The Columbus journal., 1895-01-23
ScOtt'S BOdy FOund,

On New Years eve Barrett Scott, the
ex-treasurer of Holt county, was spirited
away from his wife and niece, and hired
man, since which time various rumOrs
have been set afioat to account for the
disappearance, varying from abduction
by friends to abduction. and murder by
enemies.
All this time search has been made
wherever it was at all likely to he ef-
fective, but until last Saturday night, it
seems without satisfactory results.
During the day quilt had been found
near Writings bridge over the Niobrara,
and this melted to renewed efforts by
the nine men who continued to chop
away the ice and drag the water, con-
tinuing after nightfall by the light Of
lanterns.
A man named Hudson, living near
Dorsey, was the first to discover the
body, which was 100 feet from the
bridge, about ten feet from the north
bank of the river, and in seven feet of
water.
A coroner's jury convened on Sunday
rendered their verdict to the effect that
they believed. from the evidence pro-
duced, that on the 31st day of Decem-
Der, 1894, by shooting, and hanging
with a rope by the neck until he was
dead, in the county of Holt and state OF
Nebraska, and that George ID. Mullihan,
Moses Elliott, Mert Roy and other citi-
zens of Holt county, to the jurors un-
known. were guilty of the killing. They
believe that the body was carried to the
bridge and then thrown into the river.
After the inquest, the body was con-
veyed to O'Neill, where it arrived Sun.
day afternoon at g. His mittened hands
are tied tightly behind his back; the
moose of halfinch rope still hanging
| around the neck, told how the work was
done. The bullet hole is apparent in
the right ear, and crimson furrow
shows where it grazed the cheek. His
nose had been broken and twisted to
| one side. There is a large confusion
just above the right eye, and another on
the left temple. There is the mark of a
knife in the left boot. The body was
we'll preserved, though the skin was
| discolored.
| 1t is believed that Scott was hung al
the place where Schmidt was turned
loose, and very soon after that time. His
watch, found on the body, had stopped
at just one minute after midnight. This
would indicate that the vigilantes lost
no time after they were left alone with
their victim. The last words he is known
to have spoken we're TO his captors to
kill him quick, and it seems they took
him at his word.
The marks on the body are supposed
TO confirm the belief that he was tortured
in the hope that he could be forced to
disgorge some of the Holt county money
The funeral will probably take place
tomorrow tGhursdayt, and be attended
by Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of
Pythias.
The name of Fred. Harris has been
added to the list of those charged with
the crime, and the searchers now claim
that they have absolute proof that the
four men mentioned are among the
guilty ones. When the telegram was
sent to the Omaha Bee, Sunday, from
which we condense the foregoing, Holt
county's Sheriff Hamilton had not re,
! turned from his spook expedition, and nc
one at O'Neill seemed to know his
whereabouts.
The tragedy, with all the details, has
formed an exciting episode in the his,
| tory Of Nebraska.