Missouri, executions recorded in county histories, 1883-1981, Undated

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TRaNKLN, JRFPEROON, WASHINGTON, CRAWFORD & GASCONADE

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Frou THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE
BUSINESS AND. PROFESSIONAL
RECORDS; BESIDES A VALUABLE

.. ORIGINAL OBSERVATIONS, Erc., ETO. =”

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646 HISTORY OF GASCONADE COUNTY.

Matthews; 1883, C. M. Matthews, William A. Cooper and Con-
rad Hamburg; 1884, C. M. Matthews, William A. Cooper and
William Meyer; 1886, C. M. Matthews, Goerge W. Sewell and
August Riek, present court.

“The Probate Court was established by an act of the Legisla-
ture approved March 12, 1870, separate and apart from the
county court, which up to that time had transacted all probate
business. The judge was to be, under this act, elected by the
people, and to hold his office from the 1st of January next after
the election. The judges of this court have been Francis W.
Boeing, William Berger, and, since 1876, the predent judge,
Francis Oncken.

The Circuit Court.—Alexander McNair, governor of the great
State of Missouri, nominated and appointed Rufus Pettibone,
Esq., circuit judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, ‘in testimony
whereof I have hereto affixed my private seal, there being no
seal of the State yet provided,” December 4, 1820.

The first circuit court began and was held at John G. Heath’s,

"on the Gasconade, on the fourth Monday of a ulyy 1821—present

Rufus Pettibone, judge; Daniel Waldo, sheriff, and Samuel C.
Owens, clerk. ‘There being no causes at issue, and no business
coming before the court, the court adjourned until court in course,
without day.”

The next term commenced May 25, 1821, the same judge,
sheriff and. clerk being present. John G. Heath was appointed
circuit attorney protem. Following are the namesof the first grand
jury: William Laughlin, foreman, John Morrow, Lewis Hall, Lewis
Devall, John Hughes, Samuel Shobe, Joseph Poynter, William
Clark, John M. Knowles, William Hughes, Joel Robertson,
William Tacket, Philip Boulware, Jr., John Phillips, Jeffrey
Sively, Robert Shobe, John Hoffmann, James Miller, James
Woodsides, Willis Lay, Benjamin Laughlin and James Simpson.

The first attorney admitted to practice in this court was Stephen

W. Foreman, and the second, Everard. Hall, both on May 25,
1821. The first cause then came on to be heard, and was entitled
“ The State of Missouri vs. John McDonald, assault and battery,”’-

upon Hiram Scott. Mr. McDonald gave security, Daniel M.
Boone, for his appearance at the next term of court. The second

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647

STATE OF MISSOURI.

cause then came on—Alexander Wattles vs. James Parson, on
appeal from Franklin County Circuit Court, and was tried before
a jury, the first jury in Gasconade County, viz.: John Baldridge,
William Prior, John Woolams, Philip Boulware, William Laugh-
lin, Hiram Scott, Archibald McDonald, Benjamin Heatherly,
Grove Cook, John Hamilton, William S. Bursh and John Mc-
Donald. Their verdict was in favor of the plaintiff for $40 and
costs in Franklin County, $74.50, and for costs in Gasconade.

The first divorce case in this court was that of Nancy Edds vs.
John Edds, in which a summons was issued against the defendant,
returnable to the next term of court. Nel Willson and John G.
Heath were admitted to'practice in this court, and on September
17, 1821, John McDonald was discharged because Hiram Scott
did not appear against him.

This court began at Gasconade City, the first county seat of
the county, February 18, 1822. Nancy Edds on this day was

‘successful in securing her divorce on the ground of cruel and

barbarous treatment, $100 to be paid her for the support of the
children, and $50 annually, besides her costs and charges. A
number of cases of assault and battery were disposed of, most of
the defendants pleading guilty and paying $5 fine and costs.

