Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1892-07-30 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

TWO BROTHERS LYNCHED.  A painful sensation has been created throughout California by the lynching at Redding of two young men of good family. They were John and Charles Ruggles, sons of a prominent office-holder and generally esteemed citizen. In May last the two brothers, armed with Winchester rifles, stopped the Redding and Yreka stage,and resistance being made by the express messenger, they shot him dead. With the coolness of veteran highwaymen they said, "Will you throw it down " referring to the treasure-box,which was then given up to them. Charles was arrested soon afterwards near Redding, but the elcibr brother was not heard of until his discovery last month at a restaurant in Woodland, 100 miles from Redding. He was arrested in the restaurant, but only after a desperate resistawe, in which he drew a pistol, and was instantly shot down. The bullet entered his neck, and made a serious wound. He was brought to Redding and locked up with his brother in the county gaol. The residents of the vicinity were deeply incensed at the tithe of the crime, and the two young men when in gaol bragged and boasted of their offence until the public anger grew ominous. Moreover, the foolish actions of two disreputable young women added to the prevailing indignation. They visited the two young men daily, carrying them sweets and delicacies, while the family of the murdered messenger were objerts of charity. There was talk of lynching the pair a fortnight ago, but the brothers sneered at it, and the two women publicly derided it. On Sunday a band of masked men entered t' • Court House in which the gaol is situated, and mac'e their way to the third floor, where the gaoler, who is also the caretaker of the Court House, slept. They took him from his bed to the sheriff's office, and, after forcing the door, directed him to shew them where the keys of the gaol were kept. He declared that they were locked in the safe every night by the sheriff himself, who feared an attempt against the two prisoners. The lynchers then began work on the safe with a drill az.d powder, and just as the clock struck 2 blew open the large steel door. The keys were secured, the gaol door was opened, and the two young men seized. They were taken one square from the gaol, and hanged at the woodshed ot the railway company. The elder brother pegged hard that his brother might be spared.offering to tell where the money was hidden. His entreaties were not. listened to, however, and the two were hanged side by side.  Her father: "But, my boy, surely you are too young to marry Aurelia. How old are you F" Her suitor: "Eighteen, sir." "And she is 24—t00 great a disparity. Why not wait half-a-dozen years? Then you'll be 24 and she'll probably be just about the same age as you."  Stage manager: "I'm very sorry, but the star and two of t:.e leading members of the company are sick, and can't appear." Manager: "Are the elephant and lions all right P" Stage manager: "Yes, sir." Manager: "The scenery isn't hurt, is it P" Stage manager: "Not in the slightest." Manager: "Anything happened to the costumes ?" Stage manager: "No." Manager: "Well, then, what do you mean by bothering me P I thought, from the way you spoke, that something bad happened to interfere with the performance."