davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

gave tlse alarm. and in a short time
the whole neighborhood was aroused,
outraged and Mortified over the crime
which had been committed The old
man lived for three days and gave
an accurate description OF his as
saiiant. as did his wife. They both
agreed that he was Il small man,
wore a long rubber coat or mackln-
tosh. a large sIouch hat of dirty gray
color, with his pants in his boots,
that he had a long dark moustache.
The description fit Noah "Bunk
NJ Ginnis. who had recently returned
from tie Indian Territory and was
stopping with his brother, William
MeGiunis. in Lone Oak township.
Some cattle had been stolen from the
pasture OF Loeb Bros. near Rich
Hill few days before, and one OF
the steers was brought to Butler and
sold to Mr.. Proctor, the butcher.
TIE description of the murderer ia
lied With that OF the cattle thief.
When officers vent 10 arrest Mctiin-
mis- they found he had skipped Sher-
if Mudd and his deputies started III
hot pursuit. Deputy Sheriff MeCann
and Policeman Miewald apprehended
McGinnis as he boarded a south n
bound Missouri Pacific train at Pan
anna. in Vernon county. They siezed
and disarmed him before he realized
their purpose. They found in hol-
ster inside his vest, large 3S7ali-
bre. Colts pistol. McGinnis remarked
that if he had been given u show
there. would have been funerals at
Butler and Rich Hill He was
brought to jail. and when confronted
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03
EXpiated His Crime.

| h we served You faithfully as your
sheriff, my official duties are over.
Twenty thonSlnd dollars would not
in,iure uIe To hang another man.
Dr- B,li ur,i ;n,l Lyle examined
the pulse and pronounced the pris-
onpr dead The remains were taken
in ohnr4e hy uud, taker Culver. They
were taken in Il hearse through the
county to Rich Hill, and turneC
over To he poor old father. Funeral
services were held from the fdmil,
residence on Tuesday at , O'Clock
and the body laid To rest in Rich Hi.
cemetery. Many o. tie old neighbors
from Lone Oak attended the funeral
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

GinnlS asked Abel not 10 say he
came along certain road east Abel
said he had already told that. Nc
Ginnis said hr talked too much. then
asked him To -ay that he tMcGinnisl
went north from S,hiplcr's corner
and turned west, and on AbeTs re-
mOnstrating asked him To say that
he went 10 Merchants He said FOR
Gods suke don say anything about
macintosh aud spurs, outside
of that macintosh the old lady
can never ientiiy me. When Abel
asked him where hr really was. Nc-
Giunis told him the least be knew
oi .hat the better '
The defense 2Ic.::tcd that McGfu-
mis- and Abel djd 90 east from Rich
Hill tn Schipler's corner that after
noon. but denied that he had a mack
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

ai'er TO ernor Stephens had
aanted the stay OF execution and
@lared bis intention to not further
aieriere but let the law take it's
marse, McGinnis' demeanor changed.
ne sent Tor Rev S. d. Jewell, pastor
the Presbyterian church in our
aty, WHO inforIsed him4 hat be could
aof hope for forgiveness and a
mango OF heart until he had confess
aus SIN. On the 21st of Dee. he
1alessed to Rev Jewell that he had
suffered old man Bercherding, but
pased him under a ban of secrecy.
sasatnrday, the 10Th. Rev. Jewell
aAa him thar he had publicly denied
: gallt, that he could not go to his
= With q lie on his lips and that
saonld, IN Justice to MI concerned,
s'os nm to publish his confession
'''ef death. This McGiunis agreed
= and on Sunday he was bap-
~ Sunday night McGinnis sent
= ifoseeuting Attorney Clark and
'sae over the full testimony with
y. he said that the chain OF evi
- established, with the exception
aew minor details. was substan-
s''s correct. He said, however.
,@ae ne shot through the window to
~ tne Old man and had no inten-
W q killing him. He did not re-
-S.hoef about the light in the
san and had no remembrance
Pulling the old lady out
I ~ the yard Could not tell how
= dld get out of the house. He
- 0esltated about public con
sslon Tor fear it would be used
Prosecute his brother. Wm.
uinnIs, who swore that Bunk was
" home at the hour the murder
ommitted, for perjury.
lng the last week McGinnis sent
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

