Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-07-23
LAWLESSNfSS
IN WYOMING
TWO MuRDERERs LYNcHEp AND
DEPUTY SHERIFF KILLED
BY A MOB.
ALL LAW AND ORDER ABOLISHED
SHERIFF ASKS FOR MILITIA TO
PROTECT THE OTHER
PRISONERS.
CATTLfMfN ARE UNDER ARREST
SYMPATHlZERs THREATEN SHER-
lFF'S LIFE If HE TRIES TO
REMOVE THEM.

Red Lodge, Mont, July q. - Jim
German, who killed his brother aboutI
a year ago and ran off with his broth
er's wife, and a man named Walters,
who killed q widow named Hoover at
Hot Springs two years ago because she
refused to marry him, were lynched
at Basin, Wyo., early yesterday. G. E.
Pierce, a deputy sheriff, was killed dur
Ing the attack on the Jail.
A state of lawlessness now prevails
in Northern Wyoming as a. result of
which all law and order seem to have
been abolished. From President Moi
fit Of the Montana & Wyoming Tele-
phone company. who is now making a
tour Of inspection of his company's
lines comes the news of the lynchlng
and of an appeal for help from Sheriff
Fenton of Big Horn county, who has
arrested a number OF
Prominent Cattiemen
near Thermopolis and has appealed TO
the governor of Wyoming for assis-
lance from the militia in getting his
prisoners TO Basin.
Saturday night a mob of about fifty
unmasked men rode up the east bank
of Big Horn and compelled the ferry
nan to carry them across the river.
They made no demonstration until
they entered Basin, when five shots
were fired as a warning. The mob pro-
ceeded at nee to the county Jail and
fired a volley into the Jail. Deputw
Pierce and Special Deputy N
were guarding the prisoners q.
time. One bullet grazed Meade's Shout
der and entered Pierce's heart. Mem
bers of the mob then tore up the tele-
phone poles and
catered the Jail
doors down. They first came to
Walters, who was crouched in his cell
piteously begging for mercy. No need
less torture was resorted to. Walters
was shot instantly.
The mob next found German, whose
body was pierced by five bullets and
was left for dead. He fingered, how
ever, until yesterday forenoon.
A still more alarming state of affairs
is reported from the vicinity of Their
mopolis. About six weeks ago, as a re-
suit of the range feud that has been
so bitterly waged, a sheepman, Ben
Minnick, was killed by cattlemen.
The sheriff, it is asserted, has cap
tured the murderers, who are all prom
inent cattlemen and whose ne
have been withheld owing to tbr,
made against the sheriff. Sheriff
Fenton is unable to get his prisoners
to Basin.
Asks for State Militia.
1t is said that the same mob that
lynched German and Walters are sym
pathizers and have declared that Sher-
If Fenton will never get out Of the To-
cality alive with his prisoners. Sheriff
Fenton has wired the governor of wy
oming for permission to use the state
militia at Lander, and has also sem a
telephone message to Basin and other
towns asking for volunteers to assist
him in upholding the law. Every
where hardy Westerners are respond
ing to the call, arming themselves and
Fastening toward Thermopolis. 1t is
probable the militia will be ordered to
the scene and a bloody battle may be
The country about Thermopo-
lis is a. wild and lawless one. The
last message from Sheriff Fenton said
still held the prisoners and that he
believed he could hold out until rein
forcements came.