The next term of the court began at Gasconade City, June
17, 1822—same judge; Daniel Waldo, sheriff, and David Waldo,
clerk. James McCampbell was admitted to practice in the court.
Nancy Edds acknowledged that she had received full satisfaction
for her decree in a warranty deed of 100 acres of land on Bailey’s
Creek, and John Edds was discharged, happy to be at the end of
his marital troubles. The next term commenced October 22, 1822.
James Stephens pleaded guilty to neglect of duty as overseer of
the road, and was fined $10 and costs. The first slander suit then
came on—James Miller vs. James Stephens—which was nolled
at defendant’s costs. Rufus Pettibone resigned as judge, and the
Governor appointed Nathaniel Beverly Tucker to serve until the
next session of the General Assembly, and to preside at the term
which began at Gasconade City June 16, 1823. Next term com-
menced at the same place, October 20, 1823. The case of James
Stewart, indicted for larceny, was nolled. On the 16th of Octo-
ber, 1824, Nathan Beverly Tucker, presiding, David Sterigere
was admitted to practice in the court.


648 HISTORY OF GASCONADE COUNTY.

June 9, 1825, court began at the house of Isaac Perkins—
Hon. Alexander Stewart, judge. February 9, 1826, same judge.
June 7, 1827, William C. Carr, judge of the Third Judicial Cir-
cuit, presided in this court. The first indictment for manslaugh-
ter was brought in October 4, 1827, against John Tacket. On
the next day he was tried before the following jury, his plea be-
ing not guilty, and for his trial put himself upon God and his
country. The jury were Thomas Bittick, Lewis David, Harney
Keeney, Peter Walters, Philip P. Boulware, Daniel Boulware,
Elijah Bradshaw, Charles Massey, Henry Cowan, Alexander Hill,

David Massie and Henry J. Hall. The verdict of this jury was: |

“We find the defendant guilty of feloniously slaying Samuel
Gibson, Sr.,”’ and it was considered that the said John Tacket,
convicted of manslaughter, as aforesaid, be committed to the cus-
tody of the sheriff, to await judgment. A motion for a new trial
was overruled, and he was sentenced to pay a fine of $50, and to
be imprisoned in the common jail of Gasconade County, or some
other county, for one year and one day. David Perkins was then
found guilty of larceny by the following jury: Josiah Turpin,
John Dennison, Sr., John Lewis, Newman Pounds, John B.
Waldo, Daniel Waldo, John Duncan, Jr., William Baker, Charles
Stuart, John Housinger, Hiram Robertson and Obadiah Lee-
David Perkins had stolen a hog, which was adjudged to be worth
$6; but as the hog had been returned to its owner, Perkins was
committed to the custody of the sheriff to await sentence.

June 5, 1828, court met at the house of David Waldo, and
also October 9, same year. May 16, 1831, Hon. David Todd pre-
sided, as also May 21, 1832, court being held this time at Mount
Sterling. July 26, 1833, Charles H. Allen presided, judge of the
Sixth Judicial Circuit. The first indictment for perjury was
brought in November 29, 1833, as likewise the first for gambling.
William Scott, judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, presided in
1835. The first declarations of intention to become citizens of
the United States were made this year by Wimmar Gotzen and
Kirmann Scheuler, John P. M. Haslach and Heinrich P. K,
Huker, all natives of Prussia.

August, 1836, the case of Mary, a slave, indicted for murder,
and brought to Gasconade County on a change of venue, was

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a e HENRY COUNTY, MISSOURI.
: THE

HISTORY

St. Clair Counties,

MISSOURI

CONTAINING

a A HISTORY OF THESE COUNTIES, THEIR CITIES, TOWNS, ETC, BIC.,

CHES OF THEIR CITIZENS, GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS, H1S-

“BIOGRAPHICAL SKET
a UNTIES, ETC.

TORY OF MISSOURI, MAP OF HENRY AND ST. CLAIR Cu

*LLUSTRATED.

ST. JOSEPH, MO.:
NATIONAL HISTORICAL ‘COMPANY,
1883.

RE-PRINT:.By Henry County Historical Society,
Clinton, Mo., July 1, 1968

CHAPTER XIII.

MURDERS, ASSASSINATIONS AND ROBBERIES.

PISTOL FOR WILLIAMSON ANI

THE BLUDGEON FOR KING; T
ROBIN; THE SHOT GUN FOR MILLER AND EDMONDSON; THE HAMMER OR HATCHET
FOR CLARK, AND A SHOT IN THE DARK FOR EZELL-STAND STILL AND HOLD UP
TD. B LAMBERT ANDS

YOUR HANDS WAS
Y AND THEIR PUN:

ARRESTED A GAME OF CROQ
JSHMENT—THE GALLOWS, THE P y AND THE REAPER, “ DEATH ”.

