4

 

to the women and children.

Mr. Reed told us that Short and party left after Robinson’s escape saying they were going back to the state and asked him (Reed) to tell Cross when he came that they had returned home.  Cross asked Reed for something for his party to eat and we remained at Reed’s until about 5 o’clock that evening when we started back home.  About 9 o’clock that night we reached the haystacks at Wild Horse Lake, where we found three or four men whose names I understood to be Haws.  Our party had some conversation with the men.  I could not recognize either of the men.  It was too dark for me to see them well enough to remember their countenances.  I never before saw the man now pointed out as John Lawrence so far as I know.  I have known A.M. Donald at sight for several years and I have known J.B. Chamberlain for about three years.  I have known Ed Bowden at sight for over three years.  I never knew J.E. Feaser.  I never saw J.B. Izor but once and that was at Woodsdale about three years ago.  I did not see either J.E. Feaser or J.B. Izor on the day or night of the 25th of July, 1888 so far as I know.  I do not know that I ever saw the man now pointed out as A.P. Haws.  I do not recognize either of the two gentlemen now pointed out as David Scott and K.P. Haws.  I do recognize the man now pointed out as McClellan Haws.  The first time I saw him so far as I know

                                   5

 

was at Leavenworth, Kansas in October, 1888.  He there told me his name.  

When we reached the Haystacks at Wild Horse Lake we took our saddles off of our horses leaving our Winchesters strapped to the saddles.  We all had guns and Hubbard, Eaton and I had pistols.  We laid our saddles down by a wagon and staked our horses out to eat hay about 100 yards from where we unsaddled.  After staking our horses Eaton & Wilcox got into the wagon and the other three of our party (Carter having remained at Reed’s camp) went and laid down by two stacks of hay about 75 or 100 feet from the wagon.  It was about 9 o’clock when we laid down.  I know of no reason why two got into the wagon and three laid down by the stacks.  About an hour after we laid down I heard a noise in the vicinity of the wagon and immediately afterward sheriff Cross remarked “Boys, they’ve got us” and immediately following Cross’s remark Robinson came around the wagon and said Boys close in or “close in” and then he said, “Boys walk out and give up your guns.  I know you are there.”  Robinson continued to tell us to come out and Cross said we had better surrender.  I walked out first with my oil coat thrown over my shoulder.  As we walked out Robinson called to us to throw up our hands.  He was just in front of me about 15 feet away.  He (Robinson) then passed me and Hubbard to Cross.  He told Cross he

            6

 

wanted his arms and Cross said he had none.  Robinson said he knew better.  Some one then searched Cross and said he had no arms.

Robinson then asked Cross why we were down there and Cross started to reply when Robinson told him to shut up and stepped back and said, Sheriff Cross, you are my first man and shot Cross with a Winchester.  The man who searched Cross immediately searched Hubbard and after Robinson shot Cross he turned and said Hubbard, I want you and then shot him (Hubbard).  J.B. Chamberlain searched me while Robinson was shooting Cross and Hubbard and failed to find any weapon and started off but turned back and saw my pistol and jerked it out of the scabbard and just then someone called to Robinson to come and Robinson said to Chamberlain, you take that fellow and Robinson started off.  Chamberlain then said to me, what you here for, at the same time raising his Winchester.  Just before he raised the Winchester he either threw a shell in or out of the gun.  As he pointed the gun at me the muzzle was about three feet from me aiming at about the center of the breast.  I knew the gun was cocked for throwing a shell out or in cocks the gun and I dodged just as he shot.  The ball entered just above the collar bone, my arms being raised and came out in the back.  I fell stunned