WHITE MEN LYNCHED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3213, 12 June 1909, Page 3

WHITE MEN LYNCHED.

Four Americans named Miller, Burre'.l, West, and Allan, who were charged with the assassination of Mr Alfred Bobbitt, a rich cattleman, two months ago, were dragged from the county gaol, a hundred miles .south of Oklahoma City, on April 12th, and hangedtothe rafters of a barn. These rren were not ordinary criminals, and,-indeed, Miller left estate valued at £40,000. while his comrades were all wealthy. The citizens of OKlahoma, fearing that the influence of the accused would secure their acquittal, decided to lynch them, and so, without any fuss, a hundred strapping fellows volunteered to storm the prison. They found the door of the gaol conveniently fragile, and had not the slightest difficulty in battering it down. There was only one guard on duty, and he was knocked senseless with the butt end of a revolver. The four prisoners had no alterna-; fcive but to submit End accompany the mob. They were lined up in the courtyard and asked to explain why they killed Mr Bobbitt. West, a fine-lookiig, swaggering cowboy, answered for the four, saying, "Ycu can go to for all we care. Had I but a six-shooter I'd make a dozen of you cowards bite the dust. You've evidently a job to do. Well, why don't you do it? You wont' catch us. telling a word." Ropes were then placed round their necks. Miller calmly removed a diamond from his shirt front, asking that it might be sent to his wife, who is staying at Fort Worth, Texas, and also drew a scarfpin from his ti p requesting that it should be given to the unconscious prison guard. The the victims were dragged to a neighbouring barn, strung up gdn a bro.d beam, and securely fastened. When the authorities found them they had been dead for an hour. The county attorney promised to investigate the lynching, but asserted that, as there could be no evidence of identity, there probably would be no prosecut- , ions. Miller was popular, although a rough diamond. He is supposed to have killed thirty people within the last twenty yeara, mostly cattle i thieves or men whom he had shot ip self-defence. All his life has been spent on the Texas border.