ASSASSINATION OF SCOTT D. KING.

sinations which sometimes shock th

world for its cool and deliberate fiendishness, was the murder of Scott}
King, by a relative named John Lester. The act was committed
Lafayette County, but the trial, conviction and hanging was perfor
in Henry County, brought here on a change of venue. The mots
seemed to have been, from the testimony, the securing of property. =
was even said that his own mother came near being a victim to his h 1

ish cupidity and passion. The principal witness was a John B. Horte
whom Lester approached with a proposition to murder King. :

At fits
he seemed willing, and the character he bore was none too good, but:
coward heart failed him. He, like a sleuth hound, dogged Lester's ste
until he claimed, and Lester afterward admitted, that the latter!
committed the murder. Horton turned state's evi :

dence, thereby sav
his own neck as an accessory. The body of King was found an
excitement ran SO high, especially as it was rumored and believed §
his mother, too, was to have been a victim, that Judge Lynch was af
fair way to become judge, er

jury and executioner. Hewas brought h
the oth day of June, 1846

and after a fair and impartial trial was
victed and sentenced to be hung. He was executed in the south
the town, the gallows having been erecte
spot where the depot of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad #
stands. This was the first hanging in Henry County. :
decoyed King into the woods and when he got him there, §!
behind him, and without warning struck King a violent blow ‘0
head with a club crushing the skull and producing undoubtedly alf
tg death ‘The condition of his head showed we

One of those cold-blooded assas

that the blow.¥ .

d very near if not upoh es

Yiction

HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.

have killed hi 209
ecu ee ee other been struck, the fiend, howev : oe

te Heath eas pe ing to a chance recovery, and ach his oe id not

e. John B. Horton left the coutitry ge until

F e next

heard of him he had ki
illed a man in Virgini
: ir

The trial of Lester

; P commenced o z

P. Wright, b . n June 9; 1846, bef

William H Cock is adiourned April term. The eh eae “tied

ise Roa coe Mason C. Fewell, Mark Funk, G Re bg

Sell Hees . Legg, William Goff, John C. Ra ‘ eorge Gart-

; pik bowie . Banister, James F. Nichols, Charl . Rayburn, Valentine

ip Elkins. , Charles B. Bradford and Phil-

The jury, after four days’ tri
. t ays’ trial, brought i ;

first degree, and on Saturday morning, tat tes tate Wake the

3 , right sen-

tenced him to be hun i
hung on Friday, Jul
ekerdted at twelve o'clsck that Aes y 31, 1846, which sentence was duly

THE EXECUTION OF PATTERSON

[From the Clinton Advocate. ]

Friday, July 22, 1881, ca ;
for the condemned 7 oa a last—it came all too so
eet inpeae = full, fair and an impartial trial ma ed
investigation of the pr ne by the supreme court to permit fall
béch a pabied wee SNe in the lower court; the governo ge
could to save him phe ae: and they had made the last odbc Fas
ices We aoe ate but there was now no hope ae
“Wok Seeddad cane = answer to the law for the life of wh ae dee
is no vengeance ae an hee Konia ease Og eit There
¥ : . ng 1 :
vho disregards the !aw, that society eas & ae ae sae
? t nen be secure

In their pers
them. Lee si ae ei those who would assault or despoil
elore the cri ae : eiscanee in this case. i
one was ae ie a ee men's passions Pr ae A. ae
court to scnaeauke ry ood. No friend of the murdered sag ee
theca : ere was no one near who had any feelin was 40
hin; There ea who felt any interest in his victim or acters
no one to prosecute except the officers of the ie
BEEK e law; no

In Wi Ss
Sous in a ger d t Cc a fe {; I

Was adi
i dispa i
ssioned tri i re
trial, if ever there was one, and resulted i d
naver ict

Of gy;
gull
f t

y J . Pp Pp

d to-d
: ay. The i j H
‘ €n the crowds ne as light had hardly beamed in the eastern sk
here let us remark = _ pour into town to witness the hiddieiae ak f
talm that while the i : ? =
-“'™ and dispassi prosecution of John W. P
en Neeeas and there was no unseemly pactangeni was
e es = * oe Ay or i ~
peaks to our mind a depraved and diseased como
“4 ion

NRY COUNTY.

