Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-10-04


that had served several times as a gal
lows. A rope had been brought along,
and it was quickly thrown over a
branch, and everything was ready for
the hanging. 1t was at first intended to
dispose of all three at the same time,
but there waA not enough rope, so it
was decided to hang one at time. Jack
Willis was the first to be strung up.
His end was hastened by dozen bull
lets, which were fired into the body
while it was still Trithing. Wat Sim
mons was then disposed of.
"Next came the turn of Hank Martin,
and all held their breath when the
boldest desperate known ON the plains
in those days was brought out. Just as
the big, powerful fellow was led under
the tree he made sign that he wanted
to say something. The gag was removed
from Martins mouth, and he said:
"'If you will take this rope from
round my neck and slightly loosen these
bonds, | will tell you men something
that will interest you all.
"There seemed no danger, with so
many on guard, so his request was COM
piled with. When his fetters were
loosened, he rose, stretched himself and
began his speech:
"'You are a set Of villains, he yell
ed, and you can all go to hellP
''He knocked down the two men
,,ooroct 70 bi,,, ord ,,,odo n dash for +Lo
sagebrush on the open prairie. All the
horses were left outside the barroom
when the desperadoes were captured. A
few men dashed into the sage after
Martin, which made it impossible for
the men under the tree to use their guns,
lest they hit some Of the pursuers. After
an hours useless chase the hunt was
given up for the night.
cat daylight the next morning a
ranchman rode into Dodge City and
electrified the town by saying he,had
seen Martin near Fort Leary, 16 miles
below. He said he had just finished his
breakfast when a hatless man, whom
he recognized as Martin, came in and
SIlCllSls IllO ICtiCullldll 0uo-
pected something was wrong from the
mans manner and at once started for
Dodge City and gave the alarm Thirty
men Immediately saddled their horses
and started in pursuit of the man they
had avowed to hang. As they approach
ed the hut man appeared i'll the door
with winchester rifle i'll his hand.
Without word he opened fire on the
advancing party. Two men dropped
from their saddles, and as the rest of
the party put spurs to their horses and
dashed toward the hut Martin, who had
done the shooting rushed down the hill
and plunged into the Fox river. There
had been heavy rains, and the river was
torrent, which made it seem impossi-
BILE that man could reach the other
side alive. All the horsemen drew up
along the bank and waited in readiness
to shoot Martin should he by any chance
get across. They waited half an hour,
and as there was no sight of him they
returned to Dodge City. That afternoon
the other two 6esperadoes were buried
in what is known as 'Murderers' row,
and beside the graves was placed a
board, ITO the memory of Hank Martin,
drowned in the Fox river while escaping
capture.
1.-TWO years after leaving Dodge City
CHANGED to be in little Texas town
that / don't want to mention here A
man passed me on the street one day
whose face was strikingly familiar. ]
turned to Lay companion and asked who
it was.
&C That, said he, is Henry Martin,
one Of our most respected citizens.
Suddenly the scene of the lynching
at Dodge City came back to me, and
knew that the last time had seen that
man he was standing under tree with
rope around his neck. told my friend
the story, and he evidently doubted my
sanity, if not my veracity. He told me
that Martin came to the town early in
1879, when it was first started. He in
vested money in town lots and made a
fortune. He was promoter of schools
and churches and was talked of for the
next mayor. That night was at my
hotel when tall man, with aslouched
hat, walked in. He looked round and
then came straight to me.
Are you the man, he said, 'whc
has been telling yarn about Hank
Martin being lynched?'
"I acknowledged that was.
=" Well, he replied, Henry told me
to tell you that he would shoot you OIL
sight ii you were in town tomorrow.
"Two hours later Twas taking night
ride across the prairies kansas City
Times.