LYNCH LAW IN PORTUGAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 52, 2 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

LYNCH LAW IN PORTUGAL.

MURDERER BATTERED TO DEATH / BY A MOB.

There is an epidemic of crimes here, telegraphs the Lisbon correspondent of the "Dally Mail," under date of January 13th. Scarcely a day has passed during the last month upon which some murder has not been committed, and the perpetrator, in most cases, still remains un- » discovered.

Yesterday, in the provinces, near PomPal, a farmer of Outeiro, returning to his house found his drawers and trunk op_en, lEtt all his valuables 'gone. Making inquiries in the neighbourhood, he was informed by a shepherd boy that a strange »an had passed in the direction of tne station with a bag.

The farmer followed, and learned that the suspect had travelled by the train which had just left. His brother in law accompanying him, he went by the "next train, which caught up the previous one at Telhada, where, finding the man hi a third class carriage, he demanded his Property. The thief jumped out and endeavoured to escape* but the farmer 1 held him, and it being a fair day _. crowd speedily collected. Finding he could not escape, the thiet freed an arm, drew a revolver, and after Shooting at and missing the farmer, deliberately fired four shots into the <*owd, killii.g the local schoolmaster and Wounding another man in the head. % This so enraged the peasants that tney attacked him with their bludgeons and hattered him to death, smashing his head dnto such a shapeless mass that recognition will be Impossible. The schoolmaster's little daughter, who saw her father fall, could hardly be torn away from the body. , Although the public mind is getting used to -ghastly crimes, this one introduces a n ew element, which is causing much excitement.

Lynohing has hitherto been unheard of rat Portugal.