White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1863-06-11
THE HANGING AT HIGHLAND.
Proceedings aad Confession.

pnan C0outys neiu y uIRuisnus 0uur Su'
1868, for the trial Of james B. Melvin
and VIM. Cannon. then in custody. chars
ged With stealing. j. P. Johnsoo wss
elected Chairman, and B. Harding Sec,
retsry. A e
A coumitte on resolutions. consisting
Of the following named persons A. A.
Gardner. B. Harding. John Beeler. d.
Chspsoa. G. L. Carroll and T. Vandef-
slice. reported the following resolutions.
hich were adopted unanimously:
Resolyed, That Ne heartily endorse the
policy and course Of action recommended
by Gen. Blunt. for the arrest and puAish.
ment Of thieves and robbers now infsst,ng
our country. paralyzing the srm Of indus
trions and enterrri.ing citizens. =
Resolred, That though we deprecate
the cssss which impsls us- 10 adopt this
course of action. we nov proceed to the
selection Of twelve snbstsutial citizens u
Jurors. who shall Immediately proceed to
be trial of the prisoners before us james
B. Melvin and Wm.. Cannon. and re
port their verdict to this meeting for fur
ther action. IT,, adj ..r.- a, ..,.-, ID
Resolved. That We win stop hanging
thieves anil robbers when they stop steal
ing and robbing. -
In accordance Herewith. 8. C. Shields.
S. Plo:tner. 5. H. Nesbitt. Jesse Jones.
James Williams. Geo jesse. Jonathan
Springer. james Daugherty. John O. Neal.
5. F. Amsbury, j T. Lane and Nathan
Springer wss selected ~ jurors. The Sc
lection was unanimously approved.
A. A. Gardner was appointed to pre-
sent the evidence for the prosecution. and
A. Taylor to defend the prisoners s.
Bonesteel. Marshal. and G. N. Devine.
Assistant Marshal. .... -. ...-...
The mee'ing then adjourned to the
grove nesr BY. when the jury was sworn
and y, oceeded with the trial. . -
The confession of the prisoners. a. pre-
viously taken down under oath. and
without restraint except as prisoners. was
read to the jury in their presence. and
principally assented to by them. 20. 81.
The following is . summary Of the
confession which was made BY each.
when separated. with no material differ
ence, where both were concerned {:
In Aus ust last. James B. Melvin, Wn.
Cannon. Daniel Loveless and John Can.
non stole Q csDos 10 Tennessee. Melvin
and John Cannon stole. two horses, har.
ness md hack. in Kentucky. brought them
to Missouri. ami sold the horses to Gov
ernment. In November. the company
stole horse each in Missouri. and sold
them in Lesvenwortb. In December.
Melvin stole fifty dollars from his bed
fellow. John Hswley. near Mt. Pleasant.
Kansas. by taking it from his pocket
book under his pillow. and replacing the
pocket book. Afterwsrd Melvin and
John Cannon stole sS5 from Geo. Cook.
in Leavenworth. Melvin stole yoke Of
oxen. some fifteen miles from Lesvenw orth
on the road to Oskslooss. and sold them
to Irwin 4 Jsckmsn, and . saddle from
Benz. icCreary. near Leavenwortb. and
had it when arrested Loveless. Melvin
and John Cannon m ,de an arrangement.
last Winter. to rob . clothing store in
Leavenworth city. They entered the
store late at night, when but one clerk
was in. struck him in the head with q
hammer. but, failing to SION him. he rails
ed the alarm and they a-d. They inten
ded to gag him. end then rob the store.
In April last, Melvin aud John Cannon
stole three yoke Of oxen in the Ksw bot
tom. below Lecompton. and sold them to
Irwin l. Jsckmsn; Wm. Cannon shared
the profits. In Missouri they stole FIVE
yoke Of oxen. bnt becoming alarmed.
turned them out. May 9th. VIM.
Cannon took up . stray mule in Platte
City. and John Cannon sold it in St. Jo-
.eph. In the same month. Wm. Can
non and Melvin stole . bay mare. near
Platte City. Of one Davis. and had her
when arrested. Soon after. VIM. Can
non. Melvin. and John Cannon stole q
bay mare and brown horse fifteen miles
below St. Joseph. sorrel horse. one bay
and one brown mare in Holt County. and
started for Iowa. but were Intercepted by
the militia. who took all their stock ex-
cept the brown mare stolen from Davis
Returning to St. joe. flying from the mi
iitis. Melvin and John Cannon stole .
horse each. John Cannon sold his. .
dark bay stsllion, at auction. in Atchison.
on the 23d ult. Melvin took bis back to
Missouri. turned it ont, and stols . dark
iron. grey mare. thirteen miles below ST.
Joseph and had her when arrested.
Some two weeks since. stole . yoke oi
large white oAen in this County. and sold
them to one Wells. in St. Joseph. Near
where Melvin stole the grey mare. John
Cannon stole large bay horse. and has
it yet. He also stole saddle from near
Highland. sna has it yet. The next.
night Wm. Cannon snd Melvin stole
saddle in Highland. The night follow.
ing they stole pair Of mnle~. . new
wagon and harness from near Highland.
John Cannon agreed to help them. but
failed to cvme. .-l.-..
After presenting the evidence to the ju-
~. Mr.. Gardser gave plain statement
Of oil pslIis,ing circumstances that hsd
come within bis knowledge. and was fol.
lowed By Mr.. A. Tsylor. for the defence.
in an able speech. well calculated to call
forth the sympsthies Of . jury. The
case was then submitted to the jury. With
Instructions to bring in . verdict Of
Guilty" or '.Not Guilty." ,stg. ~.
Without leaving their seats. the Jury
gave verdict. uuanimously signed, pro-
nouncing james B. Melvin aud VIM.
Cannon guilty. BY their own confession,
and other circumstan nces' -