The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-30
In THE HOTEL CORRIDORS.

d
of New York. is at the Arlington from
Manhattan on a visit to Secretary Root
who is close personal friend Mr. Jones
has wide reputation as an authority or
international law and in admiralty cases
He is mentioned as very probable sue
is said that Mr. Mckinley. in an inter-
view, received him very favorably. Mr.
Jones has never been very prominent in
politics. but is high in the estimation oil
political leaders. Among other cases in
which he represented the Government
were the admiralty suits growing out OF
the late war and the prize cases over
seizures. He also was prominent as the
Government attorney in the case against
Charles F. W. Nicely, the Cuban postoffice
defaulter
1.-The lynching and burning at the stake
of Preston Porter. the negro murderer Of
Louise Frost, at Limon. Col. recently re-
minds me of similar occurrence which
happened at Bolton, Tex, few years
ago. remarked Henry w. Blair. Of that
State. at the Metropolitan last night.
THE natures OF the two crimes we're very
different, but the punishment was fully as
revolving.
1.-The difficulty grew out of the opera
tions of a band of horse thieves who car
ried on their business in the neighborhood
of Bolton for period extending over sew
eral years. There was not a lynching, but
there was something far worse, in point
of cOId-blooded fury on the part OF an
enraged mob.
Nine prisoners confined in the county
Jail at Bolton were murdered in their
cells one night. AS a matter OF fact, l
guess it was the best thing the mob could
have done for the benefit OF that part OF
the Lone Star State.
For n long time gang OF horse
thieves had been running cattle and
horses from Bell County into adjoining
ones. The gang was we'll organized. The
crimes were known to have been commit
ted by it's members, but proof of their
guilt could not be obtained. and for a
number of years, during which time the
farmers and planters bore their losses
with patience. cattle and horses were
stolen with IMMUNITY. The crime could
not be laid at the door of any single man,
though the belief was common that GER
tain we'll known parties were directly re-
sponsible.
1.-The plans of the horse thieves were
we'll laid The crowd operating near
Bolton would steal bunch OF valuable
cattle or run number OF horses and
carry them into the next county. There
he animals would be taken in charge by
another gang. under the same leadership.
who would run the horses or cattle into
the next county. where third gang would
take charge of them.
I'm this manner the horses and cattle
would be carried across the Louisiana line
and sold at a handsome profit. The diff
Guilty in experimenting any of the thieves
was the fact that after having been on
a rid the men implicated would invari-
ably show up at their homes the next
morning without a sign of ever having
been out OF their back yards for a month.
There were absolutely no means whereby
he crimes could be brought home to the
guilty parties.
at last, however. several members of
he gang were caught redhanded in their
lifting deals and were locked up
securely in Jail. Eight Of them were I'M
Ter lock and key, and the farmers were
:ontented to let the law take its course.
about that time a man who had been
suspected of belonging to the gang. but
whose connection with it could not be
proved, killed his wife in cold blood. He
vas a brutal fellow, was known to have
reated his children badly. and there was
feeling against him in the
community 1t was generally believed
hat he killed his wife because she re-
with him about his evil ways. |
1t any rate, he Drained her one night |
With an axe, and the whole surrounding |
ountry was aroused.
"The man was arrested By the sheriff |
nd taken TO the county Jail.
Shortly after dark the mob began to
orm. The word was passed that the fell !
ow would be lynched that night and |
arge and determined crowd turned out to |
unish the brute. Feeling was also high |
n account of his supposed connection |
With the gang of horse thieves.
THE mob swelled to a crowd OF several |
undred. At dark it marched down to the |
all and demanded the keys of the jailec !
Ie could not offer any resistance. and |
hey were turned over to the leaders of |
he crowd. The mob swarmed into the !
ulding and pretty soon located the cell |
( the wife murderer The jailer supposed |
hat the murderer would be the only one |
lolested, but the crowd held other views. |
he eight cattle thieves were In the same |
art of the building. They were badly |
frightened lot of men.
"The mob burst th. doors OF the cages |
nd dragged the cattle stea!ers out into
ne corridor. The wife murderer was the
rst one shot. They threw his body to
he side and sts:--ted; II, OF, the others.
There was a crazy 'trusty' in the Jail
. the time. He held flaming lantern
lille the mob dragged first one and then
mother cattle thief from his hiding place
nd shot him. All the time the bloody
ork was going on by the one Pickering
ght the insane 'trusty' screamed, Kill
Ii, kill emf in an idiotic way that was
fanatic in the extreme. The crowd did
ill EN- Every one of the nine men
as shot or stabbed to death with a bowie.
witnessed the sight. though I took no
.rt in it. 1t was scene 1 shall never
rget.
Nothing was ever done about it. Pub
c sympathy was with the mob. for the | !
,rse THE YES had been costing the people
that part of the country thousands OF
liars year
Miss Phelps. of Cleveland, Ohio. who IS :
natOr Hanna's a;ece. is registered at the I
rlington. and yesterday leased the old 8
Dbart mansion for the season. Senator c
MIA will arrive in the city on Monday. +
len the house has been renovated. In