Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-04-19
BALD knoeeER ROUNDUP.

Close OF the Not%o rails at Ozark. Mo-
The Chief Found CiuiIty-FOur to Hang
aud Four Go to the Penitentiary-The
"Baby' Released with Some Good Ad-
vice.
OZARK, Mo-. April 13-At five o'clock
Yesterday morning the sheriff called Judge
Hubbard and the attorneys on each side or
the Dave Walker case to the court house
which even at that hour was filled with
people before the jury could get in. The
twelve Jurors were called and Judge Hub
bard asked them if they had agreed on a
verdict, when the foreman answered: 1--WE
have" The verdict was. handed to w. NJ
Wade, the circuit clerk. and he read it in
loud and distinct voice: 1--WE. the jury, ind
the defendant, David Walker. guilty OF
murder in the first degree as charged in
the indictment"
The Judge then had each enc stand up.
and the clerk read the verdict 10 each and
the judge asked them if that was their YER
dict. Each said it was and they were then
dismissed.
David Walker said as the jury passed
out: II thought them men had better
sense than that" The sheriff took Walker
back TO the Jail TO get his breakfast He
did not break down in the least but said
when he got back IN the Jail that they had
tanned Bull Creeks hide"
When court formally opened at eight
o'clock, Judge Hubbard told the sheriff to
bring e. o. Summons, Amos Jones, William
Stanley and James Matthews out of jail,
as their attorneys said that they wanted to
plead guilty 10 murder in the second degree.
james Matthews, the baby Bald Knob
Der, was admitted to bail in $500 In each
case. S. II. Boyd and d. NJ. Payne went
on his bond and he was released and told
to go home and help his mother make a
living and not meet with any more Bald
Knobbers. He had been in jail for about
one year and when his mother met him in
the court house yard and kissed him after
he was released it was pitiful.
William Stanley pleaded guilty to murder
in the second degree. He said he was in
the house on the night OF the killing OF
Green and Edens and had gun, but did
not kill anybody. He asked the mercy OF
the court. He was told to stand up and
the judge asked him il he had any thing to
say why sentence should not be passed
He said he was not guilty OF the murder
and the Judge gave him twenty-one years
In the penitentary. He said the judge was
not merclful. He did not do the killing.
Amos Jones was the next to plead guilty
to murder in the second degree. The
Judge then told him to stand up and said:
Jones, do you have any thing to say why
this sentence should not be passed." He
said he had not; that he not in the
house when the killing was done and
wanted the court TO be merciful on him.
At this his wife cried so loudly that she
had TO be taken out OF the court room, and
nearly every body in the room was in
tears. He was sentenced to twenty-five
years in the penitentiary.
c. o. Summons. the Baptist preacher, was
the next one. He said he was at the house,
but did not have any thing TO shoot with
and went into the house to keep the shoot
ing DOWN. He asked the judge TO be mer-
ciful on him as he had Il wife and children
and an aged mother, and guilty men were
running at large and on bail. At this his
wife cried so the sheriff had TO take her out
of the court room also.
The Judge then told him to stand up and
asked HIM if he had any thing to say why
sentence should not be passed. He said he
had not The court then said: "Simmons,
1 sentence you 10 the State prison for the
term of twelve years.
David Walker was then brought into the
court room and the judge asked If he had
any thing to say why the sentence should
no: be passed He said he did not have a
fair trial and they had done every thing
they could to convict him. He was SEN
fenced TO hang May IS. the same day as
John Matthews, Wiley Matthews and Wll-
liam Walker, his son, are to hang.
Amos Jones, William Stanley and C. o.
Simmons will be sent 10 the penitentiary
to-day. Court adjourned till May Is. three
days before the hanging OF the Bald Knob
bers in Ozark.