The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-06-03
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- discussing these things with the attorney
on the night of his arrival that man rode
up to the gate just outside and called his
name.
Captain Bill rose, but the others pro-
tested, declaring that it might be a plot
to shoot him in the dark. However, he
went, six-shooter in hand, and sticking it
in the face of the caller demanded his business.
The man protested that he meant no harm, but
had come from one Buck Holley, who lived two
miles down the road and said he knew Captain
Mcdonald and wanted to see him. The Ranger
captain reflected minute.
II don't know any Buck Holley," he said.
II knew a scoundrel by the name of Bill Holley
some years ago up in the Panhandle and if that
is who it is don't want to see him. Judge
you fellows have got a gang down the road
there to shoot me from ambush. Who are you
anyway"
The man said his name was Monasco: that
he was staying at Holleys and that he had
brother named Bill Monasco, in Amarillo.
Il know Bill Monasco," Mcdonald said. land
he has brother that was sent to the peniten-
tiary. Is that you?"
The visitor acknowledged that he was the
man-that he had been recently released.
WELL" said Mcdonald that's about the
ley running with, and you can tell this Buck
Holley. as you call him, that suspect him of
being connected with this mob and that used
TO make him stand hitched in the Panhandle,
and that I'm going to do the same here"
Monasco said Good night" and Captain Nc.
Donald never saw him again. Somewhat later,
when he met Bill Holley he said:
Look here, Bill. I'm afraid your partner,
Monasco, didn't tell you the message sent the
night came. said didn't know Buck Holley,
out that knew sorry, bulldozing scoundrel
by the name Of Bill Holley, and that supposed
ne was down the road there to take shot at me
from ambush. You weren't in this lynching
mob, reckon, but they're your friends and
you'd help em If you could. Now, Bill, you've
been counting funeral a good while, and if you
try any of your nonsense here, you'll win out"
The Ranger captain was out early the morn
ing after his arrival in Alley, and on the trail
The tracks of the five horses were followed to
the houses OF Joe Wilkerson and his son Brooks
and to the homes of John and Arthur Greenhaw
In Joe W1lkerson's lot he found part of we'll
rope, the remainder Of which had been cut away
1t matched precisely with the rope used to hang
the Humphreys-the freshly cut ends being the
same on both. The Wilkersons and one of the
Greenhaws were taken into custody forthwith
and other arrests followed as the criminals were
tracked home.
The testimony brought out the facts that
the Humphreys had known Of an illicit still run
by two men-one Polk Weeks and man named
Johns. Also that they had known of John
Greenhaw stealing cattle and hogs. and that
John Greenhaw had once drawn gun on the
elder Humphrey, who had promptly taken it
away from him, instead of killing him with it
and rendering the community a service These
things, added to the other provocations already
named, had made the Humphreys sufficiently
unpopular in neighborhood like the Trans.
cedar bottoms to warrant their being hung to a
limb, trussed up to swing clear of the ground
1frv 1>v@
a man named Eli Sparks whose conscience tor
tured him day and night to the point of giving
testimony, yet whose fears upon the witness
stand caused him to withhold the truth. He
was large, red-taced man, evidently greatly ex-
cited when questioned and concealing more than
ne told. Soon after his first examination he met
captain Mcdonald and offered to testify again.
saying that he had been too frightened to tell
the truth the first time but thought he could
40 better now. The Ranger captain scrutinized
him keenly and made the prophecy that Ell
SPARKS would not live 30 days, unless he got
rio or the load on his conscience. He died in
just half that time; not however, until he had
fully confessed
Inc efforts Of the men believed to be con.
cerned as principals in the crime, to establish
tnelr innocence were sometimes wary, some
t'n'es cruoely absurd and always fruitess The
mesh of fact that was weaving and linking itself
ABOUT them became daily more tightly woven
more impossible to tear away. Knowing them
serves closely watched, they dared not attemnt
n1ent 10 do so would be to confess guilt and
capture would be well-nigh certain. Like Ahab
having comprised the death of neighbor thew
lay IN sackcloth and went softly" Finally it
came to pass that three of these "children Of
Bellal turned states evidence-that is. thew
confessed fully, sacrificing their comrades, un-
der the law, to save themselves Eleven mon
1ncluolng these three, were brought to trial.
In the final trial John and Arthur Greenh.w
ana Polk Weeks, who were not only murderers
put coward1y traitors, were given their freedom
IN exchange for their evidence that sent their
eight associates to the penitentiary for life.
Polk Weeks, in giving his evidence. apneared
much disturbed, but confessed how he had
climbed the tree and tied the ropes. and fled
them too long, making it necessary for tho
legs OF the Humphreys to be bent upward. to
clear the ground. John Greenhaw corrohora+ed
this, but gr1nned as he told it, rememberins how
amusing it had been. He Gid not live to eniov
his freedom, for he was shot dead soon after
his liberation. by Willie Humphrey son of one
OF the younger Humphreys. and no punishment
followed the righteous act
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