by Prosecuting Attorney Clark.
readily admitted stealing the Loeb
steer, but denied killing the old Ger
man farmer Sheriff Mudd and Mr..
Clark took him to the scene of the
crime for Identification. but arrived
there after the old man had been
buried. His white hat and a mack
intosh were put on him and he was
taken before the old lady. While be-
ing inspected he coolly rolled and
smoked d cigarette. She identified
him as the man who shot her hus-
band and abused her Some present
at the time claimed that the identifi-
cation was not perfect. At the trial
the old lady positively identified
McGinnis as the man and said she
could not be mistaken
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

stand blft little English at best, and
in her excited state Of mind, could
not talk English at all The robber
gr bhed her roughly by the arm.
shook her violently and dragged her
out doors and around to the sUlr>of
the house. threatening her continu-
ously The moon was shining bright
ly aud !lle was plainly discernab bic
to the ofsi lady The man coolly
rolled and smoked cigarette. at the
time laughing at the pitiable fright
OF the old lady The hired boy, who
was sleeping upstairs. was aroused
by the shot aud screams, came down
stairs, aud at the suggestion of the
old mani got the gun. He could see
the robber and the old woman
througl9 the window, out III the yard.
He was 700 badly frightened to offer
resistance to the robber. who walked
off. mounted his horse and escaped.
III boy FASTENED to neighbor =.
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03
CONFESSION.

The following is Noah Mctiinnk
confession, az made to Rev Jewell
who was authorized 10 give it out
for publication after the funeral:
My sentence is just would be
glad to lay down nay lie ii could
undo what did. | ask the Ior9iv-
ness of those whom l have wronged
am very sorry Tor the suffering |
brought on Mrs. Bercherdin@. |
wish You would ask her to forgive
me, as hope God has forgiven me. |
can not go out nf life to face God
with a lie upon my lips. 1t is right
that should make this confession.
| do not wish any innocent person
to suffer or be suspected of what |
did.
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

Continued on Eighth Page }
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

The Law Has Been INDICATED.


for Mesdames Walton, Arnold and
other ladies and had them sing and
pray for him He devoted most of Sun
day evening and night to prayer. He
slept about five hours. At ; O'Clock
Sheriff Mudd read the death warrant
to him. He ate a hearty breakfast,
after which Rev. Jewell prayed with
him.
At 8;4S he was brought out OF jail
and onto the scaffold by deputy
sheriffs Dyke McCann and +. p.
Hartwel Sheriff Mudd said to those
present ''if any man creates a dis
word to the prisoner, he is my enc
my" The best of order prevailed.
McGinnis, who was without his hat
and overcoat, trembled and remark
ed that it was chilly The straps
were adjusted on his legs and arms
and Rev. Jewell stepped forward and
said:
THE prisoner selected the following
passage of scripture to be read on
the scaff0ld, and asked tnat prayer
be offered:
Luke 23 80 43-''And one of the
malefactors which were hanged rallied
on him, SAYING Ii thou be the Christ,
save thyself and us. But the other
Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou
art in the same condemnation? And
we indeed Justly; for we receive the
Just reward OF our deeds; but this
man has done nothing amiss. And
he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember
me- when thou cOmest into Thy king
dom. And Jesus said unto him,
Verify say unto thee, to-day shalt
thou be with me in Paradise.
The subject of the passage suggest
ed the prayer, which was in sub
stance was as follows:
20, Thou who earnest into the world
to seek and to save that which is
lost: who hast invited all who have
sinned TO come to Theefor cleansing;
who receivedst the penitent, dying
thief, and didst pledge to him that
he should enter into Paradise that
day with Thee, receive this penitent
man, who heartily and fully confess
ing his sins, has put his trust in Thy
merits alone for salvation Let the
Holy Spirit comfort and sustain him
| in this the supreme hour of his life
Pardon all his sins and receive him
NOW unto Thyself, for Thine own
! great names sake Amen
/ Sheriff Mudd then adjusted the
rope around his neck and asked him
if he had anything to say. no. ex-
cept to bid you all good bye, The
! sheriff then pulled down the black
cap, stepped to the lever and said
May God have mercy on your sonl.
o@od bye, Bunk He pulled the
lever and McGinnis dropped to his
/ doom
| Sheriff Mudd then addressed those
present as follows; My friends,
nothing but a sense OF duty could
have induced me to perform this act.
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

H. G CLARK. Prosecuting Attorney
bv Sheriff Mudd. taken from MeGin-
MS pistol and from which the bullet
had been extracted.
Lester Philips testified that ~ was
concealed IL the Jail or purpose to
overflsar = conversation between
NcC5innis and Ed Abel Said Abel
knew he was concealed il an adioin-
ing cell but Nctiinnis didn't. Nc
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03


