The Mena weekly star., 1908-02-20
The Story of How Number of Cherry Hills Best Czens Striving to Maintain the High Character of Their Citizenship Found
 Themselves Facing Serious Charges in Federal Court.
THEY WERE ANNOYED BY PETTY PILFERING


 charged for the use of the Philpo place, and the people being poor much assistance in way of food ant provisions was furnished.
 Boy Charged With Killing Hog.
 Soon after the arrival of tn, families Uncle Sebe" and his gooc wife began missing corn, potatoes and other things from their place but said nothing of it for time Soon hog belonging to s. l.. Furr a neighbor, was shot and searcf warrant was issued and the meat with the hair still on, it is stated was found in the McGee home. Nc Gees second son was charged witt the crime, and was arrested but as the family maintained thst he was but 12 years old he was not prose cuted. At the time this search was being made Mrs. McGee said they had no food for the children and T H. Philpot, who was present, had her send Cleaver (McGee being al Mena) for sack of flour which he gave them.
 But the trouble did not end here Complaints began to come thick and fast of articles of all sorts being missed in the neighborhood, sus picion pointing to the McGee boys
 Cleaver Reports Thefts.
 Finally, about July last, Cleavel told w. w. Philpot that the McGet boys were the thieves and had tht things that had been stolen, at the same time describing some of them He also told Dr. J. A. Norris, oi Norris mill, few miles away, that the boys had in their possession cer- tain tools stolen from him, and that every time they went to Mena they brought back stolen articles. ~He volunteered to show where tn, property was hidden.
 People then insisted that w. w Philpot swear out search warrant which he did, Justice of the Peace F. H. Furr issuing same. Phe war rant was served by Deputy Sheriff Marion Fisher.
 When it became known what wa: going on many citizens went along some because they had lost articles they hoped to find and others mere ly impelled to do so by curiousity.
 Cleaver Directed Search.
 When the search was made by the officer Cleaver guided him in the work, showing where the stoler stuff was kept. It was all in boxes, four of them, one for each of the three boys and one for McGee, the f; ther. These were all locked. The keys were demanded and given to the officers and he boxes were opened in turn. There were found all sorts of tools, part of which were and claimed by those present at the search. Some are yet in the care of an officer in Cherry Hill.
 Long on Padlocks.
 Among the plunder were found 67 padlocks and 107 keys, the latter thought to be all homemade except six. The locks included railroad locks and amiscellaneous assortment such as are used around farms.
 A warrant was then issued for William McGee, the father of the boys, and was served by Deputy Sheriff J. T. Cole at Mena, where McGee was employed by the Kansas City Southern. Cole, accompanied by W. W Philpot, started to Cherry Hill with McGse.
 While on the way McGee is said to have begged to be allowed to go, Ii that was done he would leave the country, saying that he could not make a living on the claim he had taken anyhow. It is also said that while the search was being made Mrs. McGee stated that she had tried to get her husband tc leave, saying that they would staryt to death if they depended upon the place to make a living. It is said that, as a matter of fact, no land had been cultivated and no improve ment made save the building of a board shack of one room.
 As there was feeling that McGee was more or less helpless in the matter of controlling his boys, and that he was not involved as deeply as they, it was tacitly agreed that he would be allowed to escape that night if he would do as he had promised. take his family and leave the community. He was wholly un. able to pay any fine and to imprlsor him would but increase the hard ship on the rest. When he said that he had no means to move his family and goods. and w. w. Philpot tolc him if such was the case he (Philpot) believed that he could arrange fol teams and wagons 10 move then without cost. McGee was told tC have his family pack up.
 The Family Moved.
 McIee slipped out iE the night ostensibly for Mena. The nex morning four teams. belonging to I. J. Garrett, Frank Garrett, F. w Thornton and Monroe Leonard, wen to the McGee home, as agreed. Mrs