The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-05-06
TRAGEDY
ON APRIL e
Murderer Lynched BY Citizens of the
Mining Camp At
SkidOO
TAKEN AWAY FROM OFFICER.
Shot And Killed Prominent Man of
The Pace in Cold
Blood
TAKEN AWAY FROM OFFICER

RHYOLITE, New, April 23.-Joe
Simpson, who murdered James Arnold
at Skidoo, Cal, fifty-five miles south
of Rhyolite, Sunday, was lynched last
night by the citizens of the California
mining camp. Early in the evening
the guard was overpowered and Simp-
son was taken out and hanged to a
telegraph pole. The lynching was a1-
complished quietly; and today no one
in Skidoo will acknowledge having
any information regarding the affair.
Simpson was hanged from the cross
arm of the pole to which he was bound
last Sunday after he had made an at
tempt upon the life of Cashier Dobbs
of the Southern California Bank at
Skidoo. Simpson, who bore an un-
savory reputation, was intoxicated,
and after threatening Dobbs shot and
killed Arnold in what is said to have
been a cold-blooded manner Arnold
was butcher and one of the most
prominent men in the camp.
There was strong talk of lynching
at the time of the killing, but this
feeling died away, and it was thought
that nothing would come of it. The
hearing of Simpson was set for Sat
urday, and as the time approached, in
view of the fact that the killing was
regarded generally as cold-blooded
murder, the people of the mining
camp again became wrought up and
decided to take the law into their own
hands.
Simpson was guarded by Deputy
Sheriff Henry Sellers in an iron
building, there being no Jail At II
o'clock last night an armed body of
citizens appeared at the improvlsed
jail and demanded Simpson. The pris-
oner was turned over without resist
ance by the deputy sheriff. Simpson
was taken to a telegraph pole and a
rope adjusted about his neck. He was
asked if he had anything to say, but
seemed too frightened to make a re-
ply or resist and was at once hoisted
into the air. A passer-by this morning
saw the body about o'clock and
raised an alarm. The body was cut
down and an inquest was held, the
verdict being that Simpson came to
his death by strangulation by parties
unknown"
AT the time of the murder Gordon
McBain, who interfered with the off
GERS who captured Simpson by shield
ing Simpson with his own body, was
arrested for interfering with an Of
ficer and locked up in a poolroom. At
| IL o'clock last night the door was
thrown open and a voice from the
darkness shouted 'IIcBaRn. run;
they've got Simpson," McBain ran
without stopping to ask questions and
has not been seen since
Simpson was being held until Sat
urday, when the Inyo county prosecut-
ing attorney was to have conducted 9
preliminary examination. Simpson had
summoned a criminal lawyer of Rhyo-
lite to defend him and had claimed
that the killing was done in self
| dafcHse.
Simpson was formerly a sergeant IN
the Nevada cavalry, with which he
served with some distinction in the
Philippines. On his return to Gold
field he became interested in mining
and was one of the first inhabitants
of Skidoo, where he opened saloon
at time when it cost cents a pound
to transport freight to that camp. He
was known as a heavy plunger II
gambling resorts and INDUCED freely
in champagne sprees. When under thu
influence of liquor he was regarded al
! bad man" in the town.