Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-11-16

Willis was ,he first to be strung up.
His end w1s FASTENED 10y dozen bul.
lets, which were fred into the body
while it was still writing. Wat Sim
mons was then disposed OF.
Next camo the turn of Hank Martin,
and all held thCir breath when the
boldest desperate known on the plains
In those days was brought out. Just as
the big, powerful fellow was led undcr
the tree lac made "a sign tina, Inc 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 letters We're
loosened, he rose, stretched himself and
began his speech:
lyon are set of villains, he yell
ed, and you can all 60 to hellp
He knocked down the two men
nearest to him and made dash for the
sagebrush on the open prairie. All the
horses were left outside the barroom
when the dcSperadoes We're captured.
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 pursuors. After
an hours useless ,hase the hunt was
given up for the night
"At daylight the next morning
ranchman rode into Dodge City and
electrified the town by saying he had
seen Martin near Fort Leary, / 6 miles
below. He said he had ia; .4ished his
breakfast when a hatless man, whom
he recognized as Martin, came i'll and
demanded shelter. The ranchman sus-
pected something was wrong from tho
mans manner and at once started for
Dodge City and gave the alarm. Thirty
men Immediately saddled their horses
and started III pursuit of the man they
had avowed to hang. As they approach
ed the hut a man appeared in the door
with winchester rifle III his hand.
Without a word he opened fire on the
advancing party. Two men dropped
from their saddles, and Us the rest OF
the party put spurs 70 their horses and
dashed toward the hut Martin, who had
donethe 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
4 Il
along the bank and waited III 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 despcradoes were buried
in what is known rs 'Murderors row,
and beside the graves was placed a
board, TO the memory Of Hank Martin,
drowned III the Fox river while escaping
capture.
1.-TWO years after leaving Dodge City
/ CHANGED To be IN little Texas town
that / don want to mention here. 4
man passed me on the street one day
whose face was strilingly familiar. |
tulnec o my companion and asked who
it was.
&" That, said ne, 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 a tree with
a 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 10 the town early IN
1919, when it was first started. He in
vested money in town lots and made
fortune He was a promoter Of schools
and churches and was talked Of for the
next mayor. That night ! was at my
hotel whelfa tall man, with a slouched
hat, walked in. He looked round and
then came straight to me.
Are you the man, he said, who
has been telling yarn about Hank
Martin being lynchcd|
II acknowledged that | was.
VOL he replied, Horny told IRE
to tell you that lac would shoot you Oh
sight if you were in town tomorrow
1.-Two hours later ] was taking night
ride across the prairies. kansas City
Times.