Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-16
PAID A LIFE FOR A LIFE
After Many Reprieves BaldknObbers
Pay the PenaltiesOf Their Grimes.
The Rope Breaks and They are Precip
itated to the Gr0uud.
They Hang Twice Before the Spar K o
Life Departs.

| OZARK, MO-, May lU.-DaVe walker
chief of the Bald Knobbers, his sor
William, and his able lieutenant, John
Ma thews, were hanged this forenoon fol
the murder of Charles Green end William
Edens. on March II, 1887. With them
died the Mollie Mcguire organization OF
/ the Southwest.
The jury and reporters were admitted
| to the inside at $50. The condemned
men assembled the scafold with firm
step. After reading of scripture, sing
ing and prayers by several ministers
present, the nooses were adjusted. JOIN
Matthews proclaimed his Innocence.
When the drop fell the stretch Of rope
let all fall to the ground. The rope broke
and William Walker fell loose and lay on
the ground struggling and grooming. He
talked for three minutes when be was be
ing taken upon the scaffold again. Dave
Walker was drawn up and died in aboul
fifteen minutes. Matthews lined about
thirteen minutes and died with his feet
on the ground. After William Walker
had been lifted helpless, insensible and
groaning to the trap, the rope was again
adjusted and the trap again sprung. He
died this time without struggle.
/ The three Bald knohbers were firmly OF
|
hours of the execution, that they never
would be called upon to pay the extreme
penalty of life for life. Neither OF
the trio had yet reached his 505n year
and VIM Walker was barely 10 years of
age. The three men, together with
Wiley Matthews, nephew of John, were to
have been hanged on May Is, 1888, but
on an appeal TO the supreme court
escaped the gallows temporarily. Last
| October the state supreme court affirmed
the decision of the Christian county cir
cult court, and fixed December % as the
day of execution. Another stay was
subsequently secured, and Friday, Feb
ruary ] 5 named as the day of execution.
| Inasmuch as the supreme court
| had not yet passed upon the case of
David Walker when that date arrived
the governor granted a reprieve until
April 10Th, to William Walker and John
Matthews, Wiley Mathews being still at
large, he and his uncle, John Matthews,
| having escaped from the Ozark Jail on
December 28th. It will be remembered
that confederates of the Baldknubbers
broke into the jail and gave the con
demned men an opportunity TO depart.
John and Wiley Matthews took advant-
age of the chance, but Dave and Bill
Walker declined TO leave and gave the
alarm to the sheriff who resided in the
Jail building. The weather was bit
Ter cold and John Matthews soon
gave himself uF, saying he preferred
nything to death from starvation an d
cold. Wiley Matthews has never been
heard of, although there were at one
time rumors to the effect that he had
L
preme court decided adversely in the
case of Dave Walker, The 8aldknobber
chief, and fixed his execution for May 10.
About April Il the attorneys for Bill
Walker and John Matthews made a
strong appeal for Communication of the
sentences of their clients, and when that
was denied, asked for respite to May
10, the date of Dave Walkers execution,
which was granted.
THEIR HISTORY.
There were numerous visits by the
Baidknobbers to petty offenders, but
nothing occurred to attract especial at
tention until the Green Edens affair,
which terminated in the downfall of
Baldknobberism. The Green Edens
killing occurred on the night of March
IL, 1887. At point eight miles east of
Ozark, and near the Edens dwelling, one
John Evans was whipped by the Bald
Bnobbers for misbehaving in church. 0 d
man Edens, who was friend of Evans,
interfered, and received four blows
with the whip before Chief
WALKER, too, could interfere. EdeDs
fearlessly denied Baldknobberism, and
Oh March IL the band met to consider
what punishment should be melted out to
the old man who dared to criticise the
methods of the Regulators. At the
meeting it was decided to punish every
member of Edens' family, Which was
done, the old man being killed.
The outrage brought about a culmina
ton of the public Indignation, and Zach
Johnson, the fearless sher IF of Christian
county, with picked posse, had the
murderers in custody within forty eight
hours time. The trials of the men were
attended with many scenes of an exciting
character, but three of the prisoners
finally confessed TO secure immunity.
"Bull Greek Dave" Walker, the bald
knubber chiof, according to his own
story, was born in Christian county, KY,
in June 1843. His parents moved 70
Christian county, Mo-, when he was four
years of age, and settled near Sparta
The section that they settled on was at
that time part of Greene county. They
had hard time up to the war. Dave
enlisted in Com pany M, Sixth Missouri
volunteers In 1862, but after a few
months of service was discharged, as he
was under age. lie went
back home, but had stronger
inclination for war than ever, and enlist
ed In Company 81, of the Sixteenth Mis-
souri,. His age was not found out and
he went through the war. After the war
he returned to Bull Greek and entered
forty acres of government land. This
was his homestead. He Joined the Bald
knobbers three years ago, when the first
com pany was formed in Christian county
Chen Bull Greek county, and was made
chief. He claimed that beside pouring
out the liqour at ssthe
Chadwick saloon and whipping
John Evans for cutting up in church, his
company had not done any regulating.
1t was the whipping or Evans which ex-
cited the hostility of Edens. William
Walker is the Oldest son of the Bald
knobber. He was born March 5, 1870.
He lived on the farm with his father all
his life, and Joined the Baidknobber5 at
the same time. He was wounded in the
right groin in the Green Eden killing,
and that night was taken
TO his uncle's house in Doug
las county. He was captured later
by the sheriff with the assistance of j. d.
Newton, brother of Walkers sweetheart.
John Matthew'S was born in Ball Creek
in Christian county, Mo, five miles from
Chadwick, April %, 1848. He was in the
Union army during he war, enlisting IN
the 46.h Missouri. He took part IN sew
eral engagem snts incident to General
had nhlI-