Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-08
LIVES SPENT IN CRIME.
Careers of the Two Kansas MarshaIs
who were Lynched for Murder and
Robbery.

| Careers of the Two Kansas MarshaIs
who were Lynched for Murder and
Robbery.
The news of the shooting and lynching
of City Marshal Newton Brown and
Deputy Marshal Ben Wheeler, of this
place, for participation in the Medicine
Lodge Bank robbery and murders, says a
| Caldwell, Kan, special of the 5th inst. to
the Philadelphia Times, was received
here at first with incredulity, and later,
when the report was confirmed, with
| positive dismay Both men had. since
their residence here, been good citizens
and the best officers the city has
| ever had. Brown was the
only man who had ever held the
| office of Marshal here that the COWBOYS
feared, and consequently sinceshe has held
| the position the town has been exception
ally quiet. That they should leave their
positions here, which paid them 81, 900 and
| $1,000 respectively, to engage in burglary
was the wonder of ALI They had Just
been elected to their offices for the third
time. Brown was known to have led a
wild life before he came here, but to what
extent only few persons knew. He was
born in ROlla, Phelps county, Mo-, and
when only boy he left home for the
West, going first to Colorado and then to
Texas.
His first shooting exploit was in one of
the COW camps of Texas, where, after
three shots, he killed his man. He then,
it now appears, joined the band of the eel
ebrated "Billy the Kid While with this
gang he participated in most of their acts
of lawlessness, and IN the famous Lincoln
county Outrages. He was with the party
that fired on the posse of officers at Tus-
corr, Texas, and killed Sheriff Brady and
others, and he, with party of his COM
paniOns, was granted a pardon by the
Governor OF that State. He then went to
New Mexico for a few months and was boss
OF COW camp there. When he returned to
Texas he was appointed Deputy Sheriff
OF Oldham county. After serving few
months he started out again as COW boy
and killed one or two men. He finally
drifted up to Dodge City, Kansas, and
from there came here. At that time Bait
Carr was Marshal of this city, and hav-
ing known Brown in Texas appointed
him as his Deputy. This was in the
spring of1SS1. His first act here was to con-
quer the gamblers, who had before that
been the ruling element of the town.
Since that time they have been most
orderly set of men.
Last summer he killed an Indian in one
of the stores of this city, and about two
months ago he killed gambler from Tex
as, named "Newt" BOyce, who had threat
ened his life. For this he was severely
censured in some quarters, but was not
brought to trial. Only a month ago he
was married to Miss Maude LiYergOOd. a
young lady Of good character. He has
numerous relatives in Missouri and a sis
ter in Iowa. He was about twenty-six
years of age and the last person to be
suspected of cOolly entering into plot to
nsOh Vnh nr1p II, ha1 = i
OF the people and officials of the city. He
left here last Sunday evening, ostensibly
to arrest murderer in the Indian Terri
tory.
Ben Robertson, alias Ben Burton, alias
Ben Wheeler, by which latter name he
was known in this city, was a native of
ROckdale, MILAN county, Texas, where
two OF his brothers and one of his sisters
are residing. Another brother was at one
time the general land agent of the State of
Texas. Wheeler came TO this city about
two years ago and was soon appointed by
Brown as his deputy. Since being on the
force he has killed two men, both in self
defense, while attempting to arrest them.
He had the reputation of being a cooler
headed man than his chief. He had many
friends here. In Texas he was DEPUTY
Sheriff for some time and left that State
on account of a little trouble, in which
no one was killed. He then went to
Wyoming Territory, and from there came
here. He has wife and four children in
Texas. Shortly after his arrival here an
other wife came to this city whom he bad
married under the name of Burton. She
had one child. He would not keep her
here, but told her if she would 90 away he
would support her. Last winter he ap-
piled for divorce in the county, but it
was not granted. He was also said to be
engaged to young lady OF this city.
The bodies of the four robbers and mur-
derers were buried in one grave, Just
south of the town of Medicine Lodge.
There. were no religious ceremonies.