Who passed sentence on MeGmnis-
that they saw Bunk pass between
sundown and dark going toward
Will McGinnis' An effort was made
to impeach !. +. Carver. and "A num-
Der Of witnesses testified for aud
against his reputation
The trial CONSUMED severa! days
and was given 70 the jury near mid
night on Saturday The jurors being
conscientious, christian gentlemen.
refused 10 coueidr the matter on
sunday. st one o'clock Monday
morning Judge Graves Wa sent Tor
and on bringing the prisoner into
court the following verdict Wa
handed 10 the Judge. who rad
We. the jury, lind the defendant
guilty OF murder IN the first degree
as charged in the Indictment
J. 4. DFgER-oy.
Foreman.
H. il said that only one ballot wa-
necessary IN arriving at the verdict,
after the testimony had been reviewed
by the jury
On tie following Monday AeGi1Ris
was brought into court and Judge
Graves passed the death sentence
upon him and fixed "Wednesday, thr
25rh day Of April. 1900, letseen i've
O'Clock il the forenoon and three
o clock in the afternoon az tlss time
7Continueoi on Eighth Page
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

into the room. The robber stepped
to side window and deliberately
shot the old man in the back. He
fell to the floor, the robber entered,
kicked the old man aside. pointed
his pistol at the old lady and told
her he would kill her too If she did
not keep still and give up her money.
The old German woman could under
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03
TRIAL AND CONVICTION.

On the 20th OF February. 1900, the
case was brought TO trial before
Judge Graves. II c. Clark, Prose
cutting attorney and John Gilbreath.
of Appleton City, appeared for
the state, Silyers * Silvers for the
defense.
The following jurors We're empanel-
ed ana sworn. Charley Jasper, Perry
Black, J II. Olive, l.. Q. Roberts,
- rles Concklin, B. Blackman. "
G Hensley, &. 4. Wallace, II. Enyart,
l.. X. Nichols. J X Dickerson and
George Williams
Aside from Mrs. Bercherding's pos
tive Identification of McGinnis and
the clothing worn, which were the
ones he had OH when arrested. the
state established the following chain
of circumstantial evidence: Noah
McGinuis left Rich Hit the afternoon
of the Sunday on which old man
Barcherding Was Killed, in company
with Ell Abel He was riding on a
white pony. had his coat off. wore
light vest. white hat and had his
pants in the top of his boots He
had something tied on behind his
saddle which most Of the witnesses
tooh To Le u macintosh. They
crossed the bridge east of Rich Hill
and turned north When the road
vi, i iel east coward Brrcherding's
was reached they turued east, instead
of keeping on north i! lie had been
going TO his brothers, William Me
Ginnis 4 number of witnesses saw
them toget her until they reached the
cross roads, known as Schipler's cor
ner, Ii iew miles vest of the Bercher-
ding place Here II was psta blisbed
that Ed 4 bel left McCiiHnis and went
to Mr. Fuchs, when he staid all night
NJ other witness testified TO meeting
McGinnis after that. Robert Davis,
a prominent farmer of Hudson. living
a half mile from Bercherling's, testi-
fed that he saw man on a white
horse about six O'Clock, going west
half mile, turn into Fox's orchard
waen be was lost TO view. Didn't
sae him come out About seven
O'Clock he heard shot sounding in
the direction OF Bercherdings, and
heard screaming
! DR.. Veidt. who tended the wound
ed man. cut out the bullet after
death, testified that the bullet cor
responded 10 "a - Colts long, weigh
ell + grains less than regular bullet
of that caliber. The Doctor 1itted
the bullet into cartridge furnished
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.

On Sundayevenirg April is. 1899.
the usually quiet neiehborhood of
Round Prairie. in Hudson township,
was aroused and Mortified by the re-
port OF da-tardIy crime Frederick
". Bercherding, AN inoffensive old
German farmer, bad been foully muir
dered in his own home bya man bent
on robbery. IT appears that the old
man and his vile had attended
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

Ats:5s o'clock on Monday morn
|hg Sheriff Mudd sprung the trap
|shRh sent Noah McGinnis' body to
|the stld OF the halter and his soul out
into the great unknown. The law
Eas yindicated and the foul murder
dold man Bercherding was avenged.
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

