The Butler weekly times., 1889-05-15
AMERICAN CnAOTHHH NGr HhGegJssH1 asutIer. Mo.

ceased struggling VIII was lifted to
the platform again He sat up and
talked. and pleaded for the sheriff to
hurry. Blood and phlegn Were
constantly being spit into his black
veil No one seemed to know how
to tie another knot above his head.
The half dead man could feel the
rope dangling.
WAITING FOR HIS FATHER TO DIE.
/ The sheriff held him up. In this
half dead condition the boy Was laid
oat. .plNhe platform until his father
was dead on moose had been tied.
, The physicians pronounced Aiath
ews dead in thirteen minutes. Dave
Walkers hands had come unstrapped
during his struggles. He was pro
nounced dead and cut down in tif-
teen minutes When Dave Walker
aud Mathews were stretched on a
white sheet on the ground beneath,
the trap was again set. Young
Walker was held up and the rope
again adjusted about his bleeding
neck. He prayed constantly. Al
tsr The moose Was about his neck he
/ choked and as he said "Goh, I com
nat myself to thee he partially fell
! forward.
The trap was Atain sprung and he
dengled in the air.
After the all justment OF the moose
the sheriff ordered the rope short
ened so that his feet could not
touch the ground again. This time
the moose did not give way and the
young mans life went out with
twitches which shook his whole
body.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
Some time in the month of Octo-
Der, 1856, William Edens, respect
able young farmer living near Spar
ia. Christian county, shot and killed
adog that was trespassing on his
ground He regarded it as great
joke, and SO related it some days la
ter when in Sparta. Informed that
the dog belonged to John Mathews
he remarked: Reckon I done kill
ed Bald Knobber them" Mathews
being a well-known member of the
organization. The crowd laughed
at Edens' remark and took it as a
joke, but it was practically Edens'
death sentence. On the night after
the election in November a gang of
Knobbers went to Edens' house and
taking him out, whipped him unmer-
cifully. He vowed vengeance and
bitterly denounced the organization.
he was warned to keep quiet or he
would be visited again. He paid no
attention to the warning, however,
and on the night of March II, the
Knobbers met in Smelter hollow, a
long, dark ravine and the regular
rendezvous of the gang when any
scheme or deviltry was to be con
cocted. After going through lit
tie routine business Dave Walker
/ proposed to go down to Edens house
= and give him another = 'lickin' for not
/. leaving the country or keeping his
= mouth shut" A number Of the
5 Knobbers refused to 90, but the
l men already mentioned heartily sec
e onded Walkers proposition. The
E march was taken up for the Eden.
: homestead 1t was nearlv II elocl
e when the vicinity Of the .house wa:
Y reached, After q short consultation
e the door was burst open. but nt
e one was found there. young Eden:
| and his wife having gone to hi
/. ! fathers house few rods away t.
5 spend the night The hn"bbers
g then went to old man Edens house
/ ! The whole family were asleep. an,
tie first they knew Of the presenc
2 Of the crowd was a yelling as If de
: mons had broken loose. Get u
: and get out of here. You - -
9 we are going to Kill you. was th
t crv. VIII Edens and his wife wer
g sleeping on a small shakedown III