The Dickinson press., 1912-04-20
HOBO WAS
LYNCHED


of Detenseless Woman.
Supt. Lantry Praised
Word was flashed to Dickinson at an
early hour Thursday that soon after
midnight fifty or more resolute ranchers
from the Rosebud country west of Glen
dive, battered down the jail at Forsyth
and strung up Henry Hoesner. who had
assaulted and murdered a defenseless
woman on the 10th. The lynching was
accomplished without any fuss. 1t was
just what the husband of the woman
would have done had it not been for
the officers and posse when the fiend
was taken, so it is reported.
Details of the murder of Mrs. William
Merrill at Joppa. little Montana sta
tion west of Glendive, are somewhat
meager. but as near as can be learned
the woman was shot near the door of
her home.
A dispatch says that when Engineer
Frank Regan, pulling an extra freight
west, reached the siding at Joppa, a
point five miles from the town of Rose
bud. lad of eleven years, breathless
and white faced, with fear and horror,
came running toward the cab, and
managed to articulate that man had
just shot his mother. Mrs. William
Merrill, in their home just couple of
hundred feet from the track.
There is nothing else at Joppa except
water tank.
His attention thus directed Engineer
Regan even saw the murderer running
southwark over the hills. At that
point the Yellowstone river runs close
to the north side of the track. An in
vestigation quickly proved the boys
story was correct. The engineer found
the woman lying near the lonely cabin.
The lad had not been near when the
murder was committed, but he told
Engineer Regan that when he appr oach-
ed the house the hend had killed his
mother and also took shot at him. The
engineer quickly uncoupled his engine
and one car by orders of Superintendent
Lantry, 10 whom he had reported from
the nearby telephone box. and ran into
Rosebud, where posse of fifteen men
with horses were quickly organized and
rushed to the scene of the crime. The
superintendent also ordered special
from Forsyth carrying the sheriff of
Rosebud county and posse of men.
The conditions or motive leading to
this terrible crime can only be matter
of natural conjecture at this time. The
men, who frequently have long waits
at that siding. Mrs. Merrill was about
IS years of age. Her husband had been
q sheep herder but by dint of economy
and having been helped by fockmasters
of that locality had gradually acquired
quite band of sheep of his own.
1t was found that Henry Hoesner was
the man who had committed the crime,
and he was overtaken by the first party
that started from Rosebud in freight
car. These armed men proceeded on the
trail of the man whose footprints were
plainly traceable in the snow. When
Hoesner was overtaken he raised his six
shooter and offered fight. but when COM
manded to throw up his hands he did
so. When the posse reached Rosebud
with the man an angry crowd gathered.
with threats of lynching. and he was
hurried into a box car and at once
taken to Forsyth.
Mrs. Merrill's body was found but a
short distance from the cabin. 1t WAS
evident from the imprints in the snow
that she had made desperate effort to
escape her fate and that she was run
ming from her assailant when he shot
her. Little is known of Hoesner. He
is young fellow about twenty years
of age, and evidently hobo. He ars
piled to the Merrills for work few
day ago and had been given employ
ment about the place.
i Supt. T. H. Lantry is deserving of
much credit for the prompt assistance
he gave in capturing the murderer
Engineer Frank Resan is no relation Of
the Joe Regan 90 well known in Dickin-
son.
| Later reports from the Forsyth lynch
ing. say that Hoesner did not commit
any outrage on Ms. Merrill. He was
robbine the house and because she
interfered he shot her. Hoesner said
he was from New York. He admitted
the murder before being strung up to q
tree in the street. The lynchers were
masked, very orderly in their work.
and it is not likely that any arrests