score of bullets stopped
q MN half dozen steps from the door
q, rms morning the little girl led her negro
protector to the scene and there tn,
bodies scorchec beyond recognition wer,
found untouched by the lynchers. Their,
is but little doubt that the members o
40 the mob will be captured, as they wer,
N without masks and made no attempt a
secrecy.
rs 1t Is not improbable that the scenes o
!" last night will be re-enacted In the vicin
n ity shortly, as the outrage has aroused tn.
w most intense Indignation of the people o
VI the county. Because of the fact tina
i, Vests relatives had threatened vengeance
$. Is a strong belief that they are responsi
~ bic for last nights crime. The uncer
tainty. however, as to just who is impli
no Gated has 80 far prevented further trou
$ BILE.
Ia The child Of Deveres, who was wit
H. ness to tho tragedy. is dangerously il
as the result of the fright and exposure
he but upon her recovery she may be able
he he it is hoped, TO identify some of the lynch
ly ers. The night was brilliant with moon
g. light and the unmasked faces OF the mem
on bers of the ,lob should be easily identi
fled as soon as the child is able TO an
nd pear In court.
nss The scene of horror was visited b
On crowds OF curious people today, and
ylr was well towards noon before the bodie
~, we're cared for by an undertaken.
he Mrs. Vests corpse was charred almos
beyond human semhlance. Overcome b
"a "a The flames, she had fallen into the large
in old-fashioned fireplace of the living room
Is and the head was almost burned from tn
~ body.
81 Devcres body was pierced by at leas
m twenty-five bullets. Before his desperat
H. dash for liberty he had been frightfull
il burned .rad would probably have die,
IN without the gunshot wounds. His hal
Itte and beard were burned Off, his clothe
~ were in charred shreds and his face bills
ty, tered and blackened
h No arrests have so far been made, bu
ds Developments are expected tomorrow.
,re Justice Nave this evening held an In
'"' quest upon the bodie. of the victims Sc,
eral witnesses were examined, but nothiu
JE' lending to erimnate any one was dove
me oped. The investigation will be contir
que ued Deveres formerly lived in Knoxvil,,
oF Tenn.
In, ANOTHER ACCOUNT
ter Cincinnati. December 29,-The CONNIE,
yd, cial Gazette's special from Lebanon, XIV
lie, says; Mrs. Thomas West was burned I