Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-16

BALD kNoB6ERs HANGED.
A sickening Scene ON tho scanold-Younl
Walker Hanged Twice-The Crime 10
Which They Suffered.
OZARK Mo-, May 10.-Dave Walker ant
his son William and John Matthews wer,
[ hanged here this morning for the murde
| OF Edens and Green in October, 1885. Tn
| execution was conducted in a most bung
ling manner and the scene ON the scafols
! was CHASTITY one, as the first fall was
complete failure. At 8:45 O'Clock Sheriff
johnson read the death warrant to thu
men, at the conclusion of which they
dressed for the last act. The two Walker,
bore up we'll and Matthews TALKED
piously. At $3.50 their hands were
pinioned and the men conducted
to the scaffold. As they assembled tn,
scafold Matthews exclaimed: Farewell
vain world" Rev. Mr.. Horn read the
scriptures and Kevs. Hanks and Graysou
sang hymn. The men had but little to
say, the black caps were adjusted and al
9.53 the trap was sprung. Then the scene
was horrible. The feet of both the Walk.
ers touched the ground and the father had
to be held up until the rope could be adj
justed, when he was again swung off and
strangIed to death. The rope slipped
on Williams neck and he fell
to the ground moaning piteously.
Matthews was soon pronounced dead and
young Walker was being prepared for a
second hanging while his father was
strangling to death. Young Walker was
again taken upon the scaffold, begging
piteously that they would hurry; the moose
was again ad justed. he was swung of, and
the sickening scene ended.
Dave Walker died in fifteen minutes,
John Matthews in thirteen and Bill
Walker in fourteen minutes.
By the time the men were pronounced
dead a crowd Of Thousand people were
about the Jail.
THE EDENs- GREEN MURDER.
The crime for which the Bald Knobbers
were condemned occurred substantially
as follows:
Some time in the month of October. 1885.
William Edens, . respectable young farmer
living near Sparta, Christian County, shot and
killed dog that was trespassing on his ground.
He regarded it as a great joke and SO related
1t some days later when in Sparta Informed
that the dog belonged to John Matthews, he
remarked: '.Reckon I done killed Bald
Knobber, them" Matthews 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 .
gang Of KnObbers went to Edens' house and,
taking him out, whipped him numerically. He
vowed vengeance and bitterly denounced the
organization. He was warned to keep quiet or
he would be visited again. He paid no atten-
ton to the warning, however, and on the night
OF Friday, March II, the Knobbers met in
Smelter hollow, q long, dark ravine, and the
regular rendezvous of the gang when any
scheme or devfltry was to be concocted. After
nn0h inc h,,ci
Walker proposed to go down to Edens'
house and give him another 'lickfn' for not
leaving the country or keeping his mouth shut. ~
number of the Knobbers refused to go, but
the men already mentioned heartily seconded
w alker's proposition. The march was taken
up for the Edens homestead 1t was nearly
eleven o'clock when the vicinity of the house
was reached. After a short consultation the
door was burst open. but no one was found
there, young Edens and his wife having gone
to his fathers home q few rods away to spend
the night
The Knobbers then went to old man Edens'
house. The whole family were asleep, and the
first they knew OF the presence OF the crowd
was yelling as if demons had broken loose
Get up and get out of here, you
We are going to kill you,' was the cry.
Will Edens and his wife were sleeping on a
small shakedown in q west room of the house,
Immediately under the only window in that
side of the house. Will Edens and his mother
and the old lady seized q pistol from her hus-
bands coat.
ITS the Bald Knobbers after me again."
said young Edens, and at that moment the
firing began on the outside. In the meantime
Charlie Green, Edens' brother-in-law. who was
sleeping in the house, joined the family already
up. He had pistol and shotgun. The firing
had aroused old man Edens and he came into
the small room armed to the teeth.
At that moment both the westerly and east
erly doors were burst In by the Knobbers. The
masked iends poured into the we'll lighted
room, Bill and Dave Walker leading. up
with yer hands," yelled Bill Walker at young
Edens. Promptly both hands vert raised, and
after looking at him a moment Walker brought
his pistol down on a level with Edens' breast
and yelled, Now pop it to him" There was
roar of guns and young Edens fell, his body
rddled with bullets. The Knobbers then rushed
on the family firing as they advanced, and IN
the front rank was Bill Walker his eyes lit
with the fire OF hell itself ana his right hand
dripping with the gore of young Edens, In which
he had dipped it.
Charlie Green was trying to carry his young
wife from the room when Bull Creek Dave
sent a bullet crashing through his brain. Green
tumbled headlOng to the floor, his body falling
on his wife and his blood squirting out into her
face. The young wife screamed and Bill
Walker. brutaly kicking her in the side yelled,
''Shet up your head. or you'll get it next
She seized Walkers mask and screamed the
louder. Deliberately he lowered his revolver
and placing the muzzle to her breast fired.
Old man Edens. who At first seemed para
lyzed with fright. now raised his pistol and fred
at young Walker. The bullet took effect in
Walkers leg. and he at once yelled: DO the
old cuss. He has shot me-" Old man Edens
was seized and thrown a bed. While ono
man hit him In the head with an axe another
shot him through the neck.
Supposing everybody now dead the Knob
bers slipped out, but Wiley Mathews hearing q
gasp turned and eaw Win Edens trying to get
up. Matthews raised q shotgun and sent q
dozen slugs into the wounded mans side, kill
ing him instantly. Then the Knobbers rode
away. Charlie Green and VIII Edens were
killed. but old man Edens and Mrs. Green final
~ recovered. wave of indignation and
horror swept over the country at this fendish
butchery and the sheriff of the county began
hunting for the murderers. They were finally
arrested and after long trials and much labor
on the part of the State were convicted.
THE GOVERNOR APPEALED TO.
The attorney for the condemned men
exhausted every means to secure a COM
mutation of sentence to life imprison.
ment. The Governor was flooded with
petitions signed by lawyers, ministers.
business men and citizens generally, as
sorting the belief that life imprisonment
would meet the requirements of Justice as
completely as the death penalty. A few
days ago, however, the Governor made