Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-09

| 0H'Nfb great MVikutc> anu b'2Eeu pie
opsly FOR urr,y. wesley was also shaken
"a Managed 10 answer ~ inquiry that IA,
was born in Paris, Texas, in 1853 and re-
quested that word Of his fate be sent friends
In Vernon, Texas. Smith displayed grca
nerve aud gave directions cOoily, TO sell hi,
horse and saddle aud some few other trin
kets and send the money to his mother, In
Vrrnon, Texas.
After the remarks the ready ropes we-r
! fastened around the necks OF the robbers
the end tossed over limb and in moment
more their bodies swung in the wind. The
bodies were alloGed 10 hang until nearly
midnight, when Coroner Singer took charge
I OF them and had them laid in the cllaboose
for safe keeping, and there on the follow
ing day they were visited by hundreds, and
II was noticed that not tear WAS shed over
their remains.
A cOroner's jury was empanc'c1 Thurs
day morning, and it did not rcqGlre long
for il to return the following
VERDICT:
We find that Henry y. Brown came to
his death by gun or pistol shots; Ben
Wheeler cime to his death BY gun or pistol
shots or hanging; Billie Smith cime to his
death by hanging, and John Wesley came
to his death by hanging Said parties came
to their death at the hands OF Il mob on the
3Oth day Of April 1884, composed of persons
unknown TO this jury.
K. HAMILTON. ID. +. SHELDON.
j. u. VAUGHN. /. W. STOUT.
L. II. CHAPIN. BURD LACY.
J. W. SINGER. Coroner.
The bodies were kept Until Friday even
ing about six O'Clock when they were bur-
led In the city cemetery.
Saturday morning the graves Of Wheeler
aud Brown were opened by request of sew
eral citizrns Of Caldwell who came in the
night before, that they might know beyond
doubt that the parties were the ones they
claimed to be.
MAJOR DRUAnI KNEW BROWN
'lIcnry Newton Brown, the leader Of
the baud that made such a desperate at
tempt TO rob the bank at Medicine Lodge
last Wednesday" observed Maj. a. Drumm
in Kansas City the other day, "was one of
the mildcst hammered men ever knew"
"Were you personally acquainted with
himf'
IL was. and with several others who fig
ured In this dreadful tragedy. My ranch
in the Territory is situated not many miles
from Caldwell, and my acquaintance
throughout that country is rather extensive.
For several years Caldwell has been ut the
mercy OF the cowboy element until the adj
vent Of Brown and his appointment as
marshal. Brown was. perhaps, the most
singularly constituted man ever knew. |
never heard him use an oath. He never
drank or smoked, and no one in Caldwell
ever knew him to associate with any but
the best citizens. With all this he was a
most desperate man AMI was known to
have been very reckless at former period
Of his life. The COW boys feared him, and
peace and quiet rcigned while he was mar
shall"
"What prompted him TO DO the dced?"
THAT is what is pulling the people of
Caldwell. am sure l am at loss to ac-
count for his conduct. lie was married
about three weeks since to most estima-
BILE lady. and that doubtless had something
to do with tile matter. 1t probably made
=. A..
to earn better support. With this in his
miud hr probably thought he could rob the
bank at Medicine Lodge and return to Cald-
well without creating any suspicion At
ter all avn at loss TO account fer his
strange action. as took hiln to be an up
right man in every resp, Ct"
CONFESSIONS.
The afternoon before their lvnching the
bandits were given an opportunity of max
ing AMY confessions or statements they
might desir,', and like drowning man
etching alta straw, they took advantage of
the opportunity in the hope Of gaining a
few more hours OF life. for it appears they
really had nothing to communicate. How.
ever. they stated that the proposition to
rob the Medicine Valley Bank had been
considered by them for about year. They
concluded some time ago that the worl,
should be done about the 29th Of March,
the dlte of the stock meeting here: but for
some rcasOn the plan was abandoned.
Smith and Wesley made statements impli-
eating a we.l-known young mat, W. g.
johnson known as Il bar'') WHO has been
and is now connected with the Walnut
Grove pool, In the Territory. Little con-
fiIencc was placed in these statements; but
airicnd ut once sent for johnson and he ar
rived here on Saturday, making the distance
from camp, over 20 miles, in about IL
hours. On Monday, when the excitement
haj somewhat allayed. Mr.. Jonson went to
several parties and asked that meeting of
leading citizehs be held at once that he
might have an opportunity OF vindiclting
himself Accordingly twenty or more
leading citizens assembled 1t the Office of
Ellis & Ellis snd organized by electing 4.
A. McNval. editor of the Crcsspt, chairman.
and +. z. Caruthcrs, editor Of the INDEX,
secretary, when Mr.. Johnson made the fol-
lowing verbatim statement; being ques-
toned on various points by CIV Ellis, and
others:
w. G. johnson deposes and says:-"My OBJ
tect IN having this meeting called is to have
acaancc to explain the matter of this robbery
TO toe citizens OF this town. or anybody else.
4 vii commence at the first and explain the
m ttter as best can. I want il fully under
stool that my whole object is TO explain rs
1uuy - can everything about this matter
that IN y may know every detail In my pos
sessio ., 80 there viii be no reason for iissat-
isfact On hereafter.
ABOUT six weeSs ago. this man Smith, that
was here. worked on the a1joining range TO
me-ttc T. sas Laoi * cattle t,anD any. He
was a Iian ia zoo standing as f1r ~ ! knew
up To that tine. | was wei! acquainted with
himi canped within six miles OF hin part of
this last winter. He bad charge OF the To
horses. When be came TO my camp the time
he first mentioned This fnafter-ohout six