Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1878 — Cattle-Thieves Burned Alive. [ARTICLE]

Cattle-Thieves Burned Alive.

There lias been recently considerable cattle-stealing going on among the cattle herds in Western Nebraska, and eattle men have been taking active steps to capture and punish the thieves. In consequence of these thefts two thieves were on Tuesday night literally burned at a staKe by a moo, tne tern die anair occuning in Custer county. The particulars are as follows i It seems that two men named Ketchum and Mitchell, of bad character generally, v r ere accused of stealing stock. About a week ago four herders went to the house of Mitchell, on the South Loup fork, w’ith tho intention of anesting him as well as Ketchum. A fight ensued, the parties keeping up a regular fusilade for some little time, and during the melee one of the herders named Stevens was instantly killed. Ketchum and Mitchell were anested by the Sheriff of Custer county, and placed in safe keeping. On Tuesday night, while the Sheriff, with a posse of men, was taking the prisoners to the county seat for trial, the party was overpowered by a mob of about twenty-five men, who were all masked and well-armed. They took the prisoners away from the officers, tied them to a tree and burned them to death. Tho affair created a good deal of excitement. It will probably have a salutary effect upon Western cattlethieves.— Omaha (Neb.) Telegram to Chicago Times.