Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1883 — JUDGE LYNCH. [ARTICLE]

JUDGE LYNCH.

Be Officiates at the Execution of Ten Montana Desperadoes. Weeksville, Montana, •which has been the champion town for roughs and rustlers, is getting a thorough purging. It is at the eastern end of the western division of the Northern Pacific, and for the past month has been the scene of at least half a score of murders and outrages, and lately of nearly half as many lynchinga A gentleman from that place, who recently arrived at Butte, gives the following thrilling account of the summary manner in which the newlyorganized vigilantes of Weeksville dispense even-handed justice: Less than ten days ago, it will be remembered, Billy the Kid, well known in Butte, was captured, shot all to pieces and thrown into the river. But last Sunday was the bloodiest rea-letter day ever known at the terminus For many, weeks past a spirit of lawlessness, robbery and murder had reigned supreme at that Soint Good citizens were terrorized, and le rule of the robbers was so potent that it became unsafe for any man with a dollar in his pocket to appear on the street, even in broad daylight While under cover of the darkness a carnival of crime was conducted by the thugs and cut-throats, who so greatly outnumbered the good citizens that any attempt to arrest and punish the criminals was attended with almost certain death to those who might otherwise have been willing to aid in the enforcement of law and in visiting upon the heads of the guilty the proper penalties for its infraction. Dire alarm took possession of the business community, and it finally became evident that, unless all good men were willing to sacrifice then: property and leave, some immediate and determined effort was necessary to terminate the existing reign of terror. The courts were paralyzed ana their edicts were defied. Urged to desperation by the extremities of the eituat on, a vigilance committee was organized with great secrecy, and the accessions were soon sufficiently numerous to render its members bold enough to announce their purpose of suppressing the high-handed outrages almost hourly coming to light Once organized, no time was lost in carrying out the object of the association. On last Sunday night three desperadoes known as Ohio Dan, Blondv, Ed Enright and another man were arrested. The three first mentioned were hanged without ceremony, and the fourth was converted into a lead depository. At the “Y,” another camp two miles west of Weeksville, a similar scene was enacted, three men, names unknown, being hanged on the same tree and all at the same time. When the coach left Weeksville the bodies of two men weve still dangling ip the air from a limb of a tree, giving an early morning scene of ghastly aspect. It was also reported at the same time that the three victims at the “Y” were similarly suspended, having been thus left by the avenging vigilantes, so that there should be no possibility of a return to life. On another authority it is learned that last Monday witnessed the hanging of three more men whose high crimes had become known, and who were considered too wicked to be allowed to afflict the earth any longer with their presence