New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-05-15
DIED HARD.

DAID hiH
Bungling Work at the Execution NJ
Three Bald Knobbers-One Man
Twice Hanged.
OZARK, Mo-, May Hottie three Raid
Knobbers, Dave Walker, better known in
Christian county as'sBull Creek Dave. chief
of rhc Bald Knobbers, his son William
Walker and John Matthews, were hanged to-
day for the murder OF Charles Green and
William Edens on March IL, 1857. They
were firmly OF the opinion, up to within
forty-eight hours of the execution. thew
would newer be called upon to paw The ex-
IRENE penalty of "a life for life, Just he
fore leaving his cell, John Matthews nro-
claimed his Innocence in a loud voice The
Sheriff helped Matthews up the steps, Younar
Walker followed with a firm STEP his father
following close behind, as firm as ever. John
Matthews said he had nothing to say. He
was there, but took no part in the
crime. Matthews fell praying. The
stretch OF the rope let all fall to the
ground. The rope broke and William
Walker fell loose and lay there struggling
and grooming. He talked for three minutes,
when he was taken up by the sheriff and
deputies on the scaffold. Dave Walker was
drawn up and died in about fifteen minuses.
Matthews lived about thirteen minutes and
died with his feet on the ground. The scene
was horrible IN the extreme. Matthews and
Dave Walker were cut down and the tran
was again adjusted William Walker was
lifted, helpless and groaning and struggling.
and almost inscnsible, and the rope again
adjusted and the trap again sprung This
tifne tne descent came to a sudden stop with
his feet fully thirty inches from the ground
and he died without struggle.
The arrest trial and conviction of the Raid
hnob leaders attracted widespread attention
ana Tor the hrst time the history of the Bald
hnobber organization was made public, Tanev
county, MO-, was the birthplace of the order of
masked regulators. The regulators first came
INTO prominence when the notorious Frank and
Iupai Iayior entered the house of a Mr. DicSin-
son IN Forsyth, Mo-. and murdered an entire
family. Inc outlaws were captured by the new
law and order league and promptly lynched
Capt Nat Kinney, physical giant, was then
leader OF The regulators. and was shot and killed
by one of his old followers at Ozark not MANY
months since. Christian county. which adioins
fancy county, first adopted Bald Knob
5e.lsm in 1856. Dave Walker was the
tween three and four hundred members There
were numerous visits by the Bald Kuobbers To
petty offenders, but nothing occurred to attract
especial attention until the Green Edens affair
which terminated in the downfall of Bald Knob
berlsm. The Green Edens killing occurred on
the night OF March IL, 1887. at point eight
miles east OF Ozark and near the Edens dwell
ing One john Evans vas whipped by the Bald
hnobbers for mlsbehaving in church Old man
Edens, VINO was friend OF Evans. interfered
ana RECEIVED four blows with the whip before
Chle1 walker could interfere Edens afterward
fearlessly denounced Bald Knobberism. and on
the night OF March II the band met
@e,ed oa to oa Should be
to crlticise the regulators. There were twenty
SIX Bald Knobbers present at the meeting and
after very brief deliberations they proceeded to
they first went to the home of William Edens
but finding DO one there proceeded to the house
OF OF James Edens Williams father. There were
daught er-in-law. daughter and son -in-law and
two grandchildren. The Knobbers fred pro
mlscuousy into the house, without regard to
Charles Green, his brother-in-la and leaving
old man Edens on the floor for dead The
aaughter 9 are ESCAPED with her life During
this afterward aided in completing the chain of
evidence against the offenders
This outrage brought about elimination of
public indignation and Zach Johnson, the fear
less sheriff of Christian county, with a picked
posse had the murderers, save Pill Walker in
custody within forty-eight hours. Bill Walker
was captured three weeks later in Douglas
and avoid detection. The trials of the men were
attended with many scenes of an exciting char
acter but three of the prisoners finally confessed
TO secure Immunity and four were sentenced to
be hanged. Confederates of the Bald Kuobbers
broke into the jail and gave the four condemned
n amen W an opportunity to escape John
the chance. but Dave and Bill Walker
declined TO leave and gave the alarm
TO the sheriff. who resided in the Jail
pudding. they gave, as a reason for not eav-
ing that they preferred to await the action of
the courts in their cases, the younger Walker
stating that he would rather hang than be
10 1rrr hHyc ~.
law. II was generally thought at the time how
ever, that the Walkers fully anticipated lenien-
CIV, and reared that such action ON their part
would prejudice their chances for clemency
The weather was bitter cold, and John Mat
theWs soon gave himself up. saying he preferred
anything to death from starvation and cold
Wiley Matthews has never been heard Of though
there We're at one time rumors that he had been
seen in Indian Territory.