The Helena independent., 1889-04-14
The Brigands of the Ozark Noun
tains and the Lawyer Who
Loved His Landlady.
Tragic Death OF the Giant Leader OF
the Notorious Bald knobber
Organization.
Trial Of His Murderer and General
History Of the Famous Regulators
and Their Doing-,


in this and nelghboring counties. II took
place yesterday at the regular April term
OF the Taney county circuit court with
Judge w. ID. Hubbard, of Springfield. ON
the bench. For the past two years Judge
Hubbard's court has attracted unusual
public notice for a tribunal OF this grade ON
account Of the arraignment Of the many
Bald Knobbers who have been called upon
to face the stern penalties OF the law they
SO long defed and outraged.
The judicial circuit comprises the coun-
ties of Greene, Christian, Taney and Stone.
most of the territory once dominated by
the followers OF Capt. Nat n, kinney, the
fallen Knobber chieftain, whose remains
now rest in a rural graveyard just across
White river from this little county seat.
On the 10Th OF last August the founder OF
the Bald Knobber organization was shot
and instantly killed at this place by Will
liam Marion Miles. young man promi
nently connected with the militia" or
anti Kinney faction of Taney county. To
understand clearly the present situation in
Taney county and the peculiar features OF
the trial, few facts OF history, covering
the period since 1885, must here be stated.
FIRST A CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
In the winter OF 1888 there was organized
in Tapey county Law and Order League,
known also as "The Citizens Committee"
Taney county was at that time infested
with numerous outlaws, whom u was
claimed could not be caught and brought
10 Justice by the ordinary methods OF civil
government. These mountain desperadoes
had long been the terror of the good clti-
zens OF Taney county.
At the head of this Law and Order
League stood Capt. Nat y. Kinney,
gigantic descendant OF an old Scotch fam.
ily, whom nature had most titly endowed
for this position. lie stood fully six feet
and half In height, weighed 2sO pounds,
with not an ounce of surplus flesh on his
well proportioned body, and united with
this fine physique the dauntless spirit OF
natural leader.
A few months after the league was or
ganized two young men, already c0nspicu-
Gus for the desperate character, Frank aud
Tubal Taylor, went 10 country store five
miles north of Forsyth, and being refused
credit TOR pair of boots drew their pistols
and opened lire ON the defenseless mer-
chant. Several shots were fired, one OF
which wounded the merchants wife.
Leaving the merchant mortally wounded,
as they supposed, and his wife bleeding
from the effects Of a stray bullet the Tay-
lors fled to the neighbOring hills. The
sheriff and several hundred members of
the law and order league mounted their
horses and turned out 10 help capture the
young outlaws. After hiding two days
and nights in the woods they we've forced
10 surrender receiving promise from the
sheriff beforehand, however, that they
should not be lynched.
THEN BAND OF REGULATORS.
The Taylor brothers were taken at once
TO the Forsyth Jail for safe keeping, but
the feeling in Taney county, excited by the
brutality OF their crime and the novel cap
ture of the young outlaws, was now ripe
for summary methods OF punishment. and
the doom of the prisoners had already been
sealed. During the two days search for
the fugitives the law and order league had
become suddenly transformed into an oath
bound secret organization, with grips,
signs AMI passwor and all the necessary
ritual for It's deadly work. On the second
night after the capture OF the Taylor
brothers the prisoners were taken out OF
the Forsyth jail by large and well dis
ciplined mob and hanged 10 the limb OF
tree.
Thus was born that famous regulating
order afterward known as the Bald Knob
bers.
The secret organization spread rapidly
throughout Taney, and within few
months every township had its company OF
regulators fully ofiicered and instructed in
the unwritten work OF the fraternity.
Captain Kinney was everywhere the guild
ing and dominant spirit OF the new organi-
zati0n.
THEIR PEACEFUL DIsBANDMENT.
At the next election in the county full
Bald Knobber's ticket was run, and they
captured every Office without difficulty.
The anti-Knobber party, though largely
outDumbered, maintained stubborn and
bitter opposition to Kinney aud his follow
ers, and finally obtained authority from the
governor of Missouri TO organize militia
force In defense of the civil administration
OF justice. Several companies Of this anti
Kinney militia were organized and
equipped, and but for the great numerical
inferiority of the opposing element Taney
county would doubtless have been the
scene OF one of the most deadly factiOnal
wars ever witnessed in the United States.
The Knobbers continued absolute masters
OF the situation in Taney county till Gov.
Marmaduke sent his adjutant, Gen. Jami.
son, down into the White River valley to
confer with the regulator chieftaln, who
finally yielded 10 this pacific request and
formally disbanded his Knobber legions.
HATRED, JEALOUSY, REVENGE.
james 5. Il. Berry was prominent
merchant and mail contractor of Forsyth
during the Bald KnObber regime in Taney
county. and became the leader OF the mill
tia faction. Berry was repeatedly threat
ened by the regulators, and at one time il
is claimed the merchant escaped lynching
only through the interference of kinney.
Mrs. Berry kept a hotel in Forsyth, and
one of her bOarders last summer was Geo.
l.. Taylor, young lawyer Of Forsyth and
awarm friend Of Kinney's.
Subsequently Berry had a duel with the
young lawyer about his relations with Mrs.
Berry, and later on there was a divorce
suit. Arising out OF this Mrs Berry made
claim for her share Of the business, and
about this time Captain Kinney was ap-
pointed by Judge Hubbard receiver for the
firm OF Berry Brothers Il Co. till the suit
brought by Mrs Berry could be heard.
Kinney accordingly took charge of the
store, against the vigorous protest of Berry,
and began TO carry on the business as in
structed by the court.
THE CowARDLY CRIME.
During the Berry-Taylor trouble Miles
and his brother had acted as two Of Berry's
body guards, staying with the little mer
chant all the time, armed and ready 10 take
part In the expected combat between the
two hostile factions. On the morning OF
August 20 William ~ Miles and his broth
er went into Berry's store and saw Kinney
acting as receiver. Only the three men
were IN the store when the killing occur
red, and before the excited crowd Of the
citizens OF Forsyth reached the scene OF ac-
ton the giant Knobber lay dying on the