June 2, 1894: Alexander McCurdy

Today we learn about a lynching in Colorado through the pages of the Weekly Oregon Statesman and Pacific Agriculturist (Salem, Oregon) dated June 8, 1894:

A COLORADO LYNCHING.

Twenty Men Did the Job by Mutilation and Hanging.

Golden, Colo., June 2.—Alexander McCurdy, who horribly mutilated his step-brother, Charles Berry, last winter, was this morning taken from jail and lynched, after being subjected to the same treatment he gave his victim. McCurdy was last week convicted of mayhem and yesterday sentenced to the penitentiary for three years, the full extent of the law. At 2 o'clock twenty men arouse[d] Alexander Kerr, the jailer, choked him and taking the keys went to McCurdy's cell. He was dragged to a lawn in front of the building and mutilated the same way as he cut Berry. He probably died while this was being done, but the body was rushed down to Lakewood trestle, over Clear creek, and hanged. The sheriff has arrested John Richweine and John Koch, guards for the lynchers. They have given the names of all the others and a coroner's jury is preparing warrants for them. McCurdy assaulted Berry while he slept, pickled the organs he cut off and sent them to his wife in Indiana. He escaped, and was arrested several weeks afterward in Indiana. Berry recovered. During the trial of McCurdy this week he has been restrained with difficulty from assaulting him. Berry is 18 years old. McCurdy about 30.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.