The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-07-22
NO LAW THERE.
CONDEMNED MURDEREEs,
SHOT IN JAIL BY WYOM-
ING MOB.

Deputy Sheriff also Shot-Disorder
and Lawlessness Prevalent and
Authority set at Naught.
Butte, Montana, July 19.-Law-
lessness is riot at Thermopolis and
vicinity on the Northern border of
Wyoming. Two condemned MUIR
derers were in the county Jail. They
were German who killed his broth
er two years ago and ran off with
the latter's wife, and Walters, who
shot a widow because she would not
marry him.
1t was reported to Sheriff Fenton
last Wednesday morning that a
mob was comingNup to Basin along
the Big Horn river fronl Hiattsville
and Tenslip for the lurtose of
lynching German AID Walters. As
a measure of precaution the sheriff
took those two men and q horse
thief out of the Jail and secreted
them in gully near town under
guard of Deputy Sheriffs Felix AL
ston and G. e. Price.
German, who has exceptionally
small hands, managed to slip his.
handouts and made his escape.
Deputy Pierce fired one shot at the
fugitive as he disappeared in the
brush, but the bullet went wild.
German SWAN the Big Horn river
and made for the mountains. A
posse of seven men quickly organ
lied and German was recaptured
early yesterday morning on Trap
per creek, about so miles from Ba-S
sin.
Last evening about thirty men,
unmasked and in perfect order,
rode up the east bank of the Big
Horn, dismounted, tethered their
horses and compelled the ferryman
to carry them across the river. They
made no demonstration until they
entered Basin, when five shots were
fred as warning I The mob pro-
ceeded at once to the building which
is courthouse and Jail combined
and fred volley into the Jail. Dep
uty Pierce and Special Deputy
George S. Meade were guarding the
prisoners at the time. One bullet
grszsd Meade's shoulder and enter
ed Pierce's heart, killing him in
stantly. Members of the mob then
quickly procured telephone poles
and battered the Jail doors down.
The first came to was Walters, who
was crouched on his cot, pitsously
begging for mercy. No needless
torture was resorted to. Walters
was shot instantly. The mob next
found German, whose body was
pierced by five bullets and was left
presumably dead. He fingered,
however, until s o'clock this morn~
ing, when he died.
A still more alarming state of af-
fairs is reported from the vicinity
Of Thermopolis. About six weeks
ago, as result of the range feud
that has been bitterly waged, a
sheepman, Bsnnick, was killed by
Sheriff Fenton, it is all
legged, has captured the murderers.
who are all prominent cattlemen
and whose names have been = with
held on account of threats made
against him. Sheriff Fenton is un-
able to get his prisoners to Basin.
It is claimed the same men that
.vnched German snd Walters are
,ympath;zers, and have declared
hat Sheriff Fenton will never get
out of the locality alive with his
prisoners.
Sheriff Fenton has asked the gov
srnor of Wyoming for permission
20 use the state militia at Lander
and has also sent a telephone mes.
,age to Coda, Basin, Meeteets and
,ther Wyoming towns. asking for
to assist him in uphold
ng the law. Everywhere hardy
Westerners are responding to the
,all, arming themselves and hast
,ning toward Thermopolis.
It is probable that the militia
will be ordered to the sc ne and
bloody battle will be fought. The
about Thermopolis is wild
md lawless. A message received
it Cody this morning from Sheriff
yenton stated that he still had the
prisoners in-his possession and that
le believed he could hold out until
einforcements came.