The Lynching of Aldy Neal: A Mob’s Midnight Justice in Rockford

What has been happening in Canada as the North West Territory has recently been divided into four territories... [Wire copy omitted] ... Our British Columbia neighbors are not anything more strictly treated by the laws of China than our own people. Mo la wa whatever are in force for their protection, while our laws tend to their injury.

It is said that 50,000 Chinamen will be in British Columbia soon before the 1st of September... [Wire copy omitted] ...

There is a family by the name of Neal who have lived in the valley near Rockford for a year or so. The character of the family as a whole can be described by saying that they are a 'tough lot of citizens—a sort of Youngster family on a small scale.' There were two or three sons in the family until last Monday, and their petty deviltry has been the subject of conversation in that part of the country for many months. Last year one of the brothers was indicted for creating a disturbance in a Methodist church near Rockford and arraigned in the District Court, then held at Spokane Falls. He succeeded in getting a continuance, and in the meantime most of the family packed up stakes and journeyed to Montana; and their going was the signal for great rejoicing among these decent, law-abiding citizens in that section.

It seems that Aldy, one of the boys, and a sister, remained. And in November this young man was arrested for the theft of a horse, but he 'left' those who had him in charge, and from what now appears joined the other 'gang' in Montana. Last Sunday he appeared upon the scene at Rockford, coming as he said, for his sister. Once hoosed there, a party of citizens, knowing that he was wanted by Sheriff Hatten, surrounded the house, and quietly captured him.

A detail of citizens was made to convey the prisoner to Cheney, and as threats of lynching him had been made, the detail with their prisoner started about daylight on Monday. When about a mile and a half north of Rockford, and while passing a thick growth of young timber, about twenty men, heavily armed, and with the lower part of their faces masked, stepped into the road both before and behind the prisoner and guard, and under cocked revolvers but without a word being said, brought them to a full stop. A couple of the men unstrapped Neal from the saddle, lifted him to the ground and led him into the timber. Realizing his position, he piteously begged for his life, promising that he would confess all the wrong himself and family had done in the neighborhood, and that he would leave the place forever. His captors paid no heed, but told him that his time had come, and he had better make his peace with his Creator. They gave him a few minutes for this preparation, then fastened a stout rope about his neck, and throwing the loose end over a limb, several men caught it, and Aldy Neal was lynched. After the crowd had become satisfied that their victim was dead, they separated and rode away. Those who arrested Neal and from whom the mob took him, say that they did not identify the lynchers.