Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-15
BALI KNOBBERS HANGED
HORRIBLE SCENES At a Lea,
CHOKING down IN MISSOURI

The Two Walkers, Father and Son. an
Matthews; the Leader Of Ozark County
Pious Cutthroats, Meet Horrible Deaf,
ut the Hands of a Pack of Bunp,,n
officials.
OZARK, Mo-, May 1O.--Three Bald Knoll
bers, Dave Walker, chief OF the Bald Knot
hers; his son, William Walker, and job
Ma,lhews, were hanged here at 10 o,cloc
for the murder OF Charles Greene and VII
liam Edins on March IL. 1887. The rope
broke and the three fell to the proune
struggling. 1t al q horrible butchery
The condemned men were carried to III,
scaffoId at 1910, and again drouped. bu,
il was again bungled, and the M, n hung hy
their neCk| writhing u struggling. Tbey
finally strangled to death. Dave Wake,
died in fiji cen minutes. John Matthews In
thirteen, and Bill Walker in fourteen
minutes.
william Walker was baptised last NIGHT
Nv immersion. To do this a bath basin
was carried into the jail. The scene vas
affecting. He made a long PRAYER. which
could be distinctly hea I'd 10 The s,ree.
fronting the jail.
The two Walkers retired at about II
O'Clock, went to sleep, and didn't wake TIL
4 o'clock. They were up early, and eat
breakfast at the usual hour.
The iai! yard was full of guards armed
with Winchester shotguns and revolyers.
DIVINE SERVICES
we're opened in the jail at 7:8O O'Clock.
Matthews and William Walker taking
part.
at 500 the sheriff entered the Jail and
read the death warrant to the doomed
tpen and soon after they were dressed for
the execution of the same.
For the past two weeks powerful pleas
had been made to the governor for COM
mutation OF the sentences of the three
men, and Wednesday last, after reviewing
the case at length, the governor declined to
interfere, and the condemned men were mo
titled that they must die.
The arrest, trial and conviction of the
Bald Knobber leaders attracted wide-
spread attention, and for the first time
the history OF the Bald Knobber organiza-
ton was made public. Wayne county, Mo-,
was the birthplace OF this order. It is in
the widest section of the state, and the
early days OF lawlessness; caused the for
nation OF leagues for protection OF life and
property.
At a point eight miles eas of Ozark and
hear the Edens dwelling, one John Evans
was whipped by the Bald Knobbers.
o MIsBEHAVIoR in CHURCH.
The old man Edens, who was a friend OF
Evans, interfered and received several
blows with a whip. Edens afterwards fear-
denounced the Bald Knobbers, and
on the night of March IL, d band OF 20 OF
them proceeded to Eden's residence to pun
lsh the inmates. They first went to the
house OF William Edens, but finding no one
there, proceeded to the house of james
Edens, Williams father. There were in the
hotse at the time, father, mother, sou,
daughter-in.law, daughter ard son-in-law
and two grandchildren.
The Khobbers fired into the house, killing
young William Edens and Charles Greene,
MS brother-in-law n leaving old man
Edens Oh the floor for dead.
A peculiar feature OF the Bald Knobbers
dead, is that a majority OF that band
regulators we're devoui church members.
Jhief Walker was an exhorter and temper
advocate and generally a devout
Bale Knobbers chiefssclung to the be-
lei that the regulators were champions OF
light, asserting that Edens' and Greene,s
iilling was an unfortunate but unayoid.
BILE mistake.
Just before leaving the cell John Mat
news
PRoCEAiMED HIS 1NNoCENcE
n a loud voice. The sheriff helped Matthews
Ip the steps. Young Walker followed with
firm step, the father following close be-
ind as firm as ever. at the trap religious
were held: The moose. was adjusted
t $40. John Matthews said he had moth
to say; he was there but took no part
q the crime.
Matthews called on all who were willing
o help his little ones to hold up their
Iands. Nearly all in sight held up their
ands.
The black cap was adjusted at 9!51 and
It 9g5 the drop fell. John Matthews fell,
The stretch Of rope let all fall to
he ground. The rope broke and William
lay there struggling and grooming.
lie talked for three minutes when he was
up by the sheriff and deputies on the
Dave Walker was drawn up and died in
fifteen minutes.
Matthews lived about thirteen minutes,
nd died with his feet on the ground.
THE SCENE WAS HORRIBLE
i the extreme. Matthews and Dave
we're cut down at 1910. The trap
as again adjusted and William Walker
as lifted helpless, grooming and struggling,
almost insensibie, and the rope was
gain adjusted and the trap again sprung.
his time the descent came to a sudden
with his feet fully thirty inches from
he ground, and he died without u struggle!