The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-10-08
How Q Murderer Elspel with His
Jallefss Niece.

now = Auf0otot klOp00 WIN MS
Jailer's Niece.
That truth is stranger than fiction is
well.illustrated in the eventful life of
William Franklin Martin, who was found
guilty Of the murder of his uncle,
George W. Meiscr, at Lebanon, Mo-, in
February, 1880.
Martin, although q young man, and
looking absolutely boyish, has been
tried for two murders, and acquitted on
one trial, but convicted on the other.
The first crime for which he was
charged was the murder of the Prewitt
brothers, OF Lebanon, in the summer Of
1873, and although the evidence was very
strong against him the missing link in
the circumstances could not be proved
and he was given the benefit Of the
doubt and acquitted.
In June, 1879, George W. Moiser,
Martins uncle, who lived about five
miles from Lebanon, was shot in the
back while blowing in his field. The
circumstances showed that Meiser had
been shot by some one who had been
hidden in some underbyush near the
place where he was shot, Martin quar-.
relied with his uncle Onl,e q short time
before the murder, anr, gsad said con-
corning him to a friendf h. Never mind
Meiser; l don't think ne will live more
than few days" 1t was also proven
that his mother had urged him to kill
Meiser. and said that Meiser was as good
as dead already. The mother and son
were both tried on the charge Of having
murdered Meiser, and the mother was
acquitted and son found guilty. Martin
was then sentenced to be hanged.
The way in which Martin managed to
escape while hiscase was being appealed
is best told by himself.
A reporter interviewed him as he
stood near the door of cell No. 8, in
the Central District Police Station, yes.
terday, and elected the following facts:
Martini" said the reporter, "give
us an account Of your escape and your
wanderings since you left the jail at
Lebanon"
"Well, suppose may as we'll tell
YOU"
The reporter noticed that he was an
ordinary.looking young man, sallow
complexion, high cheek bones, and
slight in build. He is twenty-one years
of age. and although five feet nine inch.
es tall, does not show much muscular
Development.
"You saw the girl who followed me
to the Courthouse" said Martin.
swell, she was the Sheriff's niece, where
was in Jail at Lebanon. She seemed
to notice me and l soon began writing
notes to her and showing them under the
door of my cell, when she used to come
along and take them away. I did it for
amusement ut first, and Maggie did not
seem to care to answer them. Finally,
however, she wrote me IN answer to one
of my notes, and slipped it under the
door Of my cell. This happened about
the time Of my trial. After that we be.
gan corresponding, and soon began to
love her dearly. Finally her uncle,
Sheriff Wilson, detected us, and Maggie
was sent away in the early part OF
March, and staid away about six months
l still kept up my correspondence with
Maggie, however, through friends who
used to visit me. Finally Maggie came
back to the Jail, and she had heard that
l was pretty sure to be hanged, and il
made her awful sad. She swore sh,
would hberate me, and soon put he
plans into execution.
l ION the 10th of November last, ab0u
seven a. m, she came with the keys IN,
said now was the best time, and told m,
J she would knock twice when all wa
ready. l soon heard the knocks an,
opened the door, when I met Maggie
who gave me her fathers breach.loadin'
rifle, and we both just walked out of tn
Jail and up the road. l did not NEE
, any one but negroes on the way, VIII
knew me, and they did not say anything
, We went to my house, and on the EST
| Of November got two horses. Maggi
, dressed in boys clothes and rode astral
die, like man, and we cantered away
| We rode down to Arkansas, and Mas
: gle stood all the roughing without
, complaint as we'll as . man. We mex
went to Virginia. When we got t
. Martins Station, Va, l married Maggie
Q The girl stood by me, and l married he
: at the first opportunity. I got work
blacksmith's shop at Martins Station
t and was doing pretty well until tw
? detectives rushed into the blacksmit
q shop and jumped on me. I hit one {
J, them with the iron was heating an
J, the other with sledge.hammer, pulle
;, out my pistols and lit out.
8 ~ next went to Pine Flat, Tenn. ,whel
Q Sheriff Goodall found me. was Twin
Q on the outskirts of the town, and o
9 Tuesday went to the Post-office, an
s he had me so quick l could not resist.
r Martin says he never killed Meise
n and is perfectly willing to 90 home, .
Is he has plenty Of friends there. He So.
b fellow named Bob Klinkenbeer, Me
}. ser's brother.in.law, killed him.
d Sheriff Goodall said, about six p. n
Is yesterday, as he came to take MART
Y down to the Union Depot, that he ha
o been on Martins trail about five month
Q and found him at the P0st-ofiice at PHI
70 Flats on last Tuesday.
Maggie Wilson, who helped Martin
g. escape, is about eighteen years old. 81
=, says she has followed Martins fortune
10 good and bad-but mostly bad-ar
8. saws she will stick to him through thi,
ID and thin. She has heavy under-ja,
q. which bespeaks great determination, q,
10 she seems to be . very intelligent your
woman, but intensely passionate In b
s. disposition.
is Sheriff Goodall and Martin and
II wife left on the $50 train on the
L. Louis & San Francisco Railroad ID
i Z Ia. 4