Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-03-05
Bank Robbers LynChed.
ELMER LEWIS AND FOSTER
CRAWFORD ARE SWINGING
FROM THE SAME TELE-
PHONE POLE.
The Rangers We're Called Away and
the Mob Took Action I'm
medlately- Young Lewis
Was Dead
Game.

WICHITA FALLS, Tex, Feb. 90
Outraged citizens of this city to the
number of nearly 900 took Elmer
Lewis and Foster Crawford, the cow
boy desperadoes, who robbed the City
National Bank and killed Cashier
Frank Dorsey here yesterday, from
the city Jail little before 10 O'Clock
tonight and hanged them to tele-
graph pole.
Captain McDonald's Rangers, few
hours before the hanging, got sud-
den call to Amarillo, and left the men
in charge of few citizens, who i'm
mediately turned them over to the
mob.
There was little or no resistance
when the men were taken from the
Jail. They were marched down in
front of the bank where their crime
was committed.
The impression was that roasting
was tho programme. Better judgment
prevailed, however. Yells of "Hang
the Kid first' went up. Then others,
"No, ,hang the Oldest first" The"kid'
refused to say word land those having
him in charge yanked him into a box.
The scene was weird one. One had
on his high-heel boots, pants, deep
red flannel shirt which added grew
some brilliancy to the scene. In a
minute the rope was about his neck.
And man-some say he looked like
the man whose horse was stolen yes
terday-fixed the rope about a cross
bar. All this time the Kid was jeering
at the audience, laughing and cursing.
He never quivered. He was asked to
say what he wanted, and was told he
would be given hearing.
He said: "By God, that's all right.
If you are impatient swing me up now
1 amt afraid to die; not d-n Bit
of it. Pull the rope, by God"
A voice in the audience: "You're
going to die now. Tell us your name
The "Kid": "I don't give d-n
1t is Younger Lewis, and my father
and mother reside in Neosho, Mo-"
"Any message?" from a voice in the
crowd.
"Well, tell my father that l was moi
scared bit; that died like nervy
man."
"Anything to your mother?"
"No, not a word. She will see the
message to the old man. Say, you
fellows, go and look in that dugout
and you will find $4,000 there"
.sThe Kid" or Younger Lewis, as he
at the last moment said he was, con
tinued chatting and laughing with the
crowd, poking fun at them and ours
| ing for a moment, and then someone
yelled:
"Time is up!"
The "Kid' said: 81 am 20 years olt
and robbed that d-n bank. l an
dead game and ready to die. Go
ahead.n
In an instant he was pulled up above
the throng. He never quivered OF
kicked. He just went up in the air
and he is hanging there now. Men OF
the frontier for years and years say nj
gamer man ever died. He was the
coolest man in all the great throng.
All the while Crawford was spec
tator of the scene. He began t.
weaken and confessed, giving SOM
valuable information. He placed tn
responsibility for the crime on th'
"Kid."
The mob pulled him off the impro
vised platform next to the bank he at
tempted to rob, and his head was abou
on level with the dangling feet of hi
, companion. He asked for Captai
, Tom Burnett. The latter was spec
, tator in the crowd. He went to Craw
! ford and had a long talk. Crawfor
had worked on Burnett's ranch fo
: years and was trusted man.
He began stealing his employer
stock, however, and associating wit
Territory outlaws. They parted com
pany. Crawford confessed to the rob
n berry of yesterday but denied the mul
i. der. He was small man, poorly clat
;, red face and sh ort, clipped black mui
tache.
When they began to look for SCI
!. ond rope he begged for whiskey.
was given him. He talked, and the
O begged for more. He again addresse
the crowd in Commanche, English ar
Spanish. Those who understood hi
say his utterances were incoheren
L. The rope soon arrived, and as 1t WI
put about his neck he fell, either in
: faint or from the effects of the Iqu
Vi he had drank. He was soon strung l
). along with his companion, and the
bodies are still dangling in midair.