Centralia Massacre (Washington) - Death of Wesley Everest

Death of Wesley Everest

As evening fell on November 11, 1919, a vigilante mob began to form outside the jailhouse. Suddenly, the power grid at the municipal electric power plant was turned off, plunging the town into darkness. Whether this individual responsible was working alone, supporting the growing mob, or was acting under the direction of Centralia’s sheriff remains another disputed issue.

Under cover of darkness, the mob seized Wesley Everest. Although Everest's personal identity was unknown, with some believing him to be IWW leader Britt Smith, he was positively recognized as the Wobbly who had shot and killed Hubbard. Everest was the only Wobbly taken from the jail.

Everest was taken to the Chehalis River Bridge and lynched. The bridge was subsequently known as the "Hangman’s Bridge." The next day his body was cut down and returned to the jail.

Later published accounts said that Everest was castrated on the way to being lynched.

The castration myth gained attention with the publication of "The Centralia Conspiracy" by IWW member Ralph Chaplin, six months after the events. He admitted later that his account was not objective.

A police report, filed on November 12th, the day after the lynching, should discredit the castration myth. A man (presumably a police officer) examined his body and filed a police report dated November 12th. The report includes a set of fingerprints and a description of the body. It estimates the height and weight. The it notes: "No scars that could be located on the body outside where rope cut neck hole that looked like bullet hole Prints taken in the Jail at Centralia, Wash. room very dark to see any thing on the body in line scars: rope was still around the neck of the man."

If the police officer was looking for scars and could see the color of Everest's eyes and hair, he could hardly miss evidence of castration. Another myth about Everest is that his body was riddled with bullets while dangling on the bridge. The police report described only one bullet hole.

No one was ever charged with the lynching.