The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-06-23

Hutch, a neighbor with whom he was
spending the night, early yesterday
morning aud hanged TO a telephone
pole by four unknown men, sons OF
|neighboring ranchmen.
Hutch attempted to defend Sellers,
It is said. and was driven back at the
point of a shotgun.
The lynching is alleged to have re.
suited from quarrel between Sellers
and member of the quartet over a.
sister Of another member of the
party.
Sellers body was left hanging to
the pole late in the day when the
sheriff and coroner arrived and took
charge of the body.
Four Men In Jail.
Following an inquest, the sheriff ar
rested George and Alma Weed, Ken
meth Murphy and Harry Heath, who
are charged with the killing. The
prisoners were rushed to Valentine in
an automobile to prevent any attempt
of their friends to rescue them from
the officers.
The affair has created intense eX.
element. The dead man and the boys
under arrest are well known and the
latter belong to prominent families.
According to a story told the sheriff
by the prisoners, Sellers had threat
ened the life of Murphy and his sis
ter, with the latter of whom he was
enamored. Heath, it is stated, was
also a sutton of Miss Murphy and fire.
quent quarrels had occurred between
Sellers and Heath.
The young ranchmen remained
about the town until the sheriff ar
rived when they gave themselves up.
A Cold Blooded Crime.
The murder of Sellers was one Of
the coolest blooded crimes ever COM
mitted in this part Of the state. Sun
day night he was staying all night
with Hutch Jack, ranchman, and
after they had gone to bed somebody
knocked and Jack got up and one of
the Weed boys, 1t is alleged, came in
and walked with Jack. 1t is said he
shouted to Sellers, who was in bed,
and told Sellers to get up as he
(Weed) wanted to visit with him.
Sellers replied that he was tired, as
he had been to a dance the night be-
fore, and then the door opened and 1t
is alleged that Harry Heath, Kenneth
Murphy and the other Weed brother
came in, drew guns with which to
cover Jack. While Jack was covered
with a gun one of the men went into
Sellers room, covered him with a
gun, made him get up and then, tying
his hands behind him threw a rope
around his neck, took him out to q
telephone pole and hanged him.
Cut Wires, Turn Horses Loose.
Then they cut the wires, turned all
of Jacks horses loose in a big pas
ture and rode away.
, This took place about II O'Clock
, Sunday night and it took Jack almos,
until morning to catch a horse ant
, ride to neighboring ranch to sent
, word of the lynching to Valentine.
, The sheriff Immediately left will
the coroner in an automobile ant
: reached the scene OF the crime a
t about 1890 Monday. There the!
found Sellers still hanging to the tel
/. ephone pole.
: Feeling Was Running High.
y After making arrangements to hav'
the body brought into Cody, the.
Y drove to Cody, where the sheriff al
e rested the two Weed brothers-Georg
e and Alma-and Heath and Murphy
< AS feeling had begun to get higl
}. against them, he took them to Nenzi
e to wait for the night train.
g A Girt in the Case.
a It seems that Sellers and Heat
{ have both been paying attention to
girl named Murphy, who is a cousil
or niece of Heath, and it is reporte
a that Heath was refused marriage i
e cense once on account of the relation
0 ship.