The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-09-27
SHERIF S DEATH
RECALLS KILLINGS
oaicer In the Bald Knobber
Country in Missouri Had
Lively Career.

Forsyth, Afo.-The death of James
Polk McHafae, s~eventy-seven years
old, former sheriff of fancy county, Ia
a hospital in Springfield, has removed
n Of the real pioneers OF. the Ozarks,
around whose life some OF the most
exciting events of this hill country
were associated. He helped blaze a
trail of, civilization and had exciting
experience with the Bald Knobbers,
the terrors of southwest Missouri IN
the early days.
The life story Of MclIalhe. q pie
turesque character. is closely inter
wove with the White river country.
McHafie was born in Christian
county, near Sparta, in 1876, when the
line Of that county extended TO the
Missouri Arkansas boundury.
liz 1884 McHahie was elected sheriff
Of fancy ounty. At that time the Bald
Knobbers were a power n the hill
country and we're one OF the many
problems which were PRESENTED to
Sheriff McHaBe fer solu ION. He had
been elected becaase he was known tc
be>fast on the drsw and fearless. Boil
Of these qualities were Put to seyers
tests before McBaffe completed his
period OF office.
Adventure With Bald Knohbers.
Shortly before his death he told for
the last time the story Of an adyen-
ture with the Bald Knobbers. The
sheriff said IL 'Knobbers were origin
ally organized 1or a good purpose, but
later became dominated by men who
encouraged -outlawry
It was during the administration Of
Sheriff McHafie that Frank and Tu-
bier Taylor were taken from the For
syth jail and hanged by Bald Knob
sers. The Taylers were known
throughout the Ozark section for their
escapades. One night they entered the
store of'John 7. Dfckerson at Forsyth
and shot up the place. Diokerson was
shot through the mouth and his wife
was seriously wounded.
The offeAders were apprehended
and placed In the fancy county jail
mat night the Bald KRobbers made
ebeir appearance. Sheriff McHafie
said there were approximately $50
men in the band. Several Of the Knob
beers leveled their weapons at the Off
Ger and ordered him to deliver the
Taylor boys to them. McHafHe was
forced ITO comply with this request,
since the night riders had the drop on
him.
The sheriff followed the trail Of the
Bald Knobbers after they left Forsyth
and the next day found the bodies Of
the Taylor boys dangling from a tree.
McHafie said he had often been crit
oized for surrendering the prisoners,
but stated that any other action would
have been foelhardy.
John Bright Lynehine.
The John Bright lynching occurred
at Forsyth in the early COS, after the
Bald Knobbers had disbanded.
Bright was charged with having
murdered his wife and was placed in
the Forsyth Jail, under the care of
Sheriff McHaffe. One night a mob
surrounded the jain. Sheriff McHaf-
fe hid out with the keys. The fury OF
the mob increased when it's members
learned that McHafie had gone away
with the keys and then proceeded to
force an entrance into the Jail. Depu-
fy Sheriff George WILLIAMS attempted
to prevent the mob from breaking into
the 3ail and was killed. Bright was
taken out and hanged. Indignation
swept over this section because Of the
killing of Deputy Williams.
Later a memorial public library was
established here in honor of Deputy
Williams, but now it is practically
abandoned.