The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-07
A WHITE MAN
LYNCHED
Washington Mol Hangs Murderer Of
Little Girl
WAS a WE'LL no DO FARMER


Asotln. WASH. aug. Ct Despite the
efforts al sAeria Richards Of Asotin
county father of tile victim who lad
sworn III twenty five depuIes to guard /
him. William Hamilton, a we'll to do
farmer the self confessed murderer Of
little Mabel Richards, was forcibly
taken from tue Asotin county jail /
shortly before midnight and lynched I
81 4 mob 81 over LEGO men which had |.
been congrpeating from all parts Of /
Asotin county.
About 1915 10. a band Of masked
men. their faces concealed with hand
kerehlefs. marched up Tie street to tile
county tail
The officers and guards were swept
aside BY tie mob, tile keys were takes
from tile iailer the Jail yard was eH
tered and finally entrance WAS effected
into the jazz proper When the cell con
tanning the guilty man was reached NO
key could Be found to tit. II was neces
sary "a saw and hack at the bars until
the door could be opened. What trans
pired during the operation Of what
Hamilton said probably will not be
known until enc Of the lynchers makes
public tic details. But Hamilton, after
about fifteen minutes delay. was
dragged out III the cell and down into
the yard
Entire Population Turns Out
| Meanwhile another company Of
masked men had marched up the street
and taken position opposite the Jail
/ They kept back tho crowd which had
FdHed the streets all night waiting for
4 tile lynchinp. for the entire population
I Of the town had turned out and their
numbers had been swelled By people
from tic surrounding country
Soon there came procession from
the JAN yard. on each side Of the pris-
II oner was Il masked man clutching the
murderers arm. Beside him another
masked man pressed closely, with his
hand over the murderers mouth topre-
vent i possible outefy Other members
of the Jail stormng mob came behind.
AS the group came forward the mask
ed men who had been guarding the en-
trance to the jail formed d linked Chain
about captive and eaptors, and In this
manner they proceeded, keeping the
crowd Iii resuectful distance Evil
IDENTITY they had their programme All
mapped out When the lynehers with
Hamilton reached First and Fillmore
streets they halted under a guy wire
which crossed the street and connects
electric light poles
Hamilton Confesses.
Here one III the leaders asked Hamil
, ton If he wanted to confess. He die
!. So. He spoke iii eth exceedingly lo1
, tone. not being heard more than tei
feet away. Finally DE asked that hii
iewelry. some tri1Ing trinkets he has
{ Ia Ills possession and bis watch ~ civ
en- 10 llis father ana mother and il VA
promised that this would be done
Then there was another short wait
The manner Of IIamilton's death wa
under discussion. Some Of tile mol
thought hanging too good for him en-
wanted Is torture him. but the origina
programme prevailed, and II was de
cided to hang him.
Some one produced q black mask us
that used in legal hanging and i wa
put over the head % Hamilton
! reached down % his shoulders Iil
rope was then produced, placed abor
bis neck and then thrown over the gu
wire. being long enough 10 reach With
graspng distance Fl the lynehefs
was seized ly many hands tue bod
was lifted OFT the ground and suspend
& ed at d height Of about four feet III
!. doomed man began e gasp for breat
and Ills efforts were plainly discernl0
! d distance of two blocks
After Hamiiton's body had been he