West and Dever, Wichita Eagle, December 31, 1895

Now It’s Women They Burn

Southern Mob H lds [sic] an Auto-Da-Fe to Punish Suspected Immorality.

Lebanon, Ky., Dec. 30.--Within two miles of this city Saturday night a relentless mob burned to death a woman and riddled with bullets her grayhaired paramour. The blackened and disfigured corpses of the victims, Mrs. Thomas West and William Deveres [sic], were found in the ruins of the woman’s home today by the 14-year-old daughter of the murdered man. 

 The tragedy was one of the most brutal ever enacted under the gruesome sway of dread Judge Lynch. Despite the pleadings of a half-clad, frightened child for her father’s life and the prayers and tears of the ill and helpless woman, the mob went through with its work with cold-blooded, cruel deliberation, and left only when certain that both the man and the woman were dead. 

The affair was the outgrowth of the old story of faithless wife and vengeful husband. Some months ago, Deveres [sic], a middle-aged widower, was accused by Thomas West, a prosperous farmer, of intimacy with Mrs. West. Quarrel followed quarrel throughout the fall until West instituted divorce proceedings and declared that Deveres [sic] must die. The men met in Lebanon. West snapped his revolver, which missed fire, and Deveres [sic] killed him on the spot. On the plea of self-defense, the murderer secured ball and scandalized the neighborhood by immediately taking his two daughters and moving into West’s house. The relatives of the murdered husband swore vengeance and Saturday night it came. 

Close to 10 o’clock a band of men rode up to the West homestead and demanded admittance. “Tom West is dead. Now it’s your turn.” the spokesman called, and Deveres [sic] and the woman awoke to find their house surrounded. Mrs. West rushed to a darkened window and began a wild, hysterical plea for mercy. A dozen bullets answered her cries and the demand for immediate surrender was repeated. Deveres [sic], too, asked for a hearing, but his request was greeted with a shower of shots. 

“We’ll give you ten minutes to open up. Then you burn.” said the mob’s leader, and his men quietly retired from the door. A hurried consultation was held inside the house, and then, white and terror-stricken, the little girl of Deveres [sic] was thrust out to to [sic] plead with the mob. Clad in her night robe, barefooted and unprotected, she bravely walked out into the moonlight and sobbed out a prayer for her white-haired father’s life. 

“Get out. You’re liable to get shot yourself.” a ruffian said, and, thoroughly panic-stricken, the child fled to the cabin of a neighbor. 

Mrs. West then appeared at the door and, referring to her condition, made a last appeal for mercy. It was unavailing, and in another moment the house was fired. The shrieks of the imprisoned wretches failed to move their torturers, who, after the flames reached the living room, could see the man and woman in the agony of death by fire. Just before the roof fell, the woman was seen to reel across the room and plunge headlong into the fireplace, among the burning coals, and there she died. Wild with pain, Deveres [sic] at the last moment made a dash for liberty, but a score of bullets stopped him half a dozen steps from the door. 

Yesterday morning the little girl led her protector to the scene and there the bodies, scorched beyond recognition, were found, untouched by the lynchers. 

There is little doubt that the members of the mob will be captured, as they were without masks and made no attempt at secrecy. 

It is not improbable that the scenes of last night will be re-enacted in the vicinity shortly, as the outrage has aroused the most intense indignation among the people of the county. Because of the fact that West’s relatives had threatened vengeance, there is a strong belief that they are responsible for last night’s crime. The uncertainty, however, as to just who was implicated has so far prevented further trouble. 

The child of Deveres [sic], who was a witness to the tragedy, is dangerously ill as the result of the fright and exposure but upon her recovery she may be able it is [sic] hoped, to identify some of the lynchers. The night was brilliant with moonlight and the unmasked faces of the members of the mob could easily be identified as soon as the child is able to appear in court. 

The scene of the horror was visited by crowds of curious people yesterday and it was well towards noon before the bodies were cared for by an undertaker. 

Mrs. West’s corpse was charred almost beyond human semblance. Overcome by the flames, she had fallen into the large old-fashioned fireplace of the living room and the head was almost burned from the body.