Oxford eagle., 1903-07-23
NO. 35.
LYNCH LAW AT BASIN, wYo.
Deputy Sheriff Killed While
Defending Them.

Butte, Mont, July 20.-A special
from Red Lodge, Mont, says:
Jim Gordan, who killed his brother
about year ago and ran off with his
brothers wife, and a man named Wal
lers, who killed a widow named
Hoover at the Hot Springs two years
ago because she refused to marry
him, were shot at Basin, Wyo.,
early Sunday. C. E. Pierce. deputy
sheriff, was killed during the attack
on the jail
A state of lawlessness now prevails
in northwestern Wyoming as result
of which all law and order seems to
have been abolished. From Presiden.
Moffett of the Montana & Wyoming
Telegrone Co., who is now making
tour of inspection of his company's
lines, comes the news of the lynching
and of an appeal for help from Sher-
iff Fenton of Big Horn county, who
has arrested a number of prominent
cattlemen near TherTnopolis and has
appealed to the governor of Wyoming
for assistance of the militia In get
ting his prisoners to the Basin.
1t was reported to Sheriff Fenton
last Wednesday morning that a mob
was coming up to Basin from HATS
vile and Tonslip, for the purpose of
lynching German and Walters. As
measure of precaution the sheriff
took these two men and horse thief
out of the Jail and secreted them in
a gully near the town under guard of
Deputy Sheriffs Felix Aston and c.
e. Pierce.
German managed to slip his hand
cuffs and make his escape. He swan
the Big Horn river, an unprecedented
feat, and made for the mountains. A
posse of seven men quickly organized
and German was recaptured early
Sunday morning, about fifty miles
from Basin.
Sunday night mob of about fifty
unmasked men rode up the east bank
of the Big Horn and compelled the
ferryman to carry them across the
river. They made no demonstration
until they entered Basin, when five
shots were fired as warning. The
mob proceeded at once to the county
Jail and fred volley into the Jail.
Deputy Pierce and Special Deputy
Meade were guarding the prisoners at
the tifne. One bullet grazed Mead's
shoulder and entered Pierce's heart.
Members of the mob then quickly
procured two telephone poles and
battered the Jail doors down. They
first came to Walters, who was
crouched in his cell piteously beg
ging 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 lin
gered, however, un il forenoon.
A still more alarming state of af-
Iairs is reported from the vicinity OF
Thermopolis. About six weeks ago,
as result of the range feud that has
been so bitterly waged, sheepman,
Ben Minnick, was killed by cattlemen.
The sheriff, it is asserted, has cap
tured the murderers, who are promi-
nent cattlemen and whose names
have been withheld owing to threats
made against him. Sheriff Fenton is
unable to get his prisoners to Basin.
It is said the same mob that killed
German and Walters are sympa-
thizers, and have declared that Sher-
iff Fenton will never get out of the
locality alive with his prisoners.
Sheriff Fenton has wired the gov
ernor of Wyoming for permission to
use the state militia at Lander and
also sent telephone message to
Basin and other towns, asking for
volunteers to assist him in upholding
the law Everywhere hardy western-
ers are responding to the call, arm.
ing themselves and Fastening toward
Thermopolis. 1t is probable that the
militia will be ordered to the scene,
and bloody battle may be fought.
The country about Thermopolis is a
wild and lawless one. The last mes
sage from Sheriff Fenton, which was
received Sunday morning, said he still
held the prisoners and that he be-
ieved he could hold out until rein
forcements came.