The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-10-14
found WOUNDED
NAN IN MOUNTAINS
Ellis Mankins, Young Farmer, Fatally
Shot. Alone and Exposed to the
Weather Tuesday Until Sat-
urday, Dying Later

Ellis ManklnS, young FARMER llNlnB
near Boles, Scott county missing from
his home since October 5, was found
mortally wounded Saturday afternoon,
in the woods on Blackfork mountain,
near Eagleton. He died few hours
after being found, without revealing
how he came to receive the gunshot
wound in his head which caused death.
7 Alvin Huges, alias Dunbar, suspect
ed Of having killed Mankins, was arr
rested Sunday noon near Murfrees-
boro, Pike county. and charged with
murder. He is held prisoner iii the
county Jail at Ashdown and will be
brought to Mena for trial, the killing
Of Mankins having occurred in Polk
county.
Discovery of the crime came about
as the result of an investigation start
ed by Scott and Polk county officials.
According to information secured by
Sheriff J. A. Thornton. who has been
most active in the case, since his help
was asked by Sheriff Omar Bird of
/ Waldron, young Mankins left his
home at Boles to go to sawmill camp
near Eagleton and haul the household
goods of Hughes back to Boles.
Mankins drove his team of horses
and wagon to the camp and was seen
there in company with Hughes on
Tuesday. The two men left the camp
ostensibly on a hunt in the woods.
Hughes is said to have returned alone
and told workers at the sawmill that
Mankins had decided to sell his team
and wagon. When asked where Man
lSins had gone, Hughes is said to have
replied he did not know.
l II is known that Hughes claimed TO
have bought the team and outfit Of
Msnkins and loaded up his family and
goods in the wagon and drove TO Mena
Hughes was in Mena Wednesday and
| informed acquaintances here he was
going to Oklahoma.
| When Mankins failed to return
home his relatives at Boles started an
/ investigation which revealed the dis
appearance Of himself and team from
| the mill camp near Eagleton. His
father, George ManlSins, came to Mena
Saturday with other relatives of the
missing man, but after consulting with
! Sheriff Thornton decided to go to
1 Eagleton and search and leave the
hunt for Hughes to the officers.
! The aid of nearly every available
man in the vicinity of Eagleton was
secured Sturday in a search of the
mountains for the body of young Man
kins. for by this time it was the belief
! of his friends and relatives that the
missing man had met with foul play.
1 The belief was justified when shortly
after o'clock the body Of the young
farmer was found lying in ravine
about a mile and half northwest of the
forest rangers station near Eagleton.
! Tho the man had been shot in the
back of the head. he was still alive
when found, tho unable to talk That
the wounded man had lived from Tues
| day until Saturday alone and unat-
| tended in the woods, indicted his won
derful vitality. Young Mankins was
found about $50 yards from where he
twas shot down, and had evidently
crawled that distance in search os
water
The rescuing party carried the
young farmer to the home of Y.
Young, living on the Blackfork road.
and Drs. Watkins and hawkins were
summoned from Mena. When the
physicians arrived they did everything
| possible for the wounded man, but to
Ino avail, death coming shortly after
| = O'Clock that night
Mankins rallied sufficiently to act
as tho he recognized his father and
John and Will Mankins, two of his
uncles. who were at the death bed but
he was unable TO speak or indicate
how he came to be wounded
/ The physicians found Mankins
wounded in the back of the head, a
charge from a shotgun having blown
a hole into the mans brain It was
evident that the charge was fired at
close range and that the assassin, be-
llieving Mankins dead, had gone away
and left him.
| The mans ring and watch were
missing, which leads to belief the
murderer robbed his victim's body.
Even tho the wounded man had been
found sooner he could not have SUR
vivcd his terrible wound, according to
1.-THE physicians.
About the same time the word came
Ito Mena of the discovery of Mankins
body. another message came that
Hughes. the man suspected of the
crime, had not gone 60 Oklahoma. but
/ was travelling IN the opposite direc-
tion.
/ With THIS news Sheriff Thornton.
who had put in almost the entire day
organizing posses and telephoniuv.
l changed tactics and started the pur-
suit Of the wanted man with increased
vigor.
Catching the Accused Man.
~