b'Mulvenon had pretty much pinned the day of the murdersClevengers, it was Wilson who killed them because he down to May 20. Weinlass not only denied being in thewanted Jessie. He told Mulvenon Wilson had taken Jessie House Rock area then but said he had run low on moneyto Oakley, Idaho.and had left nearly a week before that and was in Williams that day. He produced an IOU he had won in a WilliamsDeputy Dodge took Johnson into custody and headed for poker game that was dated May 21. Mulvenon checked withPrescott with his prisoner. Mulvenon set out for Oakley, the deputy in Williams and found that there was indeed aIdaho. Oakley was a small village near the southern border poker game on May 21 in Williams and Weinlass was inof Idaho. Mulvenon had little trouble tracking down Wilson the game. It was 200 miles from the House Rock Valleyand Jessie once he arrived. They were working on a ranch to Williams, proving that Weinlass had left the Houseas Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wilson. Mulvenon found Wilson Rock area in his wagon about a week before the murders.to be a defiant, strapping man of about 30. He denied the The knife was still a clue, but Weinlass was no longerwoman passing as his wife was Jessie Clevenger, that he had Mulvenons prime suspect. The sheriffs interview withever known any Clevengers, and that he had ever heard of Weinlass indicated that the Thatcher man did not know theJohnny Johnson. Jessie had a different view of things. She Clevengers of nearby Fort Thomas. readily admitted to being Jessie Clevenger.Knife Still Major Lead Jessie Relives MurdersWeinlass was most helpful to Mulvenon when it came toShe told of Wilson trying to make love to her as soon as supplying information on the knife found at the scene. Hethe family left Fort Thomas. Her father warned Wilson said some Army men at Fort Thomas brought a dozen orto leave his daughter alone several times before the small more out from the East and sold them to the soldiers at thewagon train arrived in House Rock Valley. The night of the Fort. The next day, the murder weapon in hand, Mulvenonkillings, Clevenger caught Wilson trying again to have sex set out for Fort Thomas. Friends of the Clevengers therewith Jessie. He became very angry and told Wilson he was supplied him with information on the two hands the couplethrough and had to leave camp in the morning.had hired to accompany them on the strip to Spokane. They were a Texas cowboy named Frank Wilson and a soldierBefore the sun was up, Jessie heard her mother screaming. from Fort Thomas who had been honorably dischargedShe ran into her parents tent to find her father on the from the Army a month before the Clevengers set out on theground all covered with blood and Johnny Johnson trail. His name was Johnny Johnson. standing over him with an ax. Wilson ordered Johnny to take Jessie outside. Wilson took the ax. Johnson pulled Checking them out with the sheriff at Safford, MulvenonJessie over by the wagon. She heard her mother scream found out that Wilson was wanted in Tucson after beingonce, heard a terrifying crushing sound, and then only indicted for horse theft. He also found that Johnson hadsilence. Wilson ran out of the tent, took Johnsons knife, bought one of the knives from the East while still at Fortand returned. When he came out he said they would have Thomas, one of the knives that was identical to the murderto help him dig two graves. Jessie was forced to help bury weapon Mulvenon packed with him. Mulvenon wiredher parents. Wilson and Johnson then ransacked the wagon, Kanab and urged no letup in the effort to track down Jessie,taking $2,000 her father had with him, and then pushed the Wilson, and Johnson. The Prescott sheriff had a gut feelingsmall wagon over to the tent and set fire to both. Jessie was that he had his murderers. now Frank Wilsons prisoner. Sickened by the murder of her parents and fearful for her own life, she went along with It turned out Wilson, Johnson and Jessie had not gone toFrank Wilsons demands. He warned her that if she ever told Salt Lake City as the note left in Kanab indicated but hadanyone what had happened, he would kill her. He twisted instead headed for Nevada. They had been spotted at St.her arms and hit her to make his point.George, Utah, near the border with Nevada. Mulvenon sent letters to lawmen along the trail and throughoutThe girl had little will to resist. She said Wilson threatened Nevada. Finally, he received word they had been spotted inJohnson as well. Wilson was afraid to let Johnson leave, so Nye County, near the center of Nevada, in a village calledthey remained in Duckwater for a while. Finally, Wilson Duckwater. Mulvenon wired a request to the sheriff of Nyedecided he didnt like Johnson being around Jessie so they County to watch the trio until he arrived and set out forcut the cards. The winner was to take Jessie and swear that Duckwater with Deputy Joe Dodge. if caught he would take full blame for the murders. Wilson won the draw. The pair divided the money stolen from the Sheriff Interrupts Card Game Clevengers and Johnny got the wagon. Wilson took Jessie Johnnie Johnson was in a Duckwater saloon playing cardsand went to Idaho by stage.when the Yavapai County, Arizona sheriff walked up toon yT Pthe table and tossed down the knife used to murder theKiller True To His BestehClevengers. Mulvenon said he was returning somethingWilson could slaughter an innocent couple in cold blood, to Johnson the man had lost near House Rock on thetake their money, and kidnap their daughter, but he could Arizona Strip. Johnson picked up the knife, trembled,not go back on a bet. Back in Prescott, he confessed to the and then dropped it to the floor. Johnson denied it wasmurder, taking full blame for the two deaths, and swearing2nd Hand Storehis knife. Mulvenon insisted it was, and it was the sameJohnson had nothing to do with the actual killings.knife used to slit Clevengers throat. Johnson then said it was not him, butThe Grand Jury didnt buy it. Both Wilson and JohnsonWe Collect & Deliver Wilson who killedwere indicted for the murders of the Clevengers. Both the Clevengers.were found guilty of murder by a jury in the courtroomYour MerchandiseJohnson explainedof District Judge James Wright on June 30, 1887. WrightFREE LOCAL DELIVERY AVAILABLEthat although hesentenced them to hang on August 12. Johnsons attorney helped bury thewent to Territorial Governor Zulick with Wilsons pleas662 W. Wickenburg Way to spare Johnson. The scaffold was built in PrescottsWickenburgOpen MondaySaturday Frank Wilson, acourthouse plaza. The day of the execution dawned. Atthepony2ndhandstore.comTexas cowboy, andnoon, both men stood on the gallows, ropes around their Johnny Johnson,necks, twin trap doors beneath their feet. Suddenly, a928-231-2730928-232-2019seating messenger arrived at the scaffold with a telegramWe Carry Quality 2nd Hand a soldier from Fortfrom Gov Zulick. He had given Johnson a reprieve,& New MerchandiseThomas who hadcommuting his death sentence to life in the TerritorialYour Home Furniture Supplies Storebeen honorablyPrison at Yuma. Johnson was led from the scaffold. Wilson discharged fromremained where he was. The trap door was sprung. The lastSpecializing in Appliancesthe Army aJohnson saw of Wilson was his form twitching at the end ofJane and Peter Kibblemonth before thea rope in the shadows below the scaffold floor. pony2ndhandstore@outlook.com Clevengers set outMulvenon had done his job with pitbull determination and on the trail. the Clevenegers deaths had been revenged. ArizonaRealCountry.com August 2020 21'