The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-05-22

promising to stay at Arco under
guard until after dark, giving them
plenty of time in which to do their
job up to their satisfaction.
So Champaign stayed in Arco, not
daring to send an alarm to Moves
for fear of his own life. AS soon
as they had settled Champaign for
the night, they loaded up with guns
and ammunition and started for
Bills home. Everybody in Arco
knew where they were going and
what they intended to do. In fact
they were urged on by some of the
stage drivers and the hostler, who
was an enemy of Bills, and the rest
of the population stood passively by.
Perhaps not daring to offer any re-
monstrance.
Just as the couple were starting
for Champaign, discovered that
had my little shot gun and that they
intended to commit the deed with
it. They had plenty of rifles, but
they wanted to use the shot gun in
order to make sure job of it. l had
loaned the shot gun to Jim Madison
about two weeks before and had not
seen it since until / saw it in the
hands of Ayers, how it came into his
possession | never knew, and as it
was not considered healthy to ask
questions l never found out. AS
was only a boy l could do nothing
towards obtaining possession of my
shot gun. My mother also tried, but
without success, to get a hold on the
gun. (My father was in Challis at
the time or they would have killed
Bill Moves with some other gun
saw them load the gun and they
put in such an awful load l. was
afraid they would blow the lock off
They put in five fingers of powder
and hand full of bird shot. AS
they were leaving Frank Ayers told
my mother that he would bring the
shot gun back as soon as he had
killed Bill Moves. But even then
did not think that they really would
commit murder. | had heard many
such threats which had proved harm
less and did not think that they had
the requisite amount of grit in their
craw to tackle such a fire-eater as
Bill Moves.
About two o'clock that night was
awakened by some one pounding on
our door, and recognizing the voice
of Ayers, who was talking to mother.
He said, 1--WE have killed him, we
have cut him in two, we will leave
your gun at the store, good bye Mrs.
Powell, good bye for ever"
That was the last I ever saw of
them, but they stayed around Arco
for about two weeks. Billy Jackson,
(Whistling Billy who was driving
stage at that time, 'layed off" and
took stage company's team and
took mother and l over to the funeral
and he explained to me how the MUIR
der was committed.
He said Bill was drunk, Ayers and
Green arrived early, but waited until
about ten o'clock in the evening.
Everybody at Champaign knew what
was going on, but said nothing to
Bill for fear he would kill both
Frank and Joe, which no doubt he
would, as he was rip-snorter when
he got started. So they kept quiet
and his fate was sealed. AS the hour
of the execution approached they en-
tered Bills room, after hearing him
snoring and making sure that he was
unconscious to all things earthly.
Frank Ayers carried the shot gun
with both barrels "roostered" Joe
Green held Colts "A in one hand
and a lantern in the other, as soon
as the light shone on Bills form they
saw that he was sound asleep, covered
only with sheet as the weather
was warm). Ayers called alond to
him, Bill stirred and turned over on
his back. This was the opportunity
they were looking for, Ayers stepped
up and pushed the bed covering aside
with his foot, placed the muzzle of
the gun against Bills side and pulled
the trigger of the right hand barrel.
At this Green satrted to leave the
room but Ayers said, 1T have done
my part, now you do yours" Green
replied, THAT shot fixed him, there
is no use in shooting him again"
But Ayers showed the gun in his |
face saying, Nov you shoot him too,
or I will empty the other barrel into
you" Green then fired at Bill, who
was still lying on his bed, this salts
fed Ayers so they both left the
house. ct was afterward found that
Green's shot had only made very
slight flesh wound.) Bill was game
to the last, crawling to the window
and trying to get out after his |