The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-20
THE GALLOWS I.EE.
FAMOUS LIVE OAK OF CALIFORNIA
THAT IS NO MORE.

| - .u Were Hanged-Some Of the Mos
Asteworthy Executions-The Tree Wa
Probably coo or 700 Years Old
Yho famous Rallows tree OF San Per
Hurdino county, southern California, Is m
oore There was not anotaer tree In al
- world like 1t. From its great branche
nsc than II men had swung into eternity
md In its shade some Of the most thrllin,
syents in the history of the wrestling o
- golden state of California rom Indiar
half tr,o,ls and Mexican dominion hav,
Afru planned.
She tree was what Is known in Cali
fewni$ an a live oak-in the land wher,
wxy ftw trees grow naturally. aid where
aRcnerauon ago, one might travel for days
With OK or mule team across the burning
aAsdy wastes without once finding a tree
~odcr which to rest in the shade Such a
eVsclAsen OF vegetation was landmark
enown far and wide and n natural resting
nd meeting place.
H1e tIoe was undoubtedly 600 or 200
ysarsold It stood in the valley of San
Nrrnardino-the only one of the kind for
mtics around. Years ago, before the
Anerica,is poured into the valleys of south.
ou California, the tree had no counter
part for several hundred miles adjacent
When General John G. Fremont and his
6ooIs. acting In conjunction with Com
DeGon Stockton, seized the quaint old
Mex icaR pueblo Of Los Angeles and raised
tAe stars and stripes there In June, l34S,
- first recorded executions took place at
tlhe big oak tree. In the brief fight that
tssk place and amid the fleeing Of half the
terrified Mexican population from the pu.
ssblo when the American cannonading be.
sab, eang Of half breeds improved the
opportunity TO rob by visiting homes Cha
dendns) on the outskirts Of the town. At
oe homo. where the rascals unexpectedly
nsnd the owners at home, they shot and
hDbbed the whole family to death. A
fUw days Later, when the fleeing populace
I'D recovered from It's fright and returned
= Los Angeles. the fearful murder was
hpown. A posse of Mexican riders-the
hrst In the world-Was organized and
<artcd out across the plains toward the
nnerese neighboring people, San Bernar-
doDo, pino miles away. The numbering
and thieying gang was trailed up 10 the
Catou pass, and there caught There were
sDyen In the gaht. The posse lashed the
vScechcs TO their horses and started hack
- Los Angeles.
On She way the pursuers with their cap
ewes stopped 10 rest in the shade of the
aak. Two Of the captives, who were loOsed,
- as to- -lee them feed themselves, made n
~esperate attempt TO run away. They were
0ught 7after a hard struggle, and in the
snger at their attempt TO elude justice four
~ the prisoners wero hanged theD and
thsps. "a
But the most sensational and memo.
Nblc execution that ever took place at the
tak tree gnllows WINS on May 16, 1868. The
var Of the rebcllion was on at that time,
md hundreds Of rasoais, all round bad
rDen, invaded southern California and
Arizona 20 escape army duty. The war
Dade an extraordinary demand for cattle,
md for two years the Mexican cattle men
worc harassed day and night by gang of
anttSe thieves, who would secretly drive
tAe cattle feeding in the valleys and can
yons miles from the ranch house 20 the
fsOthiils, and then by stealth would urge
c3e beasts in small droves down through
san Bcrnnrdino county TO Raining, where
Sascally agents would buy the cattle and
gst them out OF the state as their leisure
At last, after months of Watching and
some cowboy detective work, gang Of
nine eattlo thieves was surrounded 10y a
posse of four times that number Of Mexi.
tnn and American cowboys at the mouth
of Santa Anita canyon. There was n ter.
rflo short battle. Three Of the cowboys
were shot dead and several were wounded
Four Of the thieves were killed. The cow.
loys worc 10 maddencd at the killing of
heir companions and so incCnsod at the
memory OF the ruhbcties that they had so
long suffered thai they abandoned all con
sssieration OF a trial for the remaining cap
tOred thieves, and, having bound and lash.
ed their captives, started forthwith down
across tho valley for the gallows tree. An
ehe men were On horseback, and there was
oo way OF building temporary platform
for the execution under limb of the tree.
no make the hanging rs much Of an in
dignity and as torturous as the cowboys
eould conceive nooses were made from tn
cowhide lariats ON the saddles of the cat
tlemen.
Tho nooses were put about the neck Oh
each Of the fve prisoners. Then tho pris-
sners were forclbly boosted up into the
low oak tree, whilo the armed cowboys cir
oleti about the oak 20 keep close eye on
&S7h S0hau w uon VIC INV CDus VI ,tnt
ropes had been fastened about the limb Of
the trce and the arms Of the doomed thieves
had been tied, tho men were ordered TO
laap down. Two did leap, cursing their
captoSs a. they jumped into midair. The
other three held hack, but were pushed of
the limb ON which they sat, going down
with Jerk. One Of tho limbs bent so low
with its human weight that the boots of
one Of the strangling men just touched the
ground, and horseman held the limb MP
at arms length while the hanging man
siowly expired. The bodies were cut down
= few days later and were buried beneath
where they were hanged Tho graves are
pointed out 70 this day.
In thcfsn of 1870, when San Bernartlino
had grown TO village Of 1000 people and
vhe pueblo OF Los Angeles had become u
place Of 5000 Americans and Mexicans, a
teamstH was killed and his wa gon robbed /
ono night BY highway robbers. The people
as San BernArdino were desply stirred ~,
ehe deliborate assassination for money. !
wbsn George Peters and Henry wallinC
were brought to the now Jail there to await .
eriAl for the crime, the male lMrt of the
populaticn could not walt for law to talc
It's Soursc where fscts were ~ ssk evident
and went down 70 the Jail one night in n