Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-19
Shs 9stly 3ress M 0slststss
xANkTok . DAKOTA
DAKOTA
THE KILLING OF ..cvaly."
Detectives Lswellys and Msy Placed U..
der Sestsss Chasges.


Correspondence Deadwood Pioneer.
Elk Creek. Feb. 8.-We have been treat
ed 10 yhs story Of Detective Lewellyn about
the arrest Of Lee Grimes, otherwise known
~ "Cnrly," = 'desperado," and one Of "Dot
Middleton's gang" and how he attempted
to e.cape and WIN killed by the officer
Monday, Feb. 2. At first sight the story
looks plausible enough. but there is another
side 10 the matter, and ! would like the
readers of the Pioneer 10 know both sides
before q judgment is pronounced on this
truly remarkable case.
Last Monday while Mr.. Grimes, or
Curly" was eating his dinner with the
other drivers Of the train where he was en-
gagged on Eik creek, some SO miles from
Desdwood, Detective" Lewellyn and
Boone May rode up TO the camp and pre-.
.enting the muzzles Of two guns towards
Grimes, informed him that he was their
prisoner, and took him in their custody.
They handcutfcd him and told him to get
on his horse and come with them, and
started with him toward Deadwood. The
next heard Of them was at Bull Dog ranch,
where the Fort Pierre and Sidney roads
join, where they stopped and, taking the
handcuffs of their prisoner, insisted on bis
taking q drink with them, which he did
very aparingly, and though they asked him
TO take more liquor, he refused peremp-
tori!y. After getting warm, and the
'ofiicers" taking several drinks.
they put the handouts again on
Grimes and started for Deadwood.
Al McFsrland's ranch - the party passed
it was noticed BY the people that they SEEM
ed to be quarseling, and that Lewellyn and
May were, or seemed TO be, seeking to az.
gravate the prisoner.
A little distance from McFarland's ranch
the road forks, the direct and main travelled
road To Deadwood going to the left and the
right hand road leading to Fl. Meade, some
two or three miles out of the way for one
coming to Deadwood. The party left the
main road and took the less travelled and
longer road via Fl. Meade, and after going
about a half a mile along this byway, at q
point where trees intercepted the view from
the main road and out of sight Of all human
eyes, in a position most likely to be chosen
b,y an assassin for his work, the deed was
done, and all the report We have of it is that
OF those who did the bloody deed,
he tried to escape and we had to
shoot him to prevent it," Brave men!
Wicked prisoner! Happy result! whereby
the trouble Of bringing witnesses to prove
bis guilt ia avoided and justice meted GU,
by self-constituted judges. jurors and exc
~cutloners without even the formaliy Of
Judge Lynch's court. II seems to me that
l remember hearing such th,Lge charged as
'.ou,rsges" among the Mormons in earlier
dhye. But let US look at the facts. 10 the
first place the horse ridden BY the prisoner
was only an Indian pory, and the o~facer.'
horses we're both large. able American stock,
which could have easily outrun the prison.
er's horse for auy distance, long or shor,.
Next, the wounds or the body OF the DOOR
victim were all in the Aides. none of them
10 the back, 40 would have been the casa If
he were fleeing with any prospect Of escape.
Nov, "a to the probabilities. Mr.. Grimes
has been driving team as q freighter from
Fort Pierre since last summer, aud his rep.
utstion vas that Of . peaceable, honest, sober
man. He wa notified at the Cheyenne riv.
er crossing some days prior to his arrest
that the officers we're after him, but stayed
with his train and made no effort to secrete
himself or to ,abscond or keep away from the
officers, and made no objection to his arrest
when it was made, and no attempt to avoid
it.
Is it probable that such q man, under
such circumstances, would attempt to escape
in the presence of the officers, when he had
made no such endeavor when he knew they
we're coming and had a fair field? IL it not
more likely that since dead men tell no
tales" proof Of his death was better for the
officers than his living body? One thing
more. For five days his dead BODY lay
where it fell or was dragged by those who
had killed him, and then was buried only
by the charity Of those Who saw the
poor, d%ishonored body on the swsrd cover
ed by kind heaven with q mantle Of snow
alone. Without attention, without mourn.
ers. without even a tear of sorrow or re-
greet from those who had slain him, @.
even q preteDce of all Inquiry as to The
manner 10 which be WAS ush.red out Of
existence. was it buried and placed out Of
sight, 10 q poor grave on the bleak plains.
where 1t would be beyond the reach of the
wolves and birds. Truly law is a great thins
aud those. who execute it are entitled TO
credit. But what security is there for auy
of us. II a man may be shot down 10 a se-
cluded place by go called officers, aud HE
body left to be buried by charity, aud no
one care enough to inquire az 10 the n.ap.
oer of bis GeMh? None, it seems 10 me
and TO msny others, and # this case Is al
right, what shall We expect! Down in GU,
country We call this something like muir
der. JUSTICE.