Inyo County Points of Interest

Historic Point of Interest: Lynching of the Convicts Near Bishop 4 March 2016
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Lynching of the Convicts
US 395 at Bishop Gun Club
North of Bishop

Lynching of the Convicts

Near this location, on Oct. 1, 1871, escaped convicts Moses Black and Leander Morton were lynched by vigilantes to avenge the killing of Robert Morrison, a well liked Wells Fargo agent from Benton. Morrison was a member of the sheriff's posse who captured the convicts who had escaped from the Nevada State Penitentiary in Carson City. Following a two hour "court" proceeding the "jury" agreed that Black and Morton were guilty and they were immediately hung from a make-shift scaffold, which was quickly built during the trial.

Dedicated June 11, 2005
Slim Princess Chapter 395
E Clampus Vitus

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