Life Of The Marlows: A True Story of Frontier Life of Early Days (A.C. Greene Series)

223 Pages·2004·1.25 MB·English

by  Robert K. Dearment

LIFE OF THE MARLOWS
The surviving Marlow brothers, George (left) and Charles,
as they appeared in Rathmell’s Life of the Marlows.
Life of
the Marlows
A True Story of Frontier Life
of Early Days
Revised by William Rathmell
Edited, with an Introduction
and Annotations by Robert K. DeArment
Number 3 in the A. C. Greene Series
University of North Texas Press
Denton, Texas
Introduction and Notes ©2004 Robert K. DeArment
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Permissions:
University of North Texas Press
P.O. Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of the American
National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
z39.48.1984. Binding materials have been chosen for durability.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rathmell, William, 1862-1943.
Life of the Marlows : a true story of frontier life of early days / revised by William
Rathmell ; edited, with an introduction and annotations by Robert K. DeArment.
p. cm. — (A.C. Greene series ; no. 3)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-57441-179-9 (alk. paper)
1. Marlow family. 2. Murder—Texas—Young County—History—19th century.
3. Frontier and pioneer life—Texas—Young County. 4. Young County (Tex.)—
History. I. DeArment, Robert K., 1925- II. Title. III. Series.
F392.Y7R38 2004
976.4’545061’0922—dc22
2004010512
Life of the Marlows is Number 3 in the A. C. Greene Series.
The photo on the cover is of the five Marlow brothers on horseback, circa 1887. Left to
right: George, Boone, Alfred, Llewellyn, Charles. Photo from the personal collection
of the author.
Design by Angela Schmitt
Contents
Dramatis Personae.............................................................................. vi
List of Illustrations...............................................................................x
Editor’s Introduction ............................................................................1
Chapter I Pioneer Days—An Indian Scare ........................................9
Chapter II Adventures in the Southwest—A Love Affair................14
Chapter III Scenes and Adventures in Mexico ................................21
Chapter IV An Indian Chase—Marriage and Death ........................32
Chapter V Boone Kills a Man—Terrible Battle With Wolves..........38
Chapter VI A Dark and Diabolic Plot...............................................45
Chapter VII The Plot Deepens—The Marlows in Chains................50
Chapter VIII War Clouds—Boone Gathers Another Victim............60
Chapter IX Reward for Boone, Dead or Alive—His Escape ...........68
Chapter X Escape From Prison—Recaptured..................................73
Chapter XI Lynch Law—At the Mercy of the Mob.........................79
Chapter XII Removal and Final Attack—Battle of Dry Creek........87
Chapter XIII The Story in a New York Paper, in June 1891............96
Chapter XIV The Home Besieged—One Hundred to One............105
Chapter XV Prisoners Again—Boone Murdered...........................110
Chapter XVI Arrest and Trial of the Conspirators .........................119
Chapter XVII The Result—Extracts and Opinions........................138
Chapter XVIII Retrospective—The Marlows’ Lives,
Their Happiness and Grief, Past and Present ............................146
Chapter XIX Old Wounds Reopened—
The Colorado Home Invaded.....................................................155
Bibliography.....................................................................................188
Index.................................................................................................195
Dramatis Personae
Marlow Family:
Wilburn Williamson, Sr., father of the boys.
Martha Jane Keaton, mother of the boys.
The fighting brothers:
Alfred “Alf.”
Boone.
Charles “Charley.”
George H.
Llewellyn “Ep,” “Ellie.”
Wilburn Wiliamson, Jr. “Willie,” another brother.
Charlotte Murphy, a sister.
Elizabeth “Eliza,” Gilmore, a sister.
Nancy Jane “Nannie” Murphy, a sister.
Emma Coppenbarger, wife of Charley Marlow.
Lillian May “Lilly” Berry, wife of George Marlow.
Venie Davis, wife of Alfred Marlow.
Anna Jane (Mrs. C. V. Hallenbeck), George’s daughter.
Marlow brothers supporters:
Robert Frederick Arnold, attorney.
William Shelby Delaney, attorney.
Oscar G. Denson.
James Denty.
Bill Gilmore.
Jim Gilmore.
John Gilmore.
Frank Herron.
Jerome Claiborne Kearby, attorney.
Marion L. Lasater.
Bill Ribble.
vi
Mob Members in Dry Creek Fight:
David “Dink” Allen.
William R. Benedict.
Lewis Pinkney “Pink” Brooks.
Dick Cook.
Columbus Frank Harmonson.
Robert Hill.
Will Hollis.
Robert Holman.
Clinton Rutherford.
Bruce Wheeler.
Verner Wilkinson.
Jack Wilkins.
William “Bee” Williams.
Municipal Officers:
J. Squire Starrett, Graham justice of the peace.
Samuel V. Waggoner, Graham constable, member of Dry Creek mob.
County Law Officers:
J. H. Bradley, sheriff, Ouray County, Colorado.
William T. “Doc” Burns, sheriff Las Animas County, Colorado.
Thomas B. Collier, Young County deputy sheriff, became sheriff with
murder of Wallace.
Maurice Corbett, sheriff, Ouray County, Colorado.
Samuel H. Criswell, Young County deputy sheriff, member of Dry
Creek mob.
G. T. Douglas, sheriff, Wilbarger County, Texas.
John J. Douglass, sheriff, Stephens County, Texas.
Arthur Thomas Gay, Young County clerk.
John Y. Leavell, Young County deputy sheriff, member of Dry Creek
mob.
Eugene Logan, Young County jail guard, member of Dry Creek mob.
Phlete A. Martin, Young County jail guard, member of Dry Creek
mob.
vii
George W. Moore, sheriff, Jack County, Texas.
Cyrus Wells “Doc” Shores, sheriff, Gunnison County, Colorado.
Marion DeKalb Wallace, sheriff, Young County, killed by Boone Marlow.
Marion A. “Little Marion” Wallace, nephew of M. D. Wallace, later
sheriff, Young County.
State Law Officers:
J. M. Britton, Texas Ranger.
William Jesse McDonald, captain, Texas Rangers.
Federal Law Officers:
William L. Crawford, special U. S. prosecutor.
Augustus Hill Garland, United States attorney general.
Francis Washington Girand, clerk of federal court at Graham.
John Barton Girand, deputy U. S. marshal.
John Goodman, deputy U. S. marshal.
Lon Burrison, deputy U. S. marshal.
Ben F. Cabell, deputy U. S. marshal.
William Lewis Cabell, U. S. marshal for Northern District of Texas.
H. H. Dickey, deputy U. S. marshal.
Edward W. Johnson, deputy U. S. marshal, the villain of the piece in
Rathmell’s account.
George A. Knight, U. S. marshal for Northern District of Texas.
Andrew Phelps McCormick, federal court judge.
Eugene Marshall, U. S. attorney.
John Miller, deputy U. S. marshal.
W. H. Morton, deputy U. S. marshal.
Bounty Hunters:
Jim Beavers
John Derrickson.
viii
Doctors:
W. R. Dunham.
R. N. Price.
Accused Outlaws:
Pete Berry.
“Curley Charley,” Kansas tough.
William D. Burkhart, Marlow cellmate, in Dry Creek fight.
William Harbolt, Marlow cellmate.
Louis Clift, Marlow cellmate, in Dry Creek fight.
Marion Cummings.
Bill Murphy.
John Frank Spears, Marlow cellmate.
Indians:
Bar-Sin-da-Bar, Caddo.
Black Crow, Comanche.
Sun Boy (Sunday Boy), Kiowa chieftain.
Washington, Caddo.
ix