The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1898-01-20
LYNCHNG IN coLFAx. !
Chadwick Marshall Hanged to the
Courthouse Wall.

Colfax. WASH. Jan. 11.-Chadwiok
Marshall, the suspected murderer Of
young Hayden, near Pennington, ON
the night of October 90, was taken from
Jail by mob at 2 o'clock Saturday
morning and hanged to the west wall
of the courthouse.
There was suspicion that mob
was collecting but the officers made
no preparations to resist. The train
from Spokane that night arrived an
hour late, at nearly O'Clock. A few
minutes afterward the prisoners in the
Jail saw body of masked men march
up Mill street east of the Jail.
Jailer H. B. Treff, who was the only
officer about the courthouse, was
awakened and informed that an officer
wanted a prisoner locked: up. He
dressed and came out, and was con-
fronted by masked men with cooked re-
volvers. Treff was informed that the
mob wanted to hang "Blackey" Chad
wick Marshall and Dakota Slim"
Mcdonald, and demanded that Treff
give up the Jail keys. The officer led
the way to the sheriff's Office, opened
the safe, got the keys and gave them
to his captols.
! Twelve members of the mob then
entered the Jail, taking Tref with
them. They first went into the
woman's wing, where dakota Slim"
was confined. When the mob came to
his cell door "Slim" protested his in
nocence. and said:
''Take 'Blackey," who admits his
guilt, and if he duplicates me / will
60"
The mob thought this only fair, and
went into the east wing of the Jail, the
cell wing proper. ''Blackey's" cell
was unlocked and the inmate awakened.
He had only time to say: Don't hurt
me- Before God 1 am innocent"
when a member of the mob struck him
heavy blow over the head with an
iron bar, stunning him.
A rope was then fastened around
"Blackey's' neck and he was carried
and dragged out of the Jail and up the
narrow stairs to the superior courtroom
and to one of the west double windows.
where a rope was tied around stand
ard between the windows and BLACK
ey's" body was pitched out head FORE
most at the end of an eight-foot rope
and left dangling against the court
house wall in plain view of the people
on Main street.
While this was being done, part of
the mob went to dakota Sims" cell
again. During their absence. the pris-
oner had stuffed the keyhole of the cell
door with rags and fastened sharp
knife on the end of a broomstick.
With this spear he kept jabbing
through the barred door of the cell,
preventing anyone approaching the
door to PICK the rags out of the keyhole.
His cell had two doors, the inner one
of solid steel and behind this he pro-
tected his body.
Finally, member of the mob, catch
ing glimpse of .'Slim's" shoulder,
aimed and fired at him, the bullet
splitting on the door and one portion
striking the wall outside of the CELL
The larger half Of the bullet passed
through "Slim's' sleeve, cutting the
skin and striking the wall, splattered
and rebounded, four small pieces strik-
ing him on the breast.
"Slim" fell to the floor, showing the
solid door to with his foot at the same
time, and exclaiming my God, they
have killed me-" One member of the
mob was heard to say, LETS be sure
we've killed him." Another said
"Let's give him another shot and fin
ish him." Finally, the mob decided
"Slim' was dead and left. "Slim's"
injuries, however. were not dangerous.
The mob was at the jail less than 10
minutes. They turned Treff loose.
"Blackey's'' body was not cut down
until about 8 o'clock. The mob's WISH
tation was of the quietest character.
Treff's family, with rooms directly
beneath the Jail, did not know of any
disturbance until Tref told them after
the body was taken down.
A coroner's inquest was held this af-
ternoon, the verdict being that
"Blackev' was killed by parties un-
known to the jury.