Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-05-11
BALD.KNOBBERS SWUNG.
Three Famous Regulators
Hung Together.
A VERY BUNGLED BUSINESS.
A Missouri Sheriff That Did Not
Know His Duties-A Most
Shocking Scene.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
OZARK, Mo-, May 10.-Three Bald
Knobbers-Dave Walker, Chief of the
Bald-Knobbers, his son, VIM. Walker,
and John Matthews-were hanged here
at 10 O'Clock to-day, FOR the murder OF
Charles Green and VIM. Edens on
March IL, 1887. The ropes broke, and
the three men fell to the ground, strug-
Cling. 1t was a horrible butchery. The
condemned we're carried to the scaffold
again at 10: 10 and again dropped, but it
was again bungled, and the men hung
by the neck, writhing and struggling,
and were finally strangled to death.
Dave Walker died in fifteen minutes,
Matthews in thirteen minutes, and Bill
Walker in fourteen minutes.
William Walker was baptized last
evening by immersion, in a bath basin
which had been carried into the Jail.
The scene was very affecting. John
Matthews made long prayer, which
could be distinctly heard in the street
fronting the Jail. The two Walkers re-
tired about IL O'Clock, went to sleep, and
did not wake until after 4 this morning.
They were up early and ate breakfast at
the usual hour. The Jail yard was full
of jail guards, armed with Winchesters,
shotguns and revolvers. Divine services
were opened in the Jail, and at Z 80
O'Clock Matthews and William Walker
we're taking part.
At :53 the Sheriff entered the Jail and
read the death warrant to the condemned
men, and soon after they were dressed
for execution. Fer the past two weeks
powerful pleas have been made to the
Governor for the Communication of the
sentences of the three men, and Wednes-
day last, after reviewing the case at
length, the Governor decided not to
interfere, and the condemned men were
notified that they must die.
Just before leaving his cell, John
Matthews proclaimed his innocence in a
loud voice. The Sheriff helped Mat
thews up the steps. Young Walker fol-
lowed with a firm step, the father
following close behind, firm as ever. At
at the trap, religious services were
held, and the moose was adjusted at 9 40.
John Matthews said he had nothing to
say; he was there, but took no part in
the crime. Matthews called on all who
we're willing to help his little ones to
hold up their hands. Nearly every
one in sight held up their hands. The
black caps were adjusted at 9:51. At
1853 the drop fell. John 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 groaning. He talked
for three minutes, when he was taken up
By the Sheriff and Deputies to the scat
fold. Dave Walker was drawn up and
died in about fifteen minutes.
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 at 10. The trap was again ad-
iusted and William Walker was lifted up,
helpless and groaning, struggling and
almost insensible, and the cap was again
adjusted and the trap again sprung. This
time the descent came to sudden stop
with the feet fully thirty inches from the
ground, and he died without struggle.
The arrest, trial and conviction of the
Bald-Knobbers' leader attracted wide
spread attention, and for the first time
the history of the Bald-knobber organ
Nation was made public. Janey county,
Missouri. was the birthplace of this order
of masked regulators. 1t is in the wild
est section of the State, and the early
days of lawlessness caused the formation
of leagues for the protection of life and
property. At point eight miles east of
Ozark, and near the Edens' dwelling one
John Evans was whipped by the Bald
Knobbers for misbehaving in church.
tOld man Edens, who was a friend Of
Evans, interfered, and received several
blows with whip. Edens afterward
fearlessly denounced the Bald Knobbers,
and on the night of March 18th band
of twenty-six of them proceeded to the
Edens residence to punish the inmates.
They first went to the house of William
Edens, but finding no one there, pro.
ceeded to the house of James Edens, Will
liam's father.
There were in the house at the time
the father, mother, son, daughter in-law,
daughter and son-in-law and two grand.
children. The Knobbers fred promis-
cuously into the house, killing young
William Edens and Charles Green, his
brother-in-law, and leaving old man
Edens on the floor for dead. The peculiar
feature of Bald.Knoberism now dead, is
that a majority of the most prominent
members of that band of regulars, were
devout church members.
Chief Walker was an exhorter and tenn
perance advocate, and generally devout
man. The Bald-Knobbers' chief chung
to the belief that the regulators were
champions of right, asserting that the
Edens.Green killing was an unfortunate,
but unavoidable mistake.