The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-21
LYNCHING BEE SPOILED.
TOO MUCH ATTENTION PAID TO THH
ETIQUETTE OF THE OCCASION.

hAANcEAAh UT otSAobONs
Pete Lansing. Horse Thief, Wanted the Dia.
mond Centre vigilantes to Acquit Them
selves in STYLE When Thoy Hanged Him
and He Got on with n Run for His Life.
FRESNO. Cal. May 81 don't take the per-
sonal interest in lynchings that l used to-"
said Uncle Tom Atkinson. as he sat on the
veranda Of his hotel talking over the recent
lynchings In the South. 1T isn't entirely be-
cause ! am getting old. but the last lynching
party Itook part In disguised me with the whole
business. You see. Pete Lansing stole a horse
and we got a party together ano started out
after him. Pete gave us quite n chase. but at
last we struck n hot trail near Pine Hills. and
then We gained on him so fast that when our
little party Of Yigilantes swept around the
curve at the foot OF the hills Pete was only half
a mile ahead and pushing his horse at q gallop
across the prairie. We called to him 10 stop.
or course. he couldn't hear us at that distance.
and IA he knew We wanted TO hang him for
horse stealing. he wouldn't have stopped II he
had heard. but II was the Arst time since We
organized that the Diamond Centre Vigilantes
had been called out. and we wanted to do
things in proper style. So we formally sum-
moned Pete to surrender. Dick Evans. our
leader. wanted everything done exactly right.
but | and some OF the other boys think he was
too particular on this occasion. A swell bon
ton society affair is one thing md a !ynchinR
bee is another. and there isn't any use trying
to combine them.
However that may be. after We had called
upon Pete to stop we thought we had
done all that 'etiouette.' as Dick called II. re-
luired. and We began to pump bullets at him.
Pretty soon one OF the bullets struck his horse
and:t tumbled over. Pete Knew there wasn't
any use runninR.after that. so he lit a cigarette
-he was a sort OF n dude in some.ways-and
waited for us to come up.
Guess we've got you this time. Pete says
Dick.
Looks that way replies Pete. as calm and
unconcerned "a II he didn't have any part in
the show. What is the next thing on the pro-
gramme?'
The nearest trees we're about half way ND
the Pine Hills and we allowed the first:thing to
be done was to take Pete to whore the trees
were. After 70 reach n tree we won't have
much trouble finding out what to do next. Mr..
Pete Lansing said one Of the bows in an ugly
kind OF a way. The mar who spoke had lost
three or four good horses that season and was
feeling kind Of sore over it. but Pete looked
quite hurt at being 'talke to in that kind OF
fashion and Dick Evans.spoke up:
"'Thatll.do for you. Tom. That's no kind
OF a way to speak to-. a man who Is almost
dead
But our troubles had only begun. Pete's
| horse was dead aud he swore that he wasn't
going to walk to the Pine Hills. Nobody ever
heard OF a,man ramping a mile to his own
hanging. You fought me fair and square,
says Pete. and I don't kick on that. but ri be
damned II l am going to hoof 1t across this
prairie, A man in my position ought to have
a little politeness shown him.
Tim Haly. who runs the Crescent saloon.
happened to have a deck Of cards In his pocket
and he proposed that We throw around and
the low man give up his horse to Pete. We
all agreed to this. and Pete being in one way
our guest we let him deal. That made a delay.
for Pete dealt himself the low hand. and as he
didn't have any horse we had to deal again.
Ono OF the boys got stuck thts time. so Pete
took his horse and we started out for the Pine
Hills.
1T was pretty dark when we reached the
Hills. but one OF the party got out a rope and
We thought tho business would he over in .
few: minutes. But here Pete made another
kick. For a man who was going to be hanged
he was the most particular. bothersome fool
l ever ran across.
~ don't want TO be hung right here along
side OF the road where everybody will see me.
Take me a little ways into the woods and do
the Job there.'
But we want your body TO be an example,
says Dick Evans. sort OF doubtfully.
That made Pete mad. Example be
damned he snarled. I takes a horse. you
boys catches 40 and strings me lp. 30 far
all right. But l don't want my body used as
the tag end, Of a Sunday school lesson. Be
s siRSss' Strangers HnH n sraa th IN ,Ht to in wHal th :nHI m OF ~
in, tho growing town OF Diamond Centre You
ife rs%s,s al n. bs sos any sa pstI pets acor1 Ef1Tple'
There seemed to be, a lot Of sense In what
Pete said. 50 We pushed or about hundred
was really dark. but Pete was riding in the
there was any way in which he could oscape.
Pretty soon we reached a tree with big boughs
hanging low down. Just the tree for what we
guess this will do all right says Dick.
wh2 was riding ahead.
while / lxed ths moose about Iete's neck;
much attention to what was going op. but
uP' sffs guess That qisEu Is he aTst tlns any any' 3!
yiH GiS R RlHd.' Hs asss of Es. seTso Of p sarc IN ,i Ike. Oh
We allowed it was.
resid.Mnet" Of i DIAMOND S0 Centre rai9t t. o0 try n L on hrs frst.
for yqv would 7 make Ak the Samp 2 laughing
too tsse DARK rin' Why. I actually; be sfie you St fellows
would Jerk q man over the Dearly gates with
and speak q little prayer
We all was silent at this. for We had for
got an all about that part OF the programme.
So Pete dropped of his horse and went over
to a little bush a few feet away from the tree
we had thrown the rome over. Then he began
to pray. l don't claim to be ap authority on
prayers. but l have always said that was no
slouch Of a PRAYER. Pete began with the Ola
man. woman aud child In It to the Lord. Most
Of them needed II. but It made a long prayer.
Then he prayed for the Sheriff of the county.
From the Governor he went to the President.
Then We thought he was through and every
body drew a long breath and prepared to get
down to the regular business Of tho meeting.
But Pete opened his eyes and looked at US
reproachfully. and then started in as II he was
Just getting his second wind. The Queen OF
England. tho Emperor o., Germany all the big
foreign ducks Pete could think OF were re-
membered to the Lord, and then, Just as We
were, getting 80 inpatient we couldn't have
prayer With a genera, sort Of blessing when