Chapter 5

Waite took the judge's gun, and tossed it in the wagon. He then took down a bag he'd placed on the wagon's seat. He told the judge to precede him back to the office. Once inside Waite locked the door. He 'persuaded' the judge to open the safe. Inside were bank notes of all denominations from federal, state, and private banks. Also in there were gold and silver coins and even more ingots of gold in different sizes. There was also some expensive looking jewelry.

He emptied the safe, filled the bag, and then he told the judge they were taking a ride. He said the judge would be the first one shot if there was any trouble. That kept the judge in line. They exited the storefront office and Phillips grabbed the reins of the judge's horse.

"No, we'll take the horse, but you ride in the wagon. Now let's move." Waite casually rested his hand on one of the Colts. It wasn't lost on the judge. They casually walked across the street to the Conestoga. The judge climbed up first. He was faced with the barrel of a Winchester 73 as he came over the top. Lisa Marie was in the back watching him as Waite climbed up to the seat.

The judge was in the center on the broad seat, with Carol Ann on the far side. Carol Ann smiled big and indicated to the judge to look down with her eyes just before the wagon started. He paused at a moment to gaze at the monumental mounds on her chest, and then saw what she was showing him. She was holding a loaded Patterson on her lap and it was pointed at him. He knew she couldn't miss at a range of six inches or so.

He made a grab for the Patterson as the wagon lurched forward. He was rewarded with a goose egg on his head, when the barrel of the 73 slammed onto it. He'd forgotten about Lisa Marie. She was braced for the start, and figured the judge would try something. She was right as rain, and cold-cocked him.

He sorta slumped over, and she and Carol Ann caught him. They held him so it looked like he was just riding until they got out of town. Then they let him fall backwards into the wagon. Carol Ann stayed in her seat and pretended like nothing had happened. Lisa sat him on a chair stored there and tied the judge up.

Waite knew about where the judge's house was located. He had gotten a description of the house during the interrogation of the man with the shot out shoulder. The one he was pulling up to matched it exactly. He got down from the wagon after setting the brake, and went up to the house. He knocked on the door. There was no answer. He tried the door and it was locked. He put his shoulder to the door and forced it open. He yelled out and there was no answer. He waved to the others to let them know he was OK, and then went inside the house. He found a veritable treasure trove as he looked around. What looked like a Ming vase was on a table in the parlor. He'd seen one in Ft. Worth when 'The Clay Army' had paid a visit there a few years back. This caused him pause. If there was a Ming here, what else was there? He started looking more carefully. He noticed a painting on one wall. It looked vaguely familiar. A closer inspection showed the painting, with the plump and downright fat women, was painted by Peter Paul Rubens in the early 1600s. Waite recognized the style. He continued to look around. There were more paintings.

He didn't recognize a few. One he did. He'd seen it in the National Museum of Art in Washington. It was Renoir's 'Diana the Huntress'. How it got here was anybody's guess. He collected all the art and stacked it by the door. He went into the office. He noticed two things of interest. One was an overly large safe, and the other was the quantity of books. He started going through the books. There was a first edition 'Robinson Crusoe' by Daniel DeFoe, first editions of 'The Man in the Iron Mask', 'The Three Musketeers' by Dumas, and of all of Dickens' works.

He almost missed it. He dumped the firewood box out and filled it with the books as he pulled books from the shelves. There on the shelf in good condition, but still used, was a Bible. He carefully opened it to look at the meticulous fine printing on linen instead of the paper version he'd seen at the University of Texas. The second half of the Bible was right next to it. This was an unknown copy of the Holy Bible printed by Johann Gutenberg. And next to it was another Bible. He opened it to the first page. It read:

"THE HOLY BIBLE,
Conteyning the Old Teſtament,
AND THE NEW:
Newly Tranſlated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Tranſlations diligently compared and reuiſed, by his Maiesties speciall Comandement.
Appointed to be read in Churches.
Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings moſt Excellent Majieſtie.
ANNO DOM. 1611."
At bottom is:
"C. Boel fecit in Richmont."

This was a first edition of the King James Version of the Holy Bible. He went outside and both wagons were waiting. The judge was conscious and standing beside the wagon, hands tied. Waite pulled a Colt out and directed the judge into the house. He headed straight for the safe.

"OK, Judge, open it," he said.

The judge refused. Waite tapped him on the goose egg he already had. The judge recoiled in pain. He was convinced to cooperate.

"Now then, open the safe or we'll have to take other steps!"

The tone was threatening. Waite felt he had no choice. The judge had to open the safe and he'd do anything to see to it that it happened. Waite pulled his Bowie knife out and let it rest near the judge's throat. We can blow this open with what I have in the wagon. Your neck might get itself rearranged if I have to do that. Do you think you can remember the combination?"

"OK! OK! I'll do it. Cut these ropes and I'll get it open," he cried.

"No need to cut the ropes, just tell me the combination and I'll open it" Waite replied.

"It's a tricky lock; you won't be able to open it. Only I know the tricks to the lock. I'll have to open it," he said.

"Well then, go ahead and open it, but no removing the ropes. You do it tied," was Waite's response.

