The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-06
HAMILTON LYNCR[D
Despite Efforts of the Officials
Mob Acts.
MASKED MEN ADVANCE
Effect an Entrance to the Jail
and Then Hang.

Asotin. Wash, Aug. 5--Despite the ef-
forts of the little victims father, Sheriff
Hardin of Asotin county, who had sworn
in twenty-five deputies TO protect tie
man Hamilton, a 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 mob of more tnan
1000 men, which had been congregat-
ing all day from all parts of Asotin
county.
About 12:15 O'Clock a band of masked
men. their faces concealed with hand
kerchiefs, marched UP to the jail. The
officers and guards were swept side.
the KEYS were taken from the jailor,
the Jail yard was entered and entrance
was effected into the Jail proper When
the cell containing the guilty man was
reached no key could be found TO it. 1t
was necessary to say and hack at the
bars until the door coould be opened.
What transpired during the operation
or what Hamilton said probably will not
be known until one of the lynchers makes
public the details, but Hamilton was
dragged out of the cell and down into
the yard.
Meanwhile another company of masked
men had marched up the street and
taken position opposite the jail They
kept back the crowd which had filled
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
a masked man clutching the murderers
arm and hauling him around. Beside
him another masked man pressed close
ly, with his hand over the murderer s
mouth to prevent a possible outcry.
Other members of the jail-storming mob
came behind.
As the sinister group came forward
the masked men who had been guarding
the entrance to the Jail formed a linked
chain about captive and captors and in
this manner they proceeded, keeping the
crowd at a respectful distance. Evident
ly they had their program all mapped
out. When the lynchers with Hamilton
reached First and Fillmore streets they
halted under a guy wire which crosses
the street and connects electric light
poles. Here one of the leaders asked
Hamilton if he wanted to confess He
did so. He spoke in a low tone, not
being heard more than ten feet away.
Finally he asked that his jewelry, some
trifing trinkets he had in his possession
and his watch, be given to his father
and mother and it was promised that
this would be done.
Then there was another short wait.
The manner of Hamiltons death was I'M
der discussion. Some of the mob thought
hanging too good for him and wanted
to torture him, but the original program
prevailed and it was decided to hang
him. Some one produced black mask
like that used in a local hanging and
it was put over the head of Hamilton.
It reached down to his shoulders. The
rope was then produced, placed about
his neck and thrown over the guy wire,
being long enough to reach within
grasping distance of the lyncheFs. 1t
was seized by many men. the body was
lifted off the ground and suspended at
a height Of about four feet. The doomed
man began to gasp for breath and his
efforts We're plainly discernible a dis
lance of two blocks. After Hamilton
body had been held by the lynehers for
a time long enough to make certain that
he was dead the rope was tied to the tel
egraph pole and the body left suspended.
The crowds, when they were satisfied
that the man had breather his last. quiet
ly melted away and sought their beds
and the streets were soon deserted.