Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-28
AGED WOMEN ARE
TERROR STRICKEN
YELLOW JOURNALISM CAUSES
TROUBLE
YOUTHS STORIES UNvERlFIED
Weird Tale Of skuIklng Avengers and
Death Oath Friehtens Burton
Survivors Of Kern
County Feud
YOUTHS STORIES UNvERlFlED

Frightened by talk of irresponsible
boys concerning an alleged attempt of
Mute Walker and Jim and Charles Glib
son to reopen by murder the famous
Burton Walker feud which, during the
past thirteen years has resulted In half
score of deaths in the mountains Of
Kern county, Mrs. Sarah F. Burton of
1920 East Fourteenth street appeared
at the police station Saturday aud
asked that detectives. who had been
withdrawn from guarding her house,
be replaced.
For more than three years the fact
that Mrs. Burton has had three sons
killed in the Burton Walker feud and
threats have been made that not only
Luther Burton of Goldfeld, the sur
viving son, but the women of the family
as well were to be wiped out, has been
neighborhood gossip.
Since the coming of the Burton FAM
lily to Los Angeles. however, the women
have lived in security, forgetting as
nearly as they were able the troubles
of other years, until they were thrown
into frenzy of fear last Monday MORN
ing by the statements of an irresponsl-
BILE boy who asserted he had seen three
men attempting to enter the house.
Alleged Oath
At the time of the alleged attempt
Mrs. Burton had heard nothing of the
oath said to have been taken by Mute
Walker, that he would not return to
Havilah until the Burton family should
have been wiped out. After the sensa-
tional story published in a morning
newspaper Tuesday, based upon the
statement of a fourteen-year-o boy,
friends of the Burtons appeared
and added to the Nortons fears
by repeating the rumors of Walkers
oath.
Since that time Mrs. Burton and her
two daughters, who are ALL advanced
in years, have not had a moments
peace Of mind. The slightest noise Mt
night sends them frantic to the telc-
phone with call to police headquar
the mischief holds high court among
the small boys of the neighborhood be-
cause his name has been prominent in
a newspaper story bloodthirsty enough
to satisfy even juvenile desires.
Companion Recants
The boys young companion, who at
first corroborated his statements, later
recanted in an interview with Mrs.
Burton and now has nothing to say.
Early in the week a statement was
published to the effect that after the
first appearance of the alleged intrud-
ers one of the Miss Burtons had occa-
$3.50 o'clock at night and turn on the
light. Miss Burton saw no one at the
time but according to the story as
published "a pedestrian saw man fall
fiat on the sidewalk and try to conceal
his body behind lawn curbing." The
description of this man corresponds to
that given by the two boys of the man
they saw coming from behind the Bur
ton house.
Yesterday it was ascertained that it
was this boy who reported that he
had seen the man lying behind the
curbing. The boy also said that he was
never allowed outside his home after 8
o'clock at night.
In the neighborhood little credence is
given the story. and H. P. Bischoff. gro
Ger, says: I'm the neighborhood we
consider the reopening of Mrs. Burton's
troubles to rest entirely at the door of
irresponsible boys. The day after the
publication of the story of the alleged
attempt to assassinate the Burton fam
lily the thousands of people attracted
to view the scene consisted of the boys
of the neighborhood, and in my opinion
the local end of the entire story is
based upon Mrs. Burton's natural
terror at the unverified statements
made by boy