Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-08-20
Hanging At ASotil'.
FRANK VILES SUFFERS DEATH
FOR AN INFAMOUS CRIME.
A Very Peaceable Mob
Ayengcs the Abuse Of Miss Ollie Richardson,
a Seventecn Year Old Girl
Niles was Drunk.

Yesterday morning the male popula
tiou of the quiet little city of Asotin
were gathered at thu Jail building
viewing the remains of Frank Niles,
which were suspended by II rope from
II rudely constructed scattold in the
corner of the Jail yard He had suffered
death the night before at the hands of
a mob who quietly took the victim
from the Jail and as quietly adjusted
the moose around his need While the
people viewed the distorted features of
the unfortunate man soberly and with
respect, there were no expressions of
sorrow aud none to enquire how he
came there. A story of crlmc had been
tod there the evening before. and the
impressive sequel of the morning before
them afforded no sensational comment.
They viewed the remains, departed,
aud retu rning viewed them again, un
til the authorities took the body in
charge and none would say but what
''it was we'll"
The story Of the day previous, whicl,
reached the tragic sequel, above de
scribed, Is told as follows by n citizen
OF Asotin:
Miss Ollie Richardson, highly re-
spectacle young lady of Wallowa, Ore
gon, had been visiting in the Lewiston
valley for several weeks with relatives
and friends. She made the journey
here by horseback, coming 10y way of
the Grand Ronde trail and Anatone.
Monday she spent the day ut Lapwai,
on the reservation. the guests of family
friends there. Yesterday morning she
started on her homewnrd journey, with
the intention of remaining over night
at Asotin. Size passed through Lewis
Asotin. crossing the Snake river ferry
at this point About equadistant
from Lewiston aud Asotin is the
Swa llows Nest--a rocky promontory
which crowds close upon the river
The Asotin road passes directly hr-
cath the cliffs and for several hun
dred yards Is so narrow rs to barely
pcrnli, OF wagon traffic Miss Richard
son reached this point in safety, when
her attention was attracted by the
yells oi a horsenan behind her aud the
NOISE of iieetlng hoofs. The horsenlnn
proved to he Frank Niles, "A notorious
Nez Perccs halfhreed, who has appeared
many times before the courts OF this
district. He was intoxicated aud
when he came up with Miss Richard
son he checked his horse to IA walk
and immediately addressed insulting
remarks to the detenceless, frightened
woman. His villaiuous demands were
res. nted 10y Miss Richardson, when, as
the couple reached n ravinc which eX-
tends to the plateau above, the des-
perado caught the bride rens of the
lndy'> horse and turned it from the
roadside up the raviue. Miss Richard
son deserted her horse and fled down
the road, but wac soon overtaken by
the Indian, She is ii small fragile
women and .ier struggles were of no
avail aud, presenting II pistol with
threats of immediate death, the In
dian compelled her 10 accompany him
up the ravine. He accomplished Iii.
design and then rode on to Asotin
City.
Mr.. {. &. Van Ar~,lal. of the Lewis
ton Water n Power Company, passed
down the ravinr n short time after
Nilc- had fled and discovered the
WON ~ in II pro-tratrd condition. She
told him her story. II" accompanied
of the law. The physicians summoned
corrohorated the girls story and Niles
was placed under arrest. He would
make no statement regarding the
crime, and in hIs drunken frenzy
>hoW"red curses on the officials, He
was Immediately confined in the city
jail.
At about T. o'clock mob gently
oNerpowered the jaiior,and hang, dNil 8
in the Jail yard. He cursed the mob
n the fatal knot was being adjusted
and threatened vengeance in the
future.
Nile- passed through Lewiston
Tuesday from the reservation. II.
had "a large supply Of liquor with hin.
and wa- on his way to Oregon. \
number oi \eZ P.rce Indians VIII,
were to accompany Nile- on the jou,.
ney are now confined in the Asoti,
Jail for raising disturbance following