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Show ARBRT HOB STORMS I Mi CELL II VAM Futile Attempt Made to Lynch Tramp Who Murdered Farmer Far-mer of Las Animas, Colo. LAS ANIMAS. Col., Dec. 27. After several hours of diligent effort at storming storm-ing the county Jail here, a moh which gathered after da. for the purpose of avenging the death of Henry Lavenmey-er, Lavenmey-er, a well-known farmer near here, who was murdered in a most brutal manner by Lawrence Leberg, a tramp, dispersed, and it is not thought that further attempts at-tempts will be made tonight to carry out the plan of vengeance. The moh worked its way Into the jail as far as the steel doors by breaking down the wooden doors, but were mat with a stern refusal by the Jnllkeepers to turn over the prisoner, and Anally gave up. Many believe the murderer to he Insane. Leberg's crime was the work of a fiend. Alighting from a Santa Fc freight train yesterday afternoon at Robinson station, near thla city, he crossed tho river and secured a meal from a farmer named George Purvis. When Leberg finished eating he demanded lodging, but was refused re-fused because of his nbusivo language. Leberg left the Purvis farm and, after preparing a camp on the river bank, started back toward Purvis's place, evidently evi-dently bent on revenge He set tire to a haystack belonging to Henry Lavcn-msyer, Lavcn-msyer, thinking it was the property tf Purvis. The fire attracted Lavcnmeyer, who took Leberg Into custody, allowing: him to ride behind him on his horse. When Lavenmeyer dismounted to open the gate at the road entering his ranch Leberg struck him on tho head with a hammer, which he found tied to Laven-meyor's Laven-meyor's saddle. Tho latter fell stunned and Leberg beat him over the head until he became tired. Leberg left bis victim lying In the road and went back to his camp at tho riverside. He returned soon after and, with a pocket-knife, cut La-venmoyer's La-venmoyer's throat from ear to ear and attempted to scalp him. |
