Cañon City record., 1903-11-05
Victims of Jodge Lynch.
(Continuen from page -

Wetherell, who was lynched by the
citizens Of Canon City during the night
OF Dece mber 4th, 1888. for the murder
Of CHARLES Mccain. Of Pueblo. at John
Palmer's ranch. on lower Beaver creek.
October 26th Of that year. wether-li's
nature was essentially criminal and
his reformation would have been as
impossible as it would to have convin-
ced Lucifer of his error in warning
against the heavenly hosts
Wetherell served fifteen years and
six months in the penitentiary here for
killing . sheepherder named Wall, on
the divide between Pueblo and Denver.
but il is believed that Walls murder
was not the first time in which Weth-
erell had essayed the role Of Cain, the
homicide-certainly it was not his last
offense Of that character
W-therell was convicted and SEN
fenced to prison for life, which in the
meaning of the statute was twenty
five years, but the legislature Of 1887
passed a law readjusting the terms Of
the prisoners then in the penitentiary,
and a. a result he was given his free
dom, as his behavior while in the GUS
tody of the state had been most exem-
plary A short time after receiving
his discharge wethereli went up into
the Wet Mountain valley where he
took employment with a man named
Jensen, who was travelling through the
country for his health; the former tax
ting him more for his companionship
than for anything else.
Jensen disappeared as mysteriously
as though the earth had swallowed
him, no tidings of him ever reaching
his friends after he had taken the ex-
convict into his service. During q
creek few months la;er. tie body OF
an unknown man was seen to pa-s un-
der the First street bridge, which is
supposed TO have been that OF Jensen
which tie food had washed out from
the place where his murderer had
buried him. but this is purely con-
jecturol. Jensen was from Michigan
and was journeying through the
country in quest of health and
recreation. wetherell drove he
murdered mans team to Pueblo
where lie dis. osed of. It passing
this city on his way down the valley.
While in Pueblo he hired Charles Nc
Cain. a teamster, 1" haul ore froin
fictitious mine in the Gresnhorn noun
isins to Canon City, offering him
god price To do So The prospect was
an ailuring one TO Mccain and he
started from Pueblo with two wagons,
wetherell driving one Of the teams.
On reaching John Palmer's ranch on
Beaver creek they eamp-d for the
night, intending to complete their jour
ney next day some lime during the
nigh, weIherell shot Mccain and bur-
led the body in the bottom of the creek.
He then cam on to Canon City with
the two teams and wagons. one OF the
latter trailing. He had heard Mccain
promise 10 write to his wife immedi.
stely upon arriving here. and TO aliay
any suspicion of foul play ,wetherell
went to the postofiice and wrote TO
her, signing the dead mans name to
the communication.
He told her that he had sold his
teams and was going over on the West
ern slope, requesting her to sell their
household effects at Pueblo and join
him ct Grand Junction on the 9th of
November.
Mrs. Mccain was grrat,y alarmed on
receiving the letter, which she Was
confident was not in her husband 5
hand writing, and she appealed to the
sheriff in unrav-lling the mystery.
The next day she and the sheriff came
to Canon City and instituted inquiries
for the missing man. but they were
unable 10 get any Information until
about noon when gentleman was
found who had seen Wetherell driving
the two teams out the Colorado Springs
road about O'Clock that morning.
posse was organized and search
for wetherell begun. which was not
relaxed till he was overtaken entering
the outskirts of Denver and placed un-
der arrest. About the same time the
body OF Mccain was found q, their
camping place on Beaver creek and
the two events caused great excitement
here. wetherell wAs placed il jail in
Denver and a few days later Sheriff
Morgan Griffiths went after him. but
on arriving at Pueblo with his prisoner
on his way to this city he was apprised
of the determination of the people here
to lynch wetherell and he returned to
Denver with the murderer. where