The state herald., 1907-01-04
Iceberg LYNCHED
MOB OF MASKED MEN HANG pEs.
PERATE MURDERER.
AT THE LAS ANIMAs JAIL

lynching Party Made Up Of Dise'-
pined Men Under leadership
Sheriff and Force overpowered and
Disarmed.
Denver.--A Republican special from
Las Animas, Colorado, Thursday night
says: lnfuriated by the fiendieshness
OF the crime and by their failure to
lynch Iceberg last night, fifty masked
men, heavily armed, tonight broke into
the Jail, overpowered Sheriff John d.
Brown and two deputies, bound and
gagged them, and threw them into n
cell.
They then secured Lars Iceberg, the
murderer of Henry Lanvenmeyer, and
hung him to telegraph pole in the
railroad yards an hour after they at.
tackled the jail
The lynching was done so quietly
that only those directly concerned In
the hanging knew anything unusual
was about TO occur, and 1t was fully
an hour after the man was dead be-
fore the people generally knew that
Iceberg had paid the penalty OF his
crime.
The disorderly, leaderless mob OF
last night was transformed into n
thoroughly disciplined body OF men un.
der n leader whose commands were
obeyed with alacrity. There was no
shouting, no shooting, no loud talking.
aud th- man was secured from the jail
and taken out in less than an hour
from the time the lynchers started to
make their way into the jail.
The men who meted out death TO
Iceberg met little resistance at the
hands OF the peace officers. When the
mob arrived at the Jail they sought
these officers and before they could
offer resistance they were helpless.
While 1t is believed that Iceberg was
insane, the feeling against the man
was so intense that the avengers
would not risk his being declared In
sane by The courts. so that the murder
of the popular farmer would so un'
avenged.
Nothing can be learned as to the
identity II the men who tonight took
justice into their own hands. but 1t is
generally believed that they werc
close friends OF the murdered farmer
and from the section where the de-
ceased lived and where the atrocious
crime was committed.
The people of the city generally be
lievod that the attempt to lynch lc'
berg had been given up. as during tho
day there were no demonstrations oi
any sort against the man and no
threats made openly that he would be
made to pay the death penalty for his
fiendish crime.
Before Las Animas knew that the
man had been hanged Iceberg had
been dead more than an hour.
Details of the arrival OF the lynch
ing party ut the Jail were divulged b,
twneaegroes confined In the jail FOL
iyssS 0ifenses.
II was Just s:a5 when the flfty men
completely armed, made their appear
ance ut the Jail and demanded OF the
sheriff that the prisoner. Iceberg. b'
turned over 10 them. The demand met
with insiand refusal.
Without further words the leader
OF the mob disarmed and overpowcred
Sheriff Brown. Marshal MoCunc and
Undersherir McAffec.
The three men were then gagged
and bound. thrown into a cell and left
there while the mob began the effor'
to get Iceberg out Of the steel cage In
which he was confined.
The work Of the mob last night had
made entrance 10 the jail compare
lively easy. All that was left between
the mob md the prisoner was the steel
gaze. which the mob last night bat
tered In vain.
With the ilfty men was one who was
evidently well acquainted with tho
mechanism OF the lock on the steel
care. The lock last might resisted all
efforts of the mob. but In few min
utcs tonight the locksmiih OF the party
managed to break II and effect mn en-
trauce to the cell OF Iceberg.
When the avengers arrived at tho
jail Lcborg was IN bed. when ha
heard them he got mp and dressed. and
whrn the men broke Into the cell he
me, them calmly aud allowed the lead.
ofs 10 put rope around his neck with
ont resistance.
In thirty minutes. that II nj a:i5.
l.Hborg was brought out Of III. cell.
and the rope put around his neck ".
was then led BY the mob 10 n telegraph
pole In the railroad yards about -
yards from the jail
without evidence of excitement. and
with absolutely no noise. the rope was
holst.d o2cr nm arm of the pole nnd
i.obcrg was Jorkod twenty feet on the
ground by twenty men.
No shots were fired at the body. and
there was absolutely no other demon.
ftfation.
While II II believed by many that
Iceberg wia insane. and that no sane
man could hnyo committed the crime
charged against him. the feeling ran
80 high among the friends of his vie
tim. who are believed 10 have been the
men who composed the mob who hung
Lebefr. that nothing would satisfy
them except the melting out OF sum
mary punishment.
e..,. n. nsa.iar Qy.te,,