210 HISTORY OF HE

s together such a crowd to witness his
to see? ‘What motive prompts them
and its offended majesty be vindicated by
dants. There is no need o

of society that bring

What is it they come
The law will take its course,
the proper officers and their necessary atten

others.
THE CLOSING SCENE.

ptain G. Ww. Armstrong assisted by Lieutenant

Kitchen and Scott, marshaled the Patterson Guards in the court housé=
square, and marched them over to the jail, and formed there in e
lines in front. The condemne ought out by the sheriffs:
assisted by Deputy Elliston an laced in a carriage
between two deputies and driven to the place of execution west of tow!
on an open space across the creek, opposite the woolen mill, where the;
gallows had been erected, the guards, numbering about fifty armed mets

- attending close to the carriage during the journey, and the 1mm

crowd following and going with it.
The prisoner was taken at once to the scaffold, and Kev. Mr. Pier

read a selection from scripture and offered an appropriate prayer, 4

which the death warrant was read. He then shook hands with his at
id several others on the stand. A coup

neys, McBeth and Fyke, a!

straps were then put around his legs, and arms pinioned behind his backs;
The black cap Was then drawn over his eyes. He shook hands wit!
Sheriff Hopkins, and immediately after the sheriff cut the rope. and thes. i:
trap fell at 11:49, and at one minute past 12 he was pronounced t oe

dead.
The physicians attending

man, Stewart and Jennings.

At Il o'clock Ca

d man was br
d others, and was P

were Schilling, Boyer,
The prisoner manifested no concert

bore up throughout the trying ordeal with stoic indifference: madé
remarks, but expiated his crime in silence. May the lesson not bet
gotten by those who witnessed the execution or may read of it.

HISTORY OF THE CRIME.

arst of December. 1808

=H

A BRIEF

\

ays of November or the

nd lying dead on the prairie in Leesville Townshi
ith two wounds on his head and his.

ce of having been made with the
chet, and the throat as having peen cut OF hagess

with some dull instrument. The body was found by Isaac, som oF
Halford, some distance from the main road, out in the high gt
sack and a part of a blanket were found near the body, more

at. aha cack being marked “ Hezekiah Patterson.” ¢
t - har etaved at his 2

During the last d

man was fou
Cole's store, in this county, W

cut. The wounds had the appearan
of a hammer oF hat

“he
; he naps the cause of his arrest.
; it was for the murder of Clark.

hi
that hen had been out there.
; e had b
een out there aad that his partner had killed Clark, and
A i

“that h
eis had tried t .
* prisoner o prevent it. The party h
a . y then took
nd started for Clinton. As they were gine. “ ‘
ia Ig, wo y

y la ia o . Ee

‘HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY. ee
2
THE MURDERED MAN.

"James G. Clark was a reside 5 : :
November Mr. Gi 2 St. Clair County. So ime i
ain se irae eh eed to St. Louis, it is said to SETS -
Eis aaa these oom is farm. He went to St. Louis, Siiat :
son with his team to ne ; ey lumber and employed James W Patte :
ca oteus ThA Be oa his lumber to his farm. With se ate
wagon, with a er os ne pair leave Sedalia in an old governm
hic Coun Oke ibe re and covered. The first we hear af’ them se
nd the bavkaeh at ve miles southeast of Clinton. Here He , 5

the Tebo for the night. Mr. Clark, not van ae
, :@ well con-

near by and got permission to sto 3
8 thee t a stop for the night with the family ;
ag oie ie ae journey. Mr. Clark, not being a ee? ie
ity out es he panty to fall asleep. Patterson saw this Boats
secure his money noe s confessed, a determination to Satan 3 7
blow with the pole of eee hatchet, crept towards him and dealt hi ;
Be ccdid Glas owas Dian andso nish the head, crushing in the Acilt
was struck with the edge ft to finish the man effectually. his fanart
piece, turned out of ae hatchet a time or two. He went nity
oag Atemeove uae eee and drove out in the prairie, threw the
Hide’ at thedtoreof Déylé : et road and passed on to A ea
a chair or two and ica t a Patterson unloads his wagon stl
A day or two after eee i . pha —
Birected : y is found, recognized an eat
eae aereer a = pt igs wagon, ich was pipet peta
Sedat A eat a een noticed afterward going north fie
the murderer. They wea tb ee ee started upon this clue to hunt u
raed and Wlotieed We an th oO sages found the wagon in the aa
nets the wagon team and Se oe on the highway. Shortly after:
top at a blacksmith s rere seen to pass up the st
arrest of Sapesaeaee shop, The sheriff was found, Bae ee
issued, and the arrest made. Upon being sie t d
Mr. Hornbeck and Hic party eee
; He denied the charge, but said that
Upon further conversation he admitted

