The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-04-09

A Noted Family Of Desperadoes-
Something About their History,
Etc.
CITY Tribune.

Jefferson City Tribune.
Dispatches in yesterday. papers state,
r that Jake killian, who was released from
the peniieniiary here about year ago, Ia.
met violent death at Empire City, nea
. the Short Creek diggings in Kansas. Tn
dispatch went on to state that, lev cay
ago, Jake kiliian arrived at Short Creek
and il Is said that he threatened 10 take In,
life OF W. X. Norton, formerly merchant
of Joplin. Norton procured . double
barreied shot gun, and, meeting Killi.n OF
the south end Of Columbus street, he raise.
the gan to his shoulder and fred both bar
reis. The loads took effect in Kil'ian'.
breast, killing him instantly. Norton
then drew his revolver, and walking up ia
the dead body Of KilIian, put a bullet
through his brain. Both men served
through the war in the same company, and
towards the close Of the war they had some
trouble, which caused bitter feeling between
them. Some ten years ago they met at
horse race, seven miles southeast Of Jop-
lin, when ki.lian dre~ his revolver with
the intention Of killing Norton. Norton got
the drop ON him and fired first, putting one
OF killian's eyes out.
Jake killian was one OF a famed family
OF desperad"es in the southwest. lie was
sent to the penitentiary here for the short
term Of three years, for the killing Of Bill
Lake, the Snowman, at Granny. lie was
released under the three fourtis rule, and.
when I've returned 10 his old haunis, the
papers stated that he went back changed
man. determined to live a quiet life in
future. But there is a turbulent streak of
laxlessness running through al the Kil!ian
tribe, and the announcement that Jake has
met with violent death will surprise bu,
few.
The history of the Killian clan is rather
a remarkable one. Old 81. Ki;lisn, the
head Of the family, in personal difficulty
in the neighborlioOd Of GRANNY. about nine.
een years ago, was struck over the head |
with bar of iron. lie quietly remarked,
boys Fm gone mp for ninety mine years
,erhaps hundred" Among the rough. in |
hat section, this became by-wcrd. Tom
lillian was an infant when his father made
hat remark and died. lie is now in the
on a ninety-nine years sem
ence for the killing of Major J. ". Ander-
on, in Christian county, IN August, 1875
lark ki.lian, the Oldest son, attacked an
nofiensive man, when the latter chopped
q one OF Marks arms, and made good
is escape. Towards the close Of the war.
lark Was killed in an ARRAY. Ben, who is
bout twice the age Of Tom, keeps up the
equation Of the family WE'LL For wears :
e was under AN indictment for killing a ,
'rcus emp'oye at CRANKY, but about year :
go he got a change Of venue to Barton
ounty, hut whether the case has ever been Z
nally settled or not, We are not advised. \
We called at the Penisentisry yesterday, h
I'd had talk with Tom Killian. He is
'ther tall, spare-made, youthful looking
nap. not overly Intelligent, but very far
ON being fool. lie is now ON the sick
st, in fact chronic invalid, and the State
ill never get much work out Of him. He
i'll be twenty years Old next August. We
ked him if he had heard of Jake's fate.
Yes, he answered, Il read il in q pa
er, but the dispatch is all wrong in some
ings. ! know Norton slightly, and
row he and Jake were in the same regi.
ent during the var. Norton shot Jake
I'd put his eye out, but the difficulty &C
lrred down South during the last We Of
e war. They belonged TO a Union regi.
ent, forgot which, and have fdfsot,en
e name OF the town in which they we're
ationed when the fight took place in which,
orion put ont Jake's eve. They we're
aging cards at the ,iu,e. and suppose.
I'd been drinking. Soyou see lis all WRONG
'out the thing having happened a, horse
&c near Joplin
Well, about your own case. Tom: tell a
OF it," .,
4" Well, he answered, seemingly not the d
asst bit 10th to tell about il, /" was arrest c,
in Helena, Arkansas, on the Mississippi Il
yer, for shooting Major Anderson, in Chris i,
IN county, in 1873. Twas only about seven n
I'm years old, and Was arrested II
out a month or SO after Anderson was Il
He'd. There were two others in the a,
OVID when And rson Was killed, but %
ey got clean away. After the af- ri
ir put on. east aud went as far as Hous- 70
n, in Texas county. They were hot after a
e and turned TO the south. They had r.
e cornered IN the swamps and sleeping ST
Il there. and exposing myself, i. the rea. i.
n my health is destroyed. have never r
en- well since. Finally made nv way 8,
Helena. and there they nabbed me and T
Ought me back" =,
And YOU plead guilty. 4.
"Yes, TO murder in the second degree.
'ere was strong talk Of Iynching me, an
at was the best way Of getting out Of it.
consider that had 4 narrow escape" b
lie talked on at some length on different IA
alters, and said he didn't like prison life d
It couldn't complain Of his treatment. M
he had only some Newspapers to read. a
ne would pass easier. Promising 10 send a
m some, Our interview with Tom Killian Il
nsed. in,
Spooks. a
An engineer on one Of the freight trains =