LYNCH LAW AT BAKERSFIELD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 44, 20 February 1878, Page 4

LYNCH LAW AT BAKERSFIELD.

FIVE MEXICAN' ROBBERS TAKEN FROM GAOL AND HANGED. Bakersfleld December 22. — The party of raiders that recently went through Caliente and also stole a lot of horses in this place, were captured yesterday by Messrs Kennedy, Young and Collins, at Oak Fiat, in the Tejon Mountains, between Tehachepa and Willow Springs. The prisoners were brought into town and lodged in goal yester evening. Early in tho night there ware omiuius whiaperings of Bummary proceedings, and a large number of citizens assembled and proceeded to the goal. Mr Lightner, the Unper Sheriff, had beon apprised of a probable attack on the gaol, and had gone down and placed the keys of the gaol and the cells in the inuer safe, tha combination of which was only kuown to himself. He then went home and retired. About one o'clock a crowd of about one hundred citizens marched down to the gaol. Mr Fountain the gaoler, was standing in the front porch of the Court House. He was immediately seized from behind, and the keys to the Sheriff's office taken from him. The keys of the gaol and cells were demanded, but bb ihey were in the safe, they could not bo had. Some of the party then went in search of Mr Lightner, and rousing him endeavored to get him to go and open the safe. This he declined to do, The crowd then went to word with axes, and the heavy two-inch plank betwoen tho office and the gaol, soon was literally splintered. The bolts of the cell doors were then cut with a cold chisel, and the prisoners dragged out. They were taken upelairs into the District Court room, arraigned, tried before a jury of twelve citizens and convicted. Four of them confessed the horse stealing and ift'ding at Caliente ; the other protested his innocence. The four 1 however, testified that the other was an active participant in both affairs. A verdict of guilty was returned, of eourse. The five men were then taken out into the rear of tha Court House, their arms and legs were tied securely, a beam was stretched between two trees, and three of them were hanged to that. The two others were hanged to tbe limbs of the tree. At 9 o'clock this morning they were still hanging. The Coroner held an inquest and the following verdict was rendered : — " We, the jury empanelled this 22nd day of December, 1877, to inquire into the cause of the death of tbe five men found banging in the Court House yard at Bakersfleld, Kern county, California, do find, after bearing the testimony adduced, that their names are Anthony Maron, Francisco Eucinas, .Miguel Ellas, Fermin Eldeo, Bessena Ruiz; tbat from appearances they were 20 to 30 years, and were natives of Mexico and California ; that the cause of their deatb was being hung by some person or persons, to the Jury unknown." Signed— N. R. Wilkinson, H. Hirshfeld, William Megan, J. E- Smith John Beard, S. A. Burnap, J. P. Quinby. The town is full of people and there is a good deal of excitement. The lynchers made no attempt to conceal their identity and comprised some of tbe leading citizens. — Alia California. * — '- -»*