The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-12-18
MASKED MOB BATTER down DOORS OF JAIL
Body Is Found Dangling From Bridge
Over Little Missouri Mile and
Half East Of Williston.


Cleve Culbertson, who murdered
Mr.. and Mrs. D. T. Dillon and
their thirteen-year- daughter,
at the Dillon farm eight miles
north of Ray on the evening of
Oct. 21, 1918, was taken from
the Jail at Williston at four
o'clock Tuesday morning by a
mob of infuriated citi-
zens, and after being carried to
the high railway bridge that
spans the Little Muddy a mile
and a half east of Williston
was hanged and shot to death.
The lynching party disappeared
as quietly as they appeared and
no one seems to know just who
comprised the party.
May Be Old Neighbors.
1t is surmised that the lynchers
consisted of old friends and neighbors
of the Dillon family, intent on aveng-
ing the brutal murder of one of the
most highly respected families Of the
Ray country. 1t is known that the
party arrived from the east in three
automobiles and it is believed that
after they had done their job, they
travelled eastward, for the sheriff and
his deputies who went out to get the
body early Tuesday morning, did not
meet any of the lynchers returning
to Williston.
Carefully Planned Affair.
The neck-tie party was a very care
fully planned affair. The party evil
IDENTIFY had spent Saturday in Willis
ton perfecting their plans. 1t was
feared that there would be lynch
ing that day, but the crowd dispersed
without making any trouble. They
no doubt located the huge sewer pipe
that was used in battering down the
door of the Jail SO that they would
lose no time when the time came for
the final act. The rope had been care
fully tied about the pipe that many
hands might lift on it and make bet
ter use of it in pounding down the
Jail doors.
When the mob drove up to the Jail,
the streets were quiet, and the leader
stationed men on all sides of the
building. One or two citizens out of
curiosity appeared and they were or
dered to leave at once. The men all
wore black masks and none of them
was recognized.
Gain Entrance to Jail.
1t took the work Of but a few min;
utes to batter down the outside door
of the jail. Sheriff Erickson, arous-
ed by the shouts Of the mob, arose
and did his utmost to hold the crowd
back. Once in, they covered the sher-
iff with their guns and demanded the
keys of Culbertson's cell. He refused
to give them up and when he saw
that the mob meant business, he un-
locked the cell door and entered the
cell with the condemned murderer.
He drew his own gun and for mo-
ment it appeared that the sheriff as
we'll as some Of the members of the
mob would be killed. Mrs. Erickson
came running into the corridor and
cried to her husband to give in, that
the crowd might kill him. The cell
door was quickly battered down and
the prisoner secured. CulbertsOn got
down on his knees and prayed to Al
mighty God that the mob would
spare him.
"You gave the Dillon family no
mercy, and you may expect none from
u.s." one member answered. A rope
was placed about Culbertson's neck
and he as dragged to the waiting
automobiles, the engines Of which had
not even been stopped. He was
n, ,c,,,,, ;,,+n ono mo chino ond II ic ,.a
ported that he was even shot once
as he was being taken from the jail to
the auto. The report is that he was
dragged mile and q half behind the
auto to the bridge.
Culbertson Fought Hard.
Culbertson must have put up a
hard fight for his life after he saw
that praying would have no effect on
the mob. One Of his hands was badly
crushed as though struck with some