Milo Knox
Milo Knox is a character featured in the Young Whit Book Series.
Milo Knox was a records clerk in Provenance, North Carolina, the grandson of Thaddeus Knox, and the uncle of Wilson Knox. He became infamous for his eventual arrest for multiple crimes, including kidnapping and attempted murder.
History
Background
Milo Knox was a gaunt man with a haughty demeanor, a distinctive North Carolina twang, and large hands. As the town hall records clerk, he had access to Provenance’s historical archives, including Civil War-era documents detailing the infamous Confederate gold incident involving his ancestor, Captain Thaddeus Knox, and Lieutenant G.W. McClintock. His growing obsession with the Confederate gold ultimately led him to criminal activity.
Obsession with the Confederate Gold
While working in the town archives, Milo received Ben Huck I’s firsthand narrative of the Civil War events. Ben Huck I, formerly enslaved by Thaddeus Knox, had written an account that contradicted a long-accepted version of the town's history. According to his testimony, Thaddeus Knox—not G.W. McClintock—was the true Confederate traitor and coward, having attempted to steal the gold and murder McClintock to cover his tracks. However, Ben Huck I had taken and hidden the gold where no one would find it.
Milo became fixated on this revelation and attempted to find the gold himself.
The "Ghost of Thaddeus Knox" Hoax
To deter anyone from investigating the Confederate gold, Milo orchestrated an elaborate deception. He planted an article in The Standard, Provenance’s local newspaper, claiming that Thaddeus Knox’s ghost haunted the last known whereabouts of the gold, the old Granville Estate, waiting to exact revenge on a McClintock descendant.
Dressed in a hooded cloak and wielding a dagger, Milo began masquerading as the ghost of Thaddeus Knox, using fear to scare away trespassers. While the ruse worked for a time, he was ultimately exposed when he encountered Young Whit and Emmy Capello, who had been investigating the Confederate gold mystery.
During a dramatic confrontation at Lover’s Circle, Milo—still disguised as the "ghost"—attacked Emmy Capello, grabbed her by the throat, and threatened the group, which also included his own nephew Wilson, with a dagger. Wilson attempted to stand up to Milo, but was knocked unconscious.
Final Confrontation and Arrest
Knowing Young Whit and Emmy had puzzled out the location of the gold, Milo forced them to lead him to it. Inside the Provenance church clock tower, having gotten all he needed from him, Milo attempted to murder Whit. Emmy wielded a metal bar, striking Milo multiple times and knocking the dagger from his grasp. In the chaos, Milo lost his footing, tumbled down the stairwell, and crashed through a series of broken steps, ultimately slamming into a support beam and losing consciousness.
Milo Knox was hospitalized for severe injuries and subsequently arrested. His charges included multiple counts of assault, threatening minors, kidnapping, and attempted murder.