The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1905-05-20
LYNCHING TALKED
OF AT ATKINSON
WALTER WnITcoMBE HAS BEEN MIS-
SING SINCE TUESDAY.
LAST SEEN WITH WILL GREECE
Went a Mile Out For a Load Of Wood
Greece Says Boy Left Wagon in His
Absence Story Doubted.

/ The little village OF Atkinson was
stirred % its deepest depths with ex-
citement this week over the disap-
pearauce Of little Walter Whitcombe.
I a boy thirteen years of age The
lad mysterious dropping ont Of sight
has accompanying circumstances that
might lead % snspici on Of foul play
or accidental death which is being
covered up By his companion aud both
of these Eeliefs are rampant in the
LITTLE village some holding 10 one beliet
and some 20 another
There Is an dndercorrent of excite.
ment that forebode- no good and sup.
pressed threats Of lynch law are occas-
ionslly heard. Supervisor McColman
haS taken hold OF the matter in q
vigorous manner ana is holding the
people in check and hopes TO clear
up the mystery satisfactorily.
The story of the disappearance is AS
follows Late in the afternoon Of
Tuesday young Whitecombe accom-
panied a teamster named Will Greece
in a trip about a mile from the viii
lage % get a load Of wood Greece
returned about dark without the boy.
He says that he Greece left the team
and went snort distance into the
wood. leaving the boy with the team
ana wagon. When he returned the
boy had disappeared. He waited for
his return. thinking that he too had
gone into the woods, but no boy came
back He then grew curious and
started ont 10 hunt flr the boy but
could find no trace of him. IL was
getting dark and he recognized that
further search would be useless SO he
returned 10 the village
The word was at once circulated
among the several families about the
place and search instituted The
river was dragged the woods searched
AL about the place Of disappearance
the water drained ont Of the pond but
to no avail Not even trace Of the
boy had been found mp 10 the time Of
the last report
AS the search heightened without
results. attention began 90 center upon
Greece His stories were checked up
and in n couple OF instances he was
found not 10 be telling the truth
Then suspicion began 70 arise In the
minds Of tne searchers and all kinds
of rumors and stories got ailoat
Zebina McColinm took hold of the
searching party, organized them aud
assmumed control OF matters in and
ahout the village ia am effort 10 pre-
vent au action being taken against
Greece as there is no evidence, go far
to show that he is not perfectly truth
fnl ia mis- story
The Whitcombe boy was raised ia
the vicinity and IL seems very strange
that he should have lost his way
in the woods 50 near the village, lie
was perfectly familiar with all Of the
surroundings and was familiar all Of his
life with being in the woods Another
characteristic Of the boy. it is said,
is that under ordinary circumstances,
had he been ont in the woods with
darkness coming on he would have
speeded at once for home
LATER The boys = body was found
in the river above Atkinson and AN
inquest was held yesterday. The facts
as shown up in the testimony estab
Iishrs clearly that Greece had nothing
to do with his death and sentiment
ha changed greatly over mn the west
side
lt i- Thought that the boy went %
the River and WAS playing uu the
logs and feil ITO The drive s on nt
that point and the river is very savage
auI the boy was unable 20 Save bim
solf An of the excitement arose over
tle fBct that Greece told different
stories and drew suspicion upon him
aoli when There evidently WAS uo raas
0n FOR doing so