The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-01-02
A MOB'S VI ,GEANCE.
Fire and Bullets Are Given a
Guilty Couple.
The Mother and Her Child Greet
the Mob
But the Little Ones Plea Proves
Unavailing

And the Woman Rushes Back Into the |
House Where Her Paramour Is
Hiding-The House Fired-The wom-
ans Head Burned From Her Charred
Body-The Man Filled with Bullets. |
SPECIAL TO THE wsDEMooRAT.
LEBANON, Ky, Dec. 80.-Within two
miles Of this city a relentless mob has
burned to death pregnant woman and
riddled with bullets her gray. haired
paramour. The blackened and dis6g-
ured corpses of the victims, Mrs. Thos.
West and William Dev eres, were found
in the ruins of the woman's home by
the 14-year old daughter Of the muir
dered man.
The tragedy was one of the most
brutal ever enacted under the gruesome
sway of the dread Judge Lynch. De.
spite the pleadings for her fathers life
of half.clad frightened child and the
prayers and tears of the i'll and helpless
woman, the mob went through with its
work with cold. blooded, cruel delibera-
ton and only left when certain that
both man and woman were dead.
The affair was the outgrowth Of the
old story of faithless wife and venge.
full husband. Several months ago, De-
veres, middle.aged widower, was ao-
! cused by Thomas West a prosperous
| farmer, of intimacy with Mrs. West.
! Quarrel followed quarrel throughout
the fall until West instituted divorce
proceedings and declared that Deveres
must die. The men met in Lebanon,
West snapped his revolver. which
missed fire, and Deveres killed him on
the spot. On the plea of self.defense
the murderer secured bail and scandal
ized the neighborhood by Immediately
taking his two daughters and moving
into Vests house The relatives of
the murdered husband swore vengeance
and it came. A band of men rode up
to the West homestead and demanded
admittance.
tom West is dead. Now it's your
turn" the spokesman called, and De-
veres and the woman awoke to find
their house surrounded. Mrs. West
rushed to darkened window and be-
gan a wild, hysterical plea for mercy.
A dozen bullets answered her cries,
and the demand for immediate sur
render was requested. Deveres, too,
asked for hearing, but his request
was greeted with shower of shots
"We'll give you ten minutes to open
up. Then you burn" said the mob s
leader, and his men quietly retired
from the door, A hurried consultation
was held inside the house, and then,
white and or.stricken, the little
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 the moonlight
and sobbed out prayer for her white
haired fathers life
"Get out. You're liable to get shot
yourself" ruffian said, and thorough
ly anic-stricken, the child fed to the
cabin Of negro neighbor.
Mrs. West then appeared at the door,
and, referring to her condition, made 9
last appeal for mercy 1t was unavail
ing, and in another moment the house
was fired. The shrieks of the impris.
oned wretches failed to move their tor
turers, who, as the flames reached the
living room, could see man and woman
in the agony of death by fire. Just be.
fore the roof fell the woman was seen,
to reel across the room and plunge head
long into the fireplace among the burn.
ing Goals, and there she died Wild
with pain, Deveres at the last moment
made dash for liberty, but score Of
bullets stopped him half dozen steps
from the door.
In the morning the little girl led her
negro protector to the scene, and there
the bodies, scorched beyond recogni.
ton, were found, untouched by the
lynchers. There is but little doubt that
the members of the mob will be cap
tured, as they were without masks and
made no attempt at secrecy.
1t is not improbable that the scene
will be re-enacted in the vicinity short
4 ly, as the outrage has aroused the most
| intense Indignation among the people
of the county. Because of the fact
Y that Vests relatives had threatened
vengeance there is strong belief that
they are responsible for the crime. The
uncertainty, however, as to Just who
was implicated has so far prevented
further trouble.
The child of Deveres, who was wit.
ness of the tragedy, is dangerously i'll
as the result of the fright and exposure,
but upon her recovery she may be able
! 1t is hoped, to identify some of the
lynchers. The night was brilliant with
moonlight, and the unmasked faces OF
, the members of the mob should be easi
, ly identified as soon as the child is able
to appear in court.
Mrs Vests corpse was almost charred
beyond human semblance Overcome
by the flames. she had fallen into the
large old-fashioned fireplace of the liv
ing room and the head was almost
burned from the body.
Deveres' body was pierced by at least
25 bullets. Before his desperate dash
for liberty he had been frightfully
burned and would probably have dice
without the gunshot wounds. His hail
and beard were blrned off, his clothes
were in charred shreds and his face
blistered and blackened