The Greeley tribune., 1909-01-27
THE HORSE KING
OR DUTCH FRANK
HEule6HIP WAS ESTABLISHED
Last Chapter in the Unsolyed Muir.
Ger Mystery of Marks.

leee Cnapfer in the Unsolved Muir.
Ger Mystery of Marks.
In the final settlement of the es-
tate Of Francis Marks, who was mur-
dered shout two years ago near
Windsor, there were several coin
cidents brought to light which are
quite Interesting. The relatives re-
ceived their first knowledge OF
Marks death long after the estate
had been settled up, by a reference
to the murder in an issue of the
Tribune which had inadvertently
reached one of his nephews IN
Ohio. The latter showed the article
to An attorney. who took up cores
pondence with Attorney Joseph c.
Ewing OF Greeley, who, after six
months OF effort and much corres-
pondence covering many states and
aloo Germany has finally proved the
hetFohip OF twelve relatives. All of
these have been located except one
nephew, who formerly lived with his
uncle near Windsor. A short time
before the murder this nephew had
been liberated from the penitentiary.
wheEe he had served a term for
horse stealing. 1t was mainly
through the testimony OF the uncle
that the boy was convicted and since
the day before the murder he has
never been seen. The estate OF
Marks was advertised and probated
nrt, va l-%o
cash by the courts administrator.
This cash has been in the hands of
the county treasurer and would have
reverted to the state ultimately.
Anidavits and dispositions were re-
ceived from nephew and niece in
Ohio and also from friend of Mr..
Marks. who came with him from the
old country. AS evidence the niece
sent small Catholic prayer book
with the statement that her Uncle
Francis had sent it to her eighteen
years ago from Colorado as pres
ent. His name was written in it and
the signature was a fac-simile of thai
found upon his papers here. II
looking over the files bearing on thu
case, Judge Bradfeld found a bundl,
Of pans which the shert1k an
Father essdel had found in the man
cabin the day they found his body
This bundle had never been opene
before. and disclosed many letter
from the nephew and niece who ha
sent the afiidavits. They all read
Dear Uncle" and were signed b
the first names of the relatives. Hi
discharge from the army was ais
found. as we'll as a certificate o
membership in the Battle of Shilol
Association. The relatives ais
wrote that he was known by tn
nick-names of Dutch Frank. "Th
Governor" andd 1.-The Horse King.
The sheriff and Mr.. Abbott testifie'
that they had heard him referred II
by these names. and the sherlff stat
ed that he was given the appellatio'
of 1.-THE Horse King" because H.
owned great number of horses
which could generally be found upol
his neghbors' premises, and 70
this reason he was always in trouble
One point upon which the law re
uuires conclusive evidence is the re
lation of marriage. The relative
stated positively that their uncle ha'
never married. Frank was blind il
one eve from wound received
in the army. and his appearance wa
otherwise similar to that of Gillette
in "The Toilers of the Sea- whel
he returned with his sunken hull
from the Dou$re Rocks. Ben Flor
ance said that Frank had not mar
ried, but It was not from lack of try
ing. In the pack OF old letters there
was one which seemed to establish
this fact. 1t was from friend Wh'
had gone from here to Utah. The
letter started out:
"pear Frank: You wrote. about
heine lonesome and wanting to get
married. but you just ought to come
out here among the Mormons. There
are plenty OF girls here who are all
on the marry, and II you come yo,
won't nave to wait long for a rib.
There will be about 500 each FOR
the twelve heirs, and If the hoy VINO
served time is not located in GER
tain length Of time his 500 Will be
divided among the other eleven, uA-
less he turns up. this will be the last
chapter OF THE Murdered Horse
King.