The judge went to the safe and started working the dial. He finished three times and tried to spin the locking wheel. Waite watched closely as he started on a fourth try. He got the numbers down. The judge failed again because he was using different numbers each time. The judge turned to Waite and said, "I can't open it like this. You must remove the ropes. I'll get it open if you just remove the ropes."

Waite looked at the judge. He was cool as a cucumber. If fact, too cool for someone who was under a death threat. It was then that Waite knew that the judge had a gun stashed in the safe. He knew how to handle that. Waite went over to the desk and sat down. He called the judge over, and cut the ropes, then leaned back in the chair. The judge went back to work.

He spun the dials with his back to the desk so Waite couldn't see. He carefully opened the safe door and carefully reached in to the safe and pulled the hideout gun out. He slowly cocked the gun, took a deep breath, and then spun and fired. He hit the chair right in the center of the back of the seat. Holding the gun at the ready, he stalked over to the chair and spun it around.

Bang! A gunshot rang out. Standing just outside the door, Waite drilled him right through the throat. He didn't make a sound and silently dropped to the floor. Waite was free to empty the safe at his leisure. There was nearly $100,000 in banknotes, 5,000 double eagles, and twenty-nine gold bricks. The bricks were approximately five pounds each.

There were two valises in the safe. He pulled them out and opened one. Inside the valise were stock certificates for the New York & Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company signed by Mr. Hiram Sibley dated 1855. They were for preferred stock and had a par value of $100.00 each. The other valise held the same.

He wondered about these and decided to keep them. They intrigued him because it said Telegraph on it. He would check about them when he got to Knoxville. He placed them in the front room with the vase and the paintings for now. He went outside and told the girls the judge was dead. He said they should check the house out and pack up anything they wanted to take. He asked them to pack up the stuff he'd already collected and to have someone check the barn like the dead bandit had said.

The women went right to work as Waite packed up the stuff from the safe. A complete Queen Anne dining room suite, with leaved table, buffet, and glass front china cabinet was in the dining room. It was filled with a china and crystal set. The buffet held two tableware sets. One was of silver and one of gold. These were definitely going on one of the wagons.

There wasn't much in the kitchen, except the stove. It was an exceptional stove, with warming box, breadbox, and other niceties built in. It was easily disconnected from the stovepipe, but was going to be a bitch to load.

A back door provided egress to the porch. It was a cooking porch for use in summer. Much to his surprise, another stove, almost a duplicate to the one in the kitchen, stood in one corner. Waite decided to take that one. It was mounted on a sort of dolly so it could be moved. A cast iron stove is still heavy! It needed to go in the Conestoga, and that would be a problem.

Peggy Sue came running into the house, looking for Waite. She was out of breath and had to catch it before she could speak.

When her breath returned she said, "You have GOT to come out to the barn. You won't believe what's out there!"

This excited the girls and they all went outside to see what the fuss was about. The barn doors were open wide. Waite was dumbfounded when they arrived. The barn was full of stuff. It would take days to sort through it all. But the best of items were right in front of them. It was a brand new Conestoga wagon. It was a match to the one Waite already had. 8 Missouri mules were in the corral. This would greatly facilitate the removal of some of the booty.

Waite made a quick change of plans and told the girls his plan. They would bury the judge first, then systematically strip the house and barn of valuables and replace them with lesser valued items. The second Conestoga could be packed tight as a freight wagon without the high wooded sides normally found on that type of wagon. The small wagon could become the bedroom wagon and the old Conestoga would also be rearranged for freight.

They just had to hope no one came looking for the judge. Waite figured they had at least three days, since today was Friday and it was half over.

Waite started moving their belongings into the small wagon, bed and all. Next he and the girls moved all the crates forward. Some of the lighter crates were stacked, and tied on top of the heavier ones. The gold bars from the safe were hidden in some of the original millinery crates. The banknotes were secreted in the family wagon, and the coins joined the others in the secret compartment.

The Conestoga was half empty now that they had moved the crates and such, so the loading began in earnest. They figured the best of the furniture was already in the house, so they cleaned it out. None of the judge's clothes would fit Waite, so they were left.

A diligent search produced a secret door in the library/office. Inside it were all kinds of weapons. Every sort of rifle and handgun was present in quantity. Henrys and Winchesters were plentiful. Sharps rifles and carbines were abundant. There were at least 10 Greeners. There were several braces of the New Colt SAA handguns, as well as Schofields, Pattersons, and Colt Army conversions. Ammunition was stacked everywhere.

There was something covered by an oilcloth in the corner. With difficulty, Waite made his way to that corner of the small room. He could see brass fittings on the thing. He removed the oilcloth and discovered Dr. Gatling's pride and joy. It was a complete Gatling gun.

He decided to take all the weapons and devise a mount on one of the Conestoga's for the massive killing machine. He figured it would come in handy later. It took him a couple hours to get the room boxed up. He split the weapons between the three wagons, so that something would be available at all times.

The wagons were loaded late Sunday evening. They had taken the precaution of replacing the furnishings in the house, with some of lesser quality from the barn. They had taken all the paintings they found, as well as all dishes, cutlery, and cooking utensils.

His wives spent the better part of Saturday afternoon trying on the dresses, shoes, and unmentionables they found. Lisa Marie separated the men's clothes out for Waite. After all, it was her profession and she seldom missed.