" NI1W 0f IIWTIeFt.79 Ili8IT-
church near Prairie CITY in the after
noon. arriving home about dark.
The old lady went into the house and
the old man Went tn the barn 10 take
care of his horses. He was suddenly
confronted By n man with presented
revolver. who demanded his money.
The old man, protesting that h. had
no money. went with the rol Der to
the house. When the back door was
reached the old man jumped into the
house. slammed and held the door.
The old woman hearing the noise
and loud talking, brought a light
The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-01-03

intosh tied ON behind hs saddle.
Claimed lac turned north az the cor
ner, went one mile then took the road
leading west and reached his brother
Wills at seven O'Clock. the hour AZ
which the killing took place D. W
Short. living within a quarter II "a
mile ol Will McGinnis. testided
that hp saw Nonh pass his hou-r be-
rwecn sundown and dark Mcfiirnis
said. hello, dad, Ir said, hello.
Bunk
J Z Carver and hi wife, Mrs Kate
Carver. living near Shorts, testified
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-08-22

Full up here and let me look at Won.
What's the matter with you, lad That
amt all grief that see in your face.
There's something else. there. What
makes your eyes blaze SO? You look
just as you did when you drew that
bead on Jim Cummings while your
other arm was held fast~to your BODY
by the rope
7 feel very ouch the same as did
then, Craig responded Isle. 81 am
in very much the same position with
the difference that cannot see an en-
envy to fire at. Let us rest here awhile.
have something to tell you.''
They did not leave their saddles but
sat vis-a-vis, Lisle with her back to-
ward the ranch, Craig facing it and
studying with manifest care the lopine
of the horses which bore the three men
who had ridden on ahead. He consid-
cred it best not to speak again until his
young friend had told what there was
to say. IS. 49,
Craig" said Lisle presently, won
have regarded me as rather queer
specimen of boy ever since we first
met. There is something concerning
me that must be told, something that I
wish to tell you, something that lust
now could not tell to any other per
,son-something which you must retain
as a secret in your own heart until l
give you permission to reveal it and,
above all, something concerning which
you must advise and direct me.' i.
LET it 60, lad; Pm listening"
Il am woman, Craig =.
Thompson did not move a muscle Of
his body except those which controlled
his visual organs. He turned his eyes
slowly until they rested upon the face
of Lisle, and then, with marked DELHI
GRAFTON, but undoubted emphasis, he
said:
- "You don't mean itv'
II am woman, Craig"
81. "Who told your.
miss Thomas ..
"How did she know it?'' -
II do not exactly know. When my
/, when Richard Maxwell died, I tainted.
She revived ME, and"- e.
II know the rest. Does Tom Thomas
known -~
"Not yet" r..
Thompson did not speak again for
moment or two. The muscles of his
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-08-22

Rising In his sti1rups, he qCdved his hat IN
greeting.
face were working, however, as though
he were thinking words which he did
not care to utter.
did you know it, CraigY asked
Lisle suspiciously.
Know it? No! How should know
it? What do you think l ana clair
voyant?"
"But you believe it now, do you not?"
"Of course believe it. How could
help believing it? The only wonder is
that I was such an idiot as not to see it
at once. l ought to have seen it, and
now, viewed in the light Of understand
ing, suppose I did see it without rec
ognizing it. When I first came to this
God forsaken country, l used to pros
pect for gold over there in the Sierras,
and I've picked up pay dirt and chuck
ed it away again a good many times
without knowing what it was. That's
just how it was this time. Well, kid,
before we go any deeper into this sub
ject, I've got just one thing to say
I'm going to be father and mother and
brother and sister and the hull billing lot
OF relatives to you from this on, with
out regard to cOnventionalities, and foG
the present, while l turn. this thing
over in my mind two or three times,
I'm going to think, and while I'm
thinking I'm going to treat you as l al
ways have-just as if you were boy
and lastly, before speak very decid-
eddy on the subject, I'm going to have
talk with Miss Erna Thomas. She's
a whole team with boss behind and a
dog under the wagon. Let's ride on"
There was silence between them aft
er that, neither speaking until the
ranch was before them; then it was
Craig Thompson who spoke.
II brought Hank Smith along with
me-" he said. Hes handy. with tools
and can make coffin in a jiffy. Where
shall we break ground?"
1T makes no difference to me.''
II mean where do you want the old
man buried?" Ill, -..... =....s- So.
II understood you. do not care.
Bury him where you please 1t is all
the same to me-
"Humph! Look here, Isle, under
stand how you feel, but you don't want
to do anything now that you'll be sorry
for later on, and it amt fair to try and
convict a man without hearing him in
his own defense. Dick Maxwelps gone
where he can't be heard, and don't be-
lieve that you are made Of the sort of
stuff that's going to hit man when
he's down-leastwise that amt exactly
the way that I sized you up
what do you want me to do?''
Your duty, not to him particularly,
II you don't like it that way, but to
yourself and to others-tos me, to the
cowboys on your ranch and to the
world. It's the worst kind Of cow
ard that turns tail at a time like this.
You go to your room and wait for me.
Think It over. a man may have lots
Of reasons for doing things, and they
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-08-22

