The Helena independent., 1889-05-11
LAW SUPREME.
Three Missouri Bald Knobber Lead
ers Convicted of Murder Hanged
at Ozark, Mo.
Their Taking OF Horrible 6utcherY
Owing to the 8ungIIng Work
of the Sheriff.
At the First Attempt the Rope Breaks
aud the second Trial L. Little
Better-Their Crime.

OZARK. Mo-, May l0.-Three Bald Knob
bers, Dave Walker, chief of the band, his
son, William Walker, and John Matthews,
We're hanged here to-day at 10 O'Clock for
the murder of Chas. Green and William
Edens March IL. 1857. The ropes broke
and the three men fell TO the ground strug-
Cling. IL was q horrible butchery. The
condemned were carried TO the scaffoId
again at 1910 and again dropped, but it
was again bungled, and the men hung by
their necks, writhing and struggling and
were finally strsngled TO death. Dave
Walker died in fifteen minutes, John Mat
thews IN thirteen and Bill Walker in four
teen.
William Walker was baptized last night
by immersion in the bath basin and carried
INTO the Jail. The scene was affecting
John Matthews made a long prayer. which
could be distinctly heard in the street
fronting the Jail The two Walkers retired
about ii O'Clock and went to sleep and did
not wake until after O'Clock. They were
up early and ate their breakfast at the usual
hour. The jail yard was full of guards,
armed with rifles, shot guns and revOlvers.
Divine services were opened IN Jail at 80
O'Clock, Matthews and William Walker
taking part. At S;59 the sheriff entered
the jail and read the death warrant to the
doomed men, and soon after they were
two weeks powerful pleas have been made
TO the governor for Communication of the
sentences OF the three men, and Wednes-
day, last, after reviewing the case at
length, the governor declined to interfere,
and the condemned men were notified they
must die.
The arrest, IT al and conviction of the
Bald kuObber leaders attracted widespread
attention. and for the first time the history
of the Bald knobber organization was
Qde nnhlfF .IanRv cnnr.fN Mlslnnrf NJ
the birthplace of this order of
masked regulators. Ii is in the widest
section of the state and the earliest days of
lawlessness caused the formation of leagues
for the protection of life and property. At
a point eight miles east of Ozark and uear
the Edens' dwelling one John Evans was
whipped by the Bald knobbers for mis-
behaving in church Old man Edens, who
was a friend of Evans, interfered and re-
ceived several blows with a whip. Edens
afterwards fearlessly denounced the Bald
knobbers and on the night of Macrh IL a
band of twenty-six of them proceeded TO
Edens' residence to punish the inmates.
They first went to the house of
one there proceeded to the house
Df James Edens, Williams father. There
were in the house at the time
me fat5er mother; s91; aSdshte5 Sd
grand children. The robbers fired
into the house, killing young
William Edens and Charles Green, his |
brother in-law, and leaving old man Edens
ln the floor for dead. A peculiar feature |
Of Bald Knobberism, now dead, is that a |
of the most prominent members |
Jf that band of regulators were devOut /
,hurch members. Chief Walker was |
IN exhorter, temperance advocate and /
devout man. The |
Bald Knobber chief clung TO the be- |
ief the regulators were champions of right, |
asserting that the Edens-Green killing was
IN unfortunate but unavoidable mistake.
just before leaving his eel John Nat ii
hews proclaimed his innocence in loud Il
roice. The sheriff helped Matthews up
he steps, and young Walker followed with /
firm step, his father following close be
lind, firm ever. At the trap religious
services were held. The noOses were ad-
usted at $40. John Matthews said he had
lOthing 10 say; he was there, but took no
art in the crime. Mathews called on all /
Iold up their hands. Nearly every one in
light held up his hand. The black caps
we're adjusted at 9:5l and at 9:53
he drop fell. John Matthews fell praying.
The stretch of rope let all fall TO the
round. The rope broke and William
Walker fell, and lay struggling and groan-
ng. He talked for three minutes, when he
vas taken up by the sheriff and his depu-
les on the scaffold. Dan Walker was
rawn up and died in about fifteen minutes.
Matthew's lived about thirteen minutes and
led with his feet on the ground. The
Gene was terrible in the extreme. Mat
hews and Dave Walker were cut down at
0:lO The trap was again adjusted and
Vm. Walker lifted helpless, groaning,
and almost insensible, and the
ope was again adjusted and the trap again
pTung This time the descent came sud-
emily, the body stopped within thirty inches
I the ground, and he died without strug-
lie.