The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-14
SHOT HIS SWEETHEART
AND THEN BURNED HER BODY
IN A BARN
Determined FARMERS GET HIM
Associated Press Special Wire


GREAT BEND. Kas., June BIN the
public square, fronting on the principal
: business street of this city, murderer was
lynched at o'clock this evening by mob
of probably 500 persons. 1t is estimated
that at least 1000 of Great Bends popula-
ton of $500 witnessed the tragedy. The
victim was John Becker. who, on
April sth, killed Myrtle Huffmester
the 16-year-old daughter of William
Huffmeister. a farmer. living midway
between Great Bend and Elinwood, the Sec
. ond station east of here.
Becker was about so years old. He
had been employed by the farmer, and
profesed passionate love for the daugter,
and the tragedy followed the girls refusal
to accept his advances. When the girl came
to the stable in the evening Becker shot
her to death. sending eight bullets into her
body, after which he set fire to the farmers
stables. At first it was reported that the
murderer had shot himself and that he had
died in the flames. but later it became
known that he had fled, and search was
instituted.
Hunted Down
On April 18th a posse Of farmers cap
tured the murderer near St. John. Stafford
county, and for safe keeping he was taken
by the sheriff to Hutchinson. there being
many threats that he would be lynched
II brought here. This morning Becker was
brought here from Hutchinson to be put
upon his preliminary examination. Early
In the day farmers from the neighborhood
of his crime began coming into town, and
by 6 o'clock this evening the streets were
thronged. Then, when 1t became known
that the murderer had been granted a
change Of venue to Lyons and that Sheriff
Abeer would take his prisoner on the Santa
Fe train this evening, there were signs of
threatened trouble. as big crowd began
to gather at the railroad depot. Sheriff
Abeer, appreciating the danger, took Becker
in buggy and started for a crossing east
Of the city, intending to flag the train there.
By this time the crowd at the depot was
openly threatening lynching. When the
train pulled in the purpose of the sheriff's
strategy had become apparent to all. The
would-be lynchers, quick to act, boarded
the train and rode on.
outwitting the Mob
When the sheriff at the crossing saw that
the train was crowded to the guards. he
did not flag 1t but hurred,y drove back
to Great Bend with his prisoner. At Dart
mouth the lynching party left the train
and started back to this city. having hired
all the conveyances available there.
In the meantime Sheriff Abeer had hur-
ried back and had lodged his prisoner at
the county Jail.
few minutes before o'clock the mob
was swarmirg around the jail. Evidently
believing that the could outwit the lynch
y,,r at<rIt ,I,ar 90
of the Jail to his buggy but he had no sooner
done so than he and his men and the pris-
oner were surrounded. The sheriff, aided
by his deputies, made stubborn defense,
and the prisoner. realizing the fate that
threatened him, fought desperately with
them. After they had fought their way
back almost to the entrance Of the jail,
the mob, through sheer force of numbers
prevailed. Securing the murderer, they
bore him away to the public square.
Secured Their Victim
A rope was thrown around Beckers neck
and after he had been beaten almost to in
sensibility, the rope was thrown over
limb of a big tree and he was drawn up
Some one in the crowd gave the body
push, and as the murderer was being
drawn up his body repeatedly swung back,
scraping upon the trunk of the tree.
The sheriff and his men kept close upon
the heels of the lynchers, but they were
held back for fully fifteen minutes, when,
1t being apparent that Becker was dead.
the mob quickly melted away and the MUIR
derer's body was cut down by the sheriff
and the coroner.
Though guns were drawn and threat
were made, no shots were fired by the
sheriff and his men in their struggles
against the iynchers. Many of the lynch
ing party must be known to the county
peace officers, but tonight there is no very
strong talk of arrests. The sentiment here
seems to be that If ever man deserved
lynching Becker did.
Becker is said to come of prosperous
family at Marion, Ill. Attorney W. W.
Duncan was here from Marion to defend
him, and It is stated that insanity was to
have been the murderer's defense.