Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-20
No Attempt Made to
Rescue Wyoming
Murderer.
FEARS GROUNDLESS
Authorities Led to Take
Unusual Pre-
cautions.

Cheyenne, Wyo- Nov. 2O.-Tom
Horn was hanged today for the muir
der of Willie Nickel the 14-year-old
son of X. p. Nickel. an Iron Noun
tain ranchman. No attempt al rescue
was made and the execution passed
off quietly.
Cheyenne, Wyo.. Nov. 2O.-Hundreds
of militia guarded the jail last night,
and rapid-fire guns frowned from the
windows and ramparts OF the prison
on the various approaches. The sher-
if and scores of deputies also were
alert and apprehensiye. All these
grim precautions were taken to pre-
vent the threatened rescue of Thomas
Horn, the desperate murderer under
sentence to be hanged TO-DAY. Even
deputies from surrounding counties
were called on. and Gov. Chatterton
himself was on the ground to lend his
presence and influence to uphuldimg
the law. In the face Of this bets of
$50 and 500 were made at even mon
ey that Horn would not hang.
Nickel Determined.
But there was one man apparently
more determined than others that
Horn should not escape the galIows.
This man was William Nickel. the
aged father of the victim 50 savageIy
shot down by Horn. Night and day
for two weeks the sturdy old cattle
man had paraded before the prison.
declaring that it i only over his dead
body that Horn should he liberated.
He was still at his post. and. though
other persons, awed by the military
display and warned by official procla-
nations of impending danger. have
kept away from the Jail, Nickel was
not to be moved.
Horns crime was the killing of
young William Nickel in Blue Springs
Valley. Wyoming, last July. Nickell's
father owned land that. as alleged.
the cattle barons wanted. and. find
ing il impossible to make the old man
relinquish his claim. decided that the
murder of his son might possibly
drive him from the country. Horn WAS
hired to do the job, and. though in
earlier days the older Nickel had
befriended him. he eagerly undertook
the desperate contract. He secreted
himself aDOui -UO NdIGS from -NICNtH =
house behind pile of brush. and
when the young man appeared took
careful aim and fired. The bullet made
Il fearful wound. but moi sufficient to
the victim, who turned to-
ward home, and with his remaining
strength urged his horse To a gallop.
Horn followed with desperate speed.
Stopped by Fence.
\ wire fence a few yards from the
house prevented the escape of the
wounded youth. He threw himself
Irom the horse to unfasten a gate.
but was 50 weak from loss of blood
that this took much time. The gate
finally yielded. but passing through
it, Nickel tripped on the wire and fell.
Before he could recover the heartless
murderer was upon him. he defense
less boy made a gallant struggle. but
il was useless. Horn fired again with
his rifle almost at the ear of the vic
tim, and virtually blew off his head.
Then he turned the victims body 50
that the sun should shine on its front
and coolly rode away.
Antonio Romano Hung.
Geneva. H.. Nov. 2O.-Antonio Ro-
nano. the Italian who murdered Mich
olas Tomaso at Aurora last Febru-
AIRY. was hanged here today. He
showed signs of weakening and al
most fell upon the scaffold before the
drop was sprung.