The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-01-31

-roeacution in the Barrett Scott case
ovo made sensational discoveries dur
inc the past few days, but nave kept
them quiet until today. The fact is es-
tablished beyond doubt that the
aasassination Of Scott was the work OF
on oath bound organization known as
+be Home Protective association, with
4 membership Of about fifty. including,
il is claimed, some of the prominent
citizens of Holt county. Several men,
hers of this organization, it is said,
have made a clean breast of the whole
r,rderous conspiracy. and the prose
crt;on claims the story will all come
III in the preliminary examination.
These facts have been studiousiy
concealed on the ground that to make
j., rublic before would have given the
yieilantes an opportunity to make way
with some Of the witnesses before the
time came for them to testify in court.
The first reliable information in regard
n the details of this evidence was OBJ
tanned this morning. 1t was from a.
source which admits of 10 doubt as to
IFS truth and discloSes a number Of
sensational facts which have long been
SUSPECTED, but are now for the first,
time absolutely known. 1t is clearly
established that the lynching Of Bar
rett Scott and the cowardly assault ot
his innocent family was the work of the,
vigilance committee which holds sway
.l.0,ohont tho nntirn pnrthprn half IF,
Holt county. More than that, the kill
ing was not alone the work Of a dozen
men. but the result Of a gigantic con-
spiracy. in which several men of high
standing and supposed respectability'
are more or less directly implicated.
The original vigilance committee wag
organized about twelve years ago, wher;
Doc Middleton and Kid Wade were ia
the midst Of their career. After their
bands were dispersed the organization
died down and many of the reputable
citizens, who were in control Of the
original committee, dropped out. A
yes ago last fall a new committee was
organized, which contained some Of II.
members of the old organization and
nan others, whose character was
such that they could not gain admit
lance to the old committee. The first
hanging done by the members Of the
new committee vas that Of Ralph and
John Hills last summer Nc effort was
ever made to bring them to justice, and,
encouraged by their success, they be-
ga 70 t1nt fAr. thn a,,,n,- 90 -,.att
scott some time ago. AT that time
t~re was considerable opposition to
the plan, as many members of the COM
mittee Were personally on friendly
terms with the eX-treasurer, but, while
fhey endeavored to prevent the con-
templated assassination, they dared not
breathe a whisper of the deadly plot to
anybody not connected with the organ
lzation. They We're oath bound, and
the penalty for breaking hat oath was
ferrible and certain death.
Decreed That Scott should Die.
The matter drifted along in this way
until Scott was released on bail, n
then the final plot was formulated. A
meeting was held at which only one or
TWO of SCOTS friends were present,
ana there it was determined that he
should die. Twelve men were selected
70 do the work, and every one of the
men selected was a bitter enemy of
scout. The details of the plan were
.elt to these twelve men. The men,
Ders Of the committee who were friend
y to Scott Enew hat he was to be
lynched, but they were not made ac-
Iualnted with the time and place at
which the murderous work was to be
accomplished. How far the conspiracy
extended is indicated by q list Of men,
2ers or the committee that Is now in the
AanCS of the attorney general. This in
GUIDES over fifty names, and among
mem are one or two eX-memberS Of the
legislature. The meetings of the COM
Hlttee We're held at the houses Of vari-
ous members now to the prosecution.
al which Of these places the meet
ing was held when the arrangements
We're made for SCOTS death the report
ef was unable to learn, as there were
wheels within wheels in the vigilance
organization, and the members who were
Nhown to be friendly to Scott were not
iuliy acquainted with all the details of
me plot. In fact, 1t vas the expectation
OF the lynchers that since some of
ocotts friends were suspected of men,
ltFShlp in the committee it wOuld be
thought that he had been abducted 10y
ms friends. and it was a part Of the
plot that his story should be started
% soon as the fact OF the lynchlng De-
came known.
These and additional facts were dis
closed by men within the past few days
VINO are actually members of the vigil
iahtes II who had taken the iron clad
oath Of secrecy. These men did not
participate in the lynching, but they
anew that it was to occur within a few
lays. Until the body was found they
ia not dare 10 open their mouths, but
Is IT became evident that the matter
would never rest until the murderers
We're brought to Justice, they plucked
tp courage and made a clean breast OF
ne whole story.
All the embe Known.
Not only are the names Of most OF
ne members of the committee and Of
-Fery one Of the twelve who did the
work known to the attorney general
ana two or three others. but also the
passwords and oath Of the organiZa-
u'h. The killing of the Hills was ac-