LYNCHING A MURDERER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9028, 5 November 1892, Page 10 (Supplement)

LYNCHING A MURDERER.

The firsb lynching in California after many years of lawful methods took place at Redding a few weeks ago, and has been quickly followed by a second tragedy of the same kind at Santa Anna, California. Francisco Torres, a Mexican labourer, murdered three months ago William M'Kelvey, the superintendent of the Modjeska ranche —a large and valuable tract 1 of land belonging to Madame Modjeska, the wellknown actress. The crime was so brutal that it excited the deepest public indignation. On Saturday morning, shortly after midnight, a band' of men gathered, all wearing disguises, ant} walked quietly down the main street of Santa Anna to the gaol. Their faces were all blackened to render identification impossible. Their leader knocked at the gaol door and demanded admission. Being refused, the party broke the door with sledge-hammers. Torres was awakened by the noise, and understanding its import, began shrieking for help in his cell. Guided by his outcries, the lynchers went to his cell, shattered the lock with a sledge-hammer, and seized him, the man being crazed with fear. He screamed and sobbed, wildly protesting his innocence. Mo sooner was he outside the gaol than the whole party made a rush for him. He kicked and fought desperately, but was soon bound hand and foot, while a towel was tied over his mouth to smother his cries. He was then dragged to the corner of Sycamore and Fourth Streets, the most prominent point in the city. A rope was thrown across one of the arms of a telegraph pole. In a moment more a loop was placed about his neck, and he was drawn up and strangled. When the body was cut down it was found that the rope had been so loosely adjusted that his death agony must have been terribly prolonged.