Gilpin observer., 1902-03-27
La !. .JuNTA LYNcAlNd
A NEGRO HUNG FOR Assault.

Car Porter from Denver-criminal
HANGED by an Immense Mob Of En-
ragged Citizens.
Denver March 26.-A Denver Re-
publican special of March 25tli gives
the following account OF terrible
crime at In Junta night before last,
and its fearful retributlon last night.
Washington H. Wallace, n negro car
porter from, Denver, was lynclied to-
night by mob of 1000 citizens of this
and surrounding towns. The crime or
which his hanging was the penalty
was the brutal assault upon Mrs. Hen
rietta II. Miller, n gray-haired woman
of sixty-seven years, en- route from Los
Angeles to Denver. Wallace was iden-
titled by her as the porter who. under
pretense of directing her to her sleeper,
| led her through the railroad yards,
knocked her down and left her uncon-
scious from ten o'clock to midnight
last night.
Wallace was stoical to the last and
not once did he beg for mercy as he
was dragged to the post with a rope
around his neck.
Wallace was caught red-handed and
there Is strong evidence that he COM
mitted the nine criminal assaults per-
petrated here within few months,
the last of which may result in the
death of Mrs. Miller.
When the negro was captured in the
car his clothing was bloody and a tow
el in the car was covered with blood
which. it is believed, the negro wiped
from his hands. On the front of his
uniform We're several gray hairs iden-
hA thx, 1rn aal nf
the aged victim. When confronted
with the evidence the negro turned
ashen, but assumed an air of bravado
and denied the crime. He later refus-
ed to talk and the air OF bravndo
and reticence was with him till the
last.
Wallace was arrested in his car
few hours after the crime. which was
committed about ten o'clocl. last night.
Early this morning Sheriff Farr Un-
der Sheriff Stewart and Marshals Rose
and Franklin took him from Jail and
endeavored to spirit him out of town.
An obstacle was encountered when
they found that every employe of the
railroad refused to run a train ON
which the negro should be carried. A
carriage was secured and the officers
started with their prisoner towards
Pueblo.
The town by this time was thorough
ly aroused and n crowd of several hum
dred armed men started in pursuit OF
the carriage. which was Overtaken mt
Patterson Hollow. near Fowler. The
negro was taken from the officers and
brought back by way of Rocky Ford.
The citizens OF that place We're In
formed that there would be Il lynch
ing and about 800 people from that
city joined the ranks OF the mob. At
every village the crowd swelled and
when 1t finally reached La Junta.
about Z o'clock tonight 1t numbered
about 1000. which was reinforced
with several thousand who awaited
the arrival of the posse.
Several speeches had been made dur
ing the day and those opposing a
lynching, small minority. asked that
committee be appointed to try to get
the negro to confess. This the mob
consented 10 and the following promi-
nent men were appointed: Robert Pat
terson. banker; DIR. Fleming. hospital
physician; Charles Daerbohn. county
treasurer, and others. Recruits to the
mob We're Informed of the program
and the negro was taken to the court
house, where he was delivered into the
hands of the committee. He was TAX
Ell into the county clerks Office and the
building was surrounded.
1t was not fifteen minutes, however,
before the crowd began yelling. Bring
him out.' About this time 1t was dis
covered that all the entrances to the
building were locked. and it was evil
dent that the committee intended to
hold the prisoner.
When this was announced. the crowd
began yelling and throwing stones.
Battering rams We're improvised, and
the court house assaulted. Soon all
the windows We're broken and the
doors Of the county clerks and treas
urer's offices and the main entrance of
the court house We're broken down,
and the mob rushed In at the door and
windows.
The negro was soon pulled forth
with rope around his neck. The
crowd paused for an instant as Mayor
Frederick a. Sabin was seen to mount
to the entrance TO the court house cor
ridor and wave to the mob for silence.
The crowd listened while. the mayor
made an impassioned speech for the
negro's life. He said that the city was
about to be disgraced. and that the
mob was not sure that they had the
right man.
The crowd listened respectfully until
he had finished, when low murmur
broke forth; then there We're shouts OF
NO! No" and the crowd was again
the yelling, bowling mob OF few min-
utes before.
The tallest Of the electric light poles
In the park In the center of the city,
was singled out and small boy
climbed up with the end OF the rope In
his hand. He threw 1t over the cross
bar and pulled 1t into coil in his
hands. Then he threw the rope Into
the crowd. A thousand hands reached
for 1t and hundred caught 1t. In an
instant the negro went up above the
heads Of the crowd