1nOCD ~ "A WOMAN.
~ RAIG THOMPSON went away
~ with a heavy heart but his
[SET55 faith in Lisle was infinite,
tzS and deep down in his own
mind he knew that she was right He
was a firm adherent to the principle
that personal perplexities are best
fought out in solitude, and in reality he
admired Lisle for her determination
and upheld her in it.
While Mr.. Thomas and his daughter
remained with him he was content to
let things go on as they were, but when
the week of their stay came to an end
and they had departed he soon became
moody, a condition which always i'm
mediately preceded one Of his fits. Just
before the guests left him Erna be-
sought him to ride or send over to
Crescent and Cross for information
concerning Lisle, but the old frontiers
man was Qbdurate.
""Twon't d." he said grufly. when
Lisle wants me, she'll send for me, and
I agreed not to bother her until she
did. She's got sand, Lisle has, and it
won't do to cross her in the mood she's
in just now. She wouldn't stand it.
She'd take the bit in her teeth and get
to buck jumping SOS she'd throw the
whole gang Of us. You and your pop
mosey right along to Kansas City and
say nothing, and when Lisle has her
stampede out she'll quiet down and go
to feeding all quiet and serene. After
| that I'll take her to Kansas City to see
you, and then we can fix her up and
regulate matters"
Nevertheless his restlessness increas-
ed as the days passed. The one week
swelled itself into two, and the two
heightened into three and then four,
and Craig developed a habit of riding
off alone on the plains and being alb
sent all day. At such times he inevita-
bly, rode in the direction of Isles
ranch to a spot that was situated lit
tie more than half way between the
two places and sufficiently high so
that from it he could with the aid of
his binoculars quite plainly see upon
the veranda Of the ranch house where
he believed Isle was still engaged in
lighting it out" He used to dismount
from his horse, turn him broadside to-
ward the ranch, and, resting his arms
upon the saddle, study for an hour at a
time every moving object that came
into his range of vision. Sometimes he
thought he recognized the figure of
Isle, and during the ensuing "a hours
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-08-22

"Do71't ledUe me II, anger, Craig"
man. But, then, you were not like 9TH
er men even then: What have you got
on your mind nowY'
How do you get your clothes?"
"Eh? Papa gets them for me-that
is. he pays for them"
Il mean where do you get them?"
AT the dressmaker's, of course"
DO they cost much?"
ASK papa. He says they cost for
tune"
What is a dressmaker?'
"Why, dressmaker is woman who
makes dresses and things. You have
to 60 to the stores and DO your shop
ping, you know, and it's great fun.
Then you take what you have bought
to your dressmaker, and she cuts and
fits and makes. There are men dress
makers, too, but I prefer woman"
"Dressmakers live in cities, do they
not?"
Certainly. You'll find them every
where where women live, but you must
be sure to get a good one. Heavens,
"AetI " A6uAS yOu udFe got 10 Ut! lLS
just perfect. Mrs. Gusset would 90
wild over it. But if I were you 1
wouldn't worry about dresses. I've got
plan in my head for you"
"What is it, Erna?''
'1'll take your waist and bust meas
ure, and so forth, and when I get back
to Kansas City I'll have something
made up that will do. I'll send the
things on, and then you come to me-
They'll do to travel in, you know, and
when you get to Kansas City I'll put
you in the hands of Mrs. Gusset, and
she'll fix you out in no time"
Every we'll, Erna," replied Lisle, with
sigh, III will write to you when am
ready"
In the morning Isle babe her new
friends goodby. Mounted on her IA
vorite horse, she rode part of the dis
lance with them, and after they sepa-
rated she sat upon her horse, shading
her eyes with her hands and watching
them for long time. At last she
wheeled her horse and dashed back
again toward her own home, and for
the first time in her life she felt utterly
alone. at
The following day, alone, she rode
away from the ranch.