The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-09-29

Olson Ekridgo came to our house at II
O'Clock at night on Sunday. They
knocked at the door gently, and | an
swered the call, asking who was there.
The answer was, Bert When l rec.
ognized Bert his first words were
Flora, we are awful hungry, but have
you got anything that will fit Dison's
feet; he is barefooted. He then asked
if | had anything cooked. l gave
them lunch, which the ate outdoors.
Trey did not enter the house during
the time they were hereabouts.
..-i;t,:; HJCKTON
had arrived here in the evening pre-
ceding that night, and was then sleep
ing IN the house across the way. I told
the boys of this, when they seemed to
be overjoyed, and expressed a desire to
see him Immediately. Stockton was
then sent tor, and when he came over
to see them he remarked: 1t is very
cold this evening! His teeth we're
chattering, he was trembling, and l
suppose he made this remark to hide
the true cause of his nervousness,
which was that his conscience smote
him Tor the treachery he was practic-
ing toward his friend, whom he in
tended to deliver up to be hanged for
moneys sake. Stockton had been to
my house for supper and returned for
breakfast, at the request of friend,
Mr.. Welfoot, who had the hospitality
of our home. had made every ar
rangement for the boys to get horses
and provisions with which to continue
their travels. | aided in their escape
so far as they VENT, and if it be Grim
mai | would not regret it, FIR Bert was
my brother, and Olson his sworn friend
Had | not done as l did, | would feel
that | were inhuman. Bert asked who
was blamed for the shooting, but did
not deny or acknowledge that he killed
the Marshal, as he could not know. Mr..
Stockton said when he came to our
house that night that he had heard
that a party would arrive from Silver
ton, and that he
HAD COME TO WARN THE BOYS,
if here. After the boys had eaten their
lunch, | was conversing with them at
the door. Olson said to tell his brother
Arg that he and Bert would 60 to their
brother, Dow Eskridge, and from his
place on to the plains. 1 am told by
witnesses to their arrangement that
Stockton tried to have the BOYS sepa-
rate, saying that they could escape
much easier in that way. They had
horses, and provisions to last them four
or five days. They both said while
here that when they had reached a
place where they could 60 to work and
behave themselves they would do so,
and in the future live and act honorably
stockton, when asked in to break
fast, said he was not hungry, but sat
down to the table and ate hearty
breakfast, conversing freely all the
while about matters of small conse.
quence, and wanted Mr.. Welfoot to &c
to Pennington with him. He had a
great deal to say about his living in
dread of the law, and said many of his
friends had advised him to leave this
country and change his name, etc
The manner in which .
| STOCKTON, AS A CoMRADE, CAPTURED BERT
has caused him to say much to vindi
cate his treacherous action. He seems
to think he has statement to make
to all he meets, separately and col
lectively. He says that Bert owed him
$40 and refused to pay it.
Bert told me after his capture thai
| he and Olson went to the place agreed
on with Stockton the night they were
here, and Stockton and Cook came tc
them in the morning. Stockton sale
he would have to 60 to the Florida after
fresh horses. He left Bert and Cook
and took Olson with him. He was
gone till 3 o'clock in the afternoon anC
returned without Olson. He told Ber1
that Olson and Arg were to meet them
five miles ieiow with fresh horeea." ? S.
got up and left his pistol on blanke
on which be had been lying. The horse
was five OF six yards from him, and as
he started for him, Stockton jumped ir
between him and his pistol and told
him to throw up his hands, Bert did
so. laughing, thinking it was at joke
bnt seeing Stockton's face the truth
commenced to dawn on him, and he
said: Ike, do you mean it?' to which
Stockton replied: Yes, I do mean it,
Money is what makes men in this coun.
try Bert said: you've got the drop
on me, Ike, but I'd rather you'd kill
me- Stockton promised him he'd
never be turned over without some
thing to defend himself with"
AFTER HIS CAPTURE
he was kept under a strong guard at
Animas City until Saturday, when he
was turned over to the sheriff of San
Juan county, who took him to Silver
ton and lodged him in jail. He was
accompanied by his sister, who re-
manned in Silverton till Sunday. 1t
was, no doubt, due to her presence that
he was not lynched Saturday night.
She was informed Sunday that he
would be hanged whether she remain
ed in town or not, and that if she went
her brothers body would be sent to
her. Between and 10 o'clock Sunday
evening party of masked men broke
into the jail, took Wilkinson out, and
made summary preparations for
launching him into the great beyond.
Up to the last moment he showed the
utmost fortitude, and died "the gamiest
of the game" AS the preparations
neared completion, he took the rope
in his hands and with the remark
"Boys, I'll help you all l can" adjust
ed the noOse about his own neck, and at.
ter expressing his regret that he couldn't
shoot Stockton before going, who" be