Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-01-03
VENGEANCE OF A MOB
AWoMAN BURNED TO DEATH AND A
MAN MURDERED.

The Terrible Ending of a Kentucky Scan
dal-A Furious Mob Set Fire TO a House,
and Woman Perishes In the Flames.
The Man Riddled with bullets.
LEBANoN, KY, Dec. 3O.-Within two
miles Of this city last night a relentless
mob burned to death woman and rid
died with bullets her gray haired para
mour The blaokened and disfgured
corpses Of the victims, Mrs. Thomas West
and William Deveers, were found in the
ruins of the womans home by the IA
year-old daughter of the murdered man.
The tragedy was one of the most brutal
ever enacted under the grewsome sway of
dread Judge Lynch. Despite the pleadings
for her fathers life OF half Glad fright
ened child and the prayers and tears of
the i'll and helpless woman, the mob went
through with its work with cold blooded,
cruel deliberation, and only left when GER
tain that both mon and woman were dead.
The affair was The outgrowth Of the old
story of faithless wife and vengeful hus-
band. Several months ago Deveers, a
middle aged widower, was accused by
Thomas West, a prosperous farmer, of in
timacy with Mrs. West. Quarrel followed
quarrel throughout the fall until West
instituted divorce proceedings and de-
clared that Deveers must die. The men
met in Lebanon. West snapped his revolv-
er, which missed fire, and Deveers killed
him on the spot. On the plea Of self de-
fense the murderer secured bail and scan
dalized the neighborhood by Immediately
taking his two daughters and moving in
to Vests house. The relatives of the muir
dered husband swore vengeance, which
came in terrible and brutal form.
A band of men rode up to the West
homestead and demanded admittanoe.
The House RiddIed with Bullets.
"Tom West is dead Now it's your
turn, the spokesman called, and Deveers
and the woman awoke, to find their house
surrounded. Mrs. West rushed to a dark
ened window and began wild, hysterioal
plea for mercy. A dozen bullets answered
her cries. and the demand for immediate
surrender was repeated. Deveers, too,
asked for hearing, but his request was
| greeted with a shower of shots.
"We'll give you ten minutes to open
up Then you burn" said the mob's lead
er, and his men quietly retired from the
| door. A hurried consultation was held in
side the house, and then, white and terror
stricken, the little girl OF Deveers was
thrust out to plead with the mob. Glad in
her nightrobe, barefooted and unprotect.
cd, she bravely walked out into the moon.
| light and sobbed out a prayer for heI
white haired fathers life
"Get out You're liable to get shot your
self " a rufIian said and the panic strick
en- child fed to the cabin of a negro neigh
Dor.
Mrs West then appeared at the dooi
and made a last appeal for mercy. 1t was
unavailing, and in another moment thC
house was fired. The shrieks of the i'm
prisoned wTetches failed to move theil
torturers, who, as the flames reached the
| living room, could see the man and won
an in the agony of death by the fire.
just before the roof fell the woman wai
seen to reel across the room and plunge
headlong into the fireplace among tht
burning Goals, and there she died. WiC
with pain, Deveers at the last moment
made a dash for liberty, but a score o.
bullets stopped him half dozen step
from the door.
The little girl led her negro protector tC
the scene, and there the bodies soorched
beyond recognition were found, untouch
ed by the lynchers. There is but littlC
doubt that the members of the mob will
be captured, as they were without masks
and made no attempt at secrecy.
Another Tragedy May Follow.
1t is not improbable that the scenes Of
the inhuman affair will be re-enacted in
the vicinity shortly, as the outrage has
aroused the most intense indignation
among the people of the county. Because
of the fact that Vests relatives had
threatened vengeance there is a strong be
lief that they are responsible for the
crime. The uncertainty, however, as tC
just who was implicated has so far pre-
vented further trouble.
The child of Deveers who was wit
ness to the tragedy is dangerously i'll a.
the result Of the fright and exposure, but
upon her recovery she may be able, it IL
hoped, to identify some of the Iynchers
The night was brilliant with moonlight,
and the unmasked faces of the members
of the mob should be easily identified al
soon as the child is able to appear in court
Mrs Vests corpse was charred almost
beyond human semblanoe. Overcome by
the flames, she had fallen into the large
old fashioned fireplace Of the living room
and the head was almost burned from
the body. Deveers' body was pierced by
at least 20 bullets. Before his desperate
dash for liberty he had been frightfully
burned and would probably have diet
without the gunshot wounds. His hail
and beard were burned off, his clothel
were in oharred shreds and his face bills
tered and blackened.
No arrests have so far been made, bu
developments are expected.
Deveers formerly lived in Knoxville.