The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-20
A Voice From the Tomb

AAC HOAOW4uS Story comes from Lit
tie Rock: Sixteen years ago an old
man. enfeebled with more than 20
years of life was carried from his cell
in the old jail at Harrison. Roone coun-
ty, by two strong deputy sheriffs, led
through drizzling rain to the scat
fold and supported by the officers
while the black cap was adjusted and
the hangman's moose fixed about his
neck. For months he had lain in
partial stupor refusing to speak, and
almost to eat. In the very course of
nature he could not have long survived
but the law said he must be hanged.
No more abject figure went to the gal
lows than he, and few of the thrifty
spectators heard him utter almost in
audibly: Goodbye, Dave" address,
ing Sheriff D. A. Eoff, VINO Immediately
afterward sprung the trap, which sent
his soul to eternity.
The case was peculiar one in many
respects. Hudspeth was twice indicted
in Marion county by two different
grand juries, for the murder of George
Watkins, in 1886. The body of the sup
posed murdered man was never found.
He was convicted in the Boone circuit
court on change of venue with Judge
r. H. Powell on the bench and the OPP
inion of the supreme court, on appeal,
was delivered by Justice B. B. Battle.
The grounds for appeal we're based
wholly upon questions of procedure
and not upon fact, and was reversed
for error, second conviction follow
ing soon after.
Now comes another chapter of this
strange story in the following, which
appears in this weeks issue of the Yell
lowville Echo:
On last Tuesday Judge John @. Ad-
ans Of Greasy Creek found on his
farm human skeleton buried about
18 inches under the ground, on the
creek, nearly a quarter of mile below
his house. He and his boys were cut
ting down some willows, clearing out
the channel of the creek which had
been swollen by the recent rains, and
washed some of the bones naked, hav-
ing taken away the bones from the
knee down. The position of the skele-
ton showed that the body was jammed
ino short pit or hole and placed on
the left side, the head resting on the
left hand and the right lying just in
front of the face. The legs were
doubled up bringing the knees higher
than the hips. The head lay toward
the bluff and the feet to the creek. The
bones were in an advanced state Of de-
cay and but few were saved whole.
be intact but when raised portion of
"a 1nfk c{Hn found tn hn
The balance Of the skull remained to-
gether until they began washing the
same, when it separated at the seams.
The thigh and arm bones show the
body to have been slightly over feet
in height and of heavy build. The
teeth in the lower and one side of the
upper jaw are all present and in good
state of preservation, with the excep-
ton that one or two of the lower front
teeth are missing.
An examination of the skull and the
manner and surroundings of DISPOSE
ton of the body afford UNREASONABLE
grounds for two conclusions: That a
murder was committed and that the
body was placed where 1t was for the
purpose of concealment. II these con-
illusions be correct, there can be no
doubt but this is the remains of George
Watkins who mysteriously disappeared
in December, 1886, and for whose muir
der Andy Hudspeth was afterwards
charged, tried convicted and hanged.
Although no dead body had been found
there could be no doubt that Watkins \
was murdered and the surrounding cir
cumstances pointing to the guilt of
Hudspeth were 80 overwhelming as to
convince the jury, Judge supreme court
and governor of his guilt.
AS to the proposition that the skele-
ton being the remains of a victim Of
murder there is only one mark Of evil
dence. but 1t is strong and conclusive.