The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-05
Lynehers Hold Rope Until Vic
tim Strangles to Death.
William Hamilton Pays a Ter
rible Penalty for Crime.
CONFESSED HIS GUILT.
Assaulted and Then Murdered a
Little Girl.
Waylaid Her While She Was
Going to Sunday School.

Asotin, Wash, Aug. 5.-Despite the
efforts of the little victims father,
Sheriff Richards of Asotin county, who
had sworn in 25 deputies to guard the
man. William Hamilton, well to do
farmer, the self-confessed murderer of
little Mabel Richards, was forcibly
taken from the Asotin county Jail
shortly after midnight and lynched by
a mob of more than 1000 men which
had been congregating all day from
all parts of Asotin county. About 1915
o'clock a band of masked men, their
faces concealed with handkerchiefs,
marched up to the jail. The officers
and guards were swept aside, the keys
were taken from the jailor. the Jail yard
was entered and an entrance was eff
fected into the Jail proper. When the
cell containing the guilty man was
reached no key could be found to nit it.
1t was necessary to saw and hack at
the bars until the door could be opened.
What transpired during the operation
or what Hamilton said, probably will
not be known unless one of the lynchers
makes public the details, but Hamilton
after about Is minutes delay was
dragged out of the cell and down INTO
the yard.
Meanwhile another company of mask
ed men had marched up the street ana
taken a position opposite the jail Ihey
kept back the crowd which had hlleu
the streets all night waiting for the
| lynching for the entire population OF
the town had turned out and their num-
bers had been swelled by people from
the surrounding country. soon there
/ came a procession from the jail yard-
/ On either side of the doomed man was
masked man clutching the murderer s
arm and hauling him around. Beside
/ him another masked man pressed close
/ ly. with his hand over the murderer
mouth to prevent a possible outcry'
Other members of the jail stormlne mop
came behind. AS the sinister group came
| forward the masked men who had been
! guarding the entrance to the jail form
/ ed a linked chain about captive ana
4 captors and in this manner they pro-
/ ceeded keeping the crowd a { respect
ful distance. Evidently they had their
programme all mapped out. When the
! lynchers with Hamilton reached F1rs'
| and Fillmore streets they halted unoel
! a guy wire which crosses the street ano
| connects electric light poles. Here one
of the leaders asked Hamilton II ne
wanted to confess. He did so. He spoke
in low tone, not being heard more
than ten feet away. Finally he asked
that his jewelry. some trif1ing trlnkets
he had in his possession ana MS Watcil
be given to his father and mother ane
| it was promised that this would be done
There was another short wait. INT
manner of Hamilton's death was undel
| discussion Some of the mob though
hanging too good for him and wanted
to torture him but the original program
prevailed and it was decided TO hans
him. Some one produced black masl
like that used in a legal hanging ana l
| was put over the head of Hamilton L
| reached down to his shoulders Th'
rope was then produced, placed abou
his neck and thrown over the guy WIRE
| being long enough to reach withll
grasping distance of the lynchers- L
was seized by many men, the body wa
lifted off the ground and suspended at
height of about four feet The doomed
man began to gasp for breath and hi
efforts were plainly discernible dis
tance of two blocks. After Hamilton
body had been held by the lynchers TO
a time long enough to make certain tina
he was dead the rope was tied 10 th
telegraph pole and the body left sus
pended ...s.
The crowds when they were satishe'
that the man had breathed his las
quietly melted away and sought thel
beds and the streets were soon de
serted. -,,..,
The child was waylaid by Hamilton
while en- route to Sunday school.