Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1888-12-22 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

WHOLESALE MURDERER  LYNCHED.  I The lynching of a man named George R. I Wetherell for the committal of several revolting I murders is described in despatches received in Liverpool by the last arriviug mail steamer from America. Wetherell was artested for the mnrder of a man named M`Cann, a few miles I outside Denver, on the 3rd inst. Re was first of all lodged in the prison at Canon City, Colorado, but the public excitement was BO intense that he bad to beseeretly removed to peri-1 vet. Having to be again removed to Canon City Ito take his trial, the public got wind of the I matter, and on the 4th inst. au organised band of about 100 citizens demanded the giving up of the I prisoner. The Sheriff refused, and told the mob that any attempt at securing the lean would mean bloodshed. The crowd then went off I and resorted to diplomacy, one of their band knocking at the prison-house on a pretext, which got the door partially opened, when in rushed the infuriated mob. Once in they commenced Ito tear down the steel cage which enclosed Wetherell. This they tore to pieces. Wetherell knew what it all meant, so, seizing • club, he knoeked seversl of his assailants down, until a couple of piatol-sliots broke his shoulder. He then quietly suffered himself to he hound and taken through the town. At the nearest telegraph pole the wretch had a rope put round his neck, and he was quickly hauled up to the cross-pieee. lie was instantly lowered again, and asked if he had anything to say, to which he shook Me head, when ho was one-e more dragged up by the neck to the cross-bar of the telegraph Dole, remaining there till quite dead. The record of Wetherell's crimes shoes them to have been of s ferociously heinous nature. In 1872 he, along with another man, was herding sheep for a man named \Vail. The two herders conspired, and Wetherell murdered Wall by battering out his brain,. The two then took the herd of sheep to New Mexico and sold them. They were, however, captured, and Wetherell was sentenced to s penitentiary for twenty years, his companion being sentenced to eight years. Getting tree after 'fiftoed years, Wetherell was next heard of at Ironton, where he got into the friendship of two Swedes, Ile set out with them to Silverton, and the Swedes were never afterwards heard of, bat Wetherell arrived at Silverton with their horses, which he sold for 300 dollars. It was supposed that he had killed the two Swedes and thrown , their bodies down an old mine. This crime, however, was never brought home to him, WI the bodies were not discovered. Alter this he ingratiated himself into the friendship of M'Cann, who was the owner of two team,. He induced M'Csain to accompany him with his : horses to a place where he (Wetherell) WaS suppoaed to have a mine at which he required the horses to work. Wetherell arrived at Denver with the teams, bet no BPCorm , was with him. Suspicion was aroused, Wetherell arrested, and • search brought to light the ' body of M-Coun, which was buried in sand just outside the town vt'ave the two men bad been camping for the night. Puidi feeling rose intensely at the discovery, and without ;ridge or , jury the crowd resolved to give Wetherell his deserts, which they di,d by lynching him. er , v A.T.