"When we send a man to hell from Ozawkie, let's send him well dressed." — 'Doc' Ballard.
Compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president
The Valley Falls Vindicator's Thursday, Nov. 28, 1963, issue was devoted primarily to the Ozawkie area at which time the Corps of Engineers was purchasing land areas preparatory to the building of the Perry Dam and Reservoir.
Many sites of historical interest were soon to be absorbed by the dam site and lost to the town's history except for stories reminisced and preserved in writing. One such story follows from The Ozawkie Coyote, Feb. 1, 1940:
"We want to play fair with you. If you want to go, you can run for it," said a group of Ozawkie citizens to a horse thief about 70 or 80 years ago.
"Would he run or would he stay? With six shooters pointed straight at him, this Ozawkie horse thief chose to stay. The name of the man being given a chance is unknown. He had stolen a horse from Jim Nesbit. He claimed to be a deserter from the southern Army and hung around town imbibing freely at the saloons.
"The horse thief was put in the storehouse and a group of citizens met to discuss what to do with him. They said 'any man 'at would steal a good man's horse needs hanging, but first we'll show him some real hospitality.'
"That evening a big dinner was held at Jim Nesbits's, a dinner to which the whole country came and the horse thief was the guest of honor.
"After the dinner the men walked to Ozawkie and had a drinking bout. The horse thief drank more than anybody and the speeches he made were masterpieces of wit.
"Finally, 'Doc' Ballard, the master of ceremonies, said to him, 'Now we've all had a good time. We're going to send you to your friends.' They led him to a grove and hanged him to a tree.
" 'Doc' Ballard picked up his hat and stuck in on his head. 'When we send a man to hell from Ozawkie, let's send him well dressed,' he said.
"That is the end of number one. It is reported his skull was used for 20 years by various teachers in the Ozawkie town school to demonstrate lessons in physiology."
The Valley Falls Historical Society Museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 28.
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