Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-22
OFFICERS FOOL The MOB
Three Hundred Men Besiege Rock
Springs, Wye, Jail, Seeking
Mexican Slayer.
PRISONER SAFE AT GREEN RIVER

ROCK SPRINGS. wyo.. March 20
While a mob Of sO6 men last night be-
sleged the city Jail here and clamored
for Juan Menendez. slayer Of Town Mar
shall Thomas Harris, Menendez. probably
mortally wounded. was surrounded by
special guards in the county jail at
Green River. sixteen miles distant, TO
which he was moved by Sheriff Matt Nc
Court early yesterday. when It became
certain that Harris would die.
The mob. when II learned that Menen-
dez had been spirited TO the county
seat, considered lynching Alfiro YER
rama, friend Of Menendez, who lay
I'm the city Jail with a ghastly wound
i'm his neck. but was dIssuaded frim
this by the pleas of police. who argued
that verranza had had no connection
with the killing of Harris
Tries to secure Train.
Later the mob attempted to secure
special train, intending TO 20 TO Green
River and lynch Menendes. but vas not
successful. and finally suilenly dis
persed. In anticipation of further at
tempt sumnarily TO avenge the death OF
Harris, Sheriff McCourt will have Metn-
endez kept under strong guard at Green
River or Rawline, a rumor which the
officer will not discuss, saying that
Menendez has been transferred to the
latter place, which is 100 miles east OF
here.
The death of Harris, who was a popu
lar officer, caused public feeling TO reach
white heat II was not publically known
that Menendez, who was shot twice af-
ter he had shot Harris last Saturday. at
IL o'clock yesterday morning had been
taken from the state hospital here and
placed aboard a train, and early last
evening knots OF men began to collect
in the business district and discuss the
advisability of lynching the prisoner.
March on City Hall.
Prior TO the shooting of Harris, Men
endez and Verranza had been mebers Of
a party OF Mexican carousers who en-
gagged in a fight among themselves In
this fracas verranza's throat was gashed
by another Mexican, the wound almost
resulting In his death from hemorrhage
before surgeon could glove him atten-
ton. lie has been held in jail as wit
ness against his assailant should the
latter be caught.
While Menendez was at bay on the roof
another member of the party of Mexioans
smashed a plate-glass window in a
neighboring building and stole a guam
tity of merchandise, escaping with his
loot in the excitement incidental to the
siege Of the saloon.
VIII Maintain. Guard.
At o'clock leaders for an attempt at
lynching had been found and a mob of
300 formed and marched to the city hail.
invading the chief of pjolice's office and
packing into the halls of the building
no statement that Menedez had been
taken out of town was not believed
until the Officers unlocked the jail and
permitted representatives of the mob to
search IT. Menendez was not found. but
verranSa was discovered. When the mob
was informed that Menendez really was
gone there was demonstration against
verranza and the police with difficulty,
prevented him from being dragged from
the jail ana killed. +t --i rs
Leaving the city hill. the mob went to
the railroad yards and attempted to Sc
cure a switch engine and cars for a,
trip to Green River but could not find
such equipment. hree automobiles loaded
with friends of Harris left town for
Green River soon after the mob dispersed
but as no demonstration occurred at Green
River it is supposed that this expedi-
ton was abandoned before the county
seat was reached,
Fight Among Selves.
oday the town was quiet but the guard
about Menendez will be maintained
Menendez shot Marshal Harris last
Saturday night when the officer at
tempted to arrest him as he was rob
bling a saloon. Menendez had driven the
bartender and porter from the place and
was riflipg the cash-register when Har-
ris. who had been summoned by the bar
tender. stepped through the door. In
stantly Menendez opened fire and Harris
fell with three wounds.
Menendez fled TO the second story Of
the saloon building and crawled out on
an adjacent roof, where he lay at bay
An officer thanked him by going into
an adjacent building and shot him twice.
He crawled back into the saloon build.
ing but was too badly wounded to make
further resistance and found helpless
on a bed.