two H
’ ornbeck ya
ila was a Seine oe ie (the prisoner) might as wel! confess, as
© se against hi : ;
pray, but g im. Patterson replied i
“i plied that heh
at he could not with a lie in his mouth, and that oe

as Wel]
ig tell the w
; hole truth, syhereupon he gave a detailed account of

Wr 26

a aon ee ies
with tearm Rees which he

+
1 4? :

ms

had been purchased by public spirited citizens
of Cassville in 1868 and which was used
chiefly for the purpose of calling the students

to school and the worshipers to church. It was

from this post that young Moore met his
doom.

It is interesting to note that on February
20, 1877, the bell was donated to the
Cassville School District and was removed
from its post on the public square to a school
building which had just been constructed. It
continued to do service for the school district
until 1939, but after 27 years of retirement
the bell was in 1966 enshrined on the school
grounds in Cassville...Not for any significance
as to the lynching, but simply because it was
the first and only bell ever used by the
Cassville schools.

The lynching occurred shortly before the
noon hour on Wednesday, when Moore was
placed atop the boxes with a rope around his
neck, the other end of which was fastened on

the end of the extension to thé bell post.
Legend has it that the boxes were suddenly
jerked from beneath the Prisoner by Watt
Carney, who was a brother of the slain
merchant. The body was left hanging through-
Out the afternoon and at dark was taken
down and transported to the Oak Hill
Cemetery, at the east edge of the Cassville
city limits, and there buried in an unmarked
grave. On April 15, ° 1887, another body,
which had met death on the gallows, would °
be interred beside Moore. Ed Clumb, who was
hanged on that date in Cassville, had been
tried and convicted for a double murder in
Capps Creek Township west of Monett in
Barry County. Like Moore, Ed Clumb was
one of a kind. He was the Only person ever to
be legally hanged in Barry County.

Jackson and Cordelia Carney are buried
in the Carney Cemetery near the Stone-Barry
County line in eastern Barry County south of
Wheelerville.

Two New Books Tell Ozark History —

Two books written by members of the
Society are now for sale. Elmo Ingenthron,
historian of the Society, authored the first
called ‘‘Indians of the Ozark Plateau.”

Clay Anderson, editor of the Ozark
Mountaineer for an_ introduction to the
author says, ‘Elmo Ingenthrom was born to a
pioneer County family in 1911. He attended
rural school in the county, was graduated
from the Branson High School, attended the
University of Missouri, was graduated from
Southwest Missouri State College, and did
graduate work at both the University ‘of
Arkansas and Oklahoma A and M. Starting his
Career as a Country school teacher, he became
high school Principal at Branson, superin-
tendent at Blue Eye and Ablsville, and for 14
years Taney County Superintendent of
Schools, during which time the remote and
rural county system was at the forefront of
Missouri's school re-organization. He was
elected president of the Missouri County
Superintendent Association, is a member of
the Civil War Round Table of the Ozarks,
numerous archaeological and_ historical
societies, and was the first president of the
White River Valley Historical Society. He saw
action as a Navy Lieutenant in the Pacific
theater in World War II. 9

“Living with his wife, Bessie, and son,
Chandis, ona large ranch near Kirbyville, Mo.,
Elmo's interests are many, including agri-
culture, geology, forestry, and wildlife, as well
as education, history, and Pre-history. He
helped introduce pure bred Angus cattle to
his section of the Ozarks, and has developed
One of the finest stands of red cedar in Mis-
souri. Two other books are nearing comple-
tion-histories of Taney County and of the
upper White River Valley.”

Lucille Morris Upton (Mrs. Eugene
Upton) wrote the second volume, “The Bald
Knobbers’’. This book came out in 1939,
published by the Caxton Printers and was
never republished. The works of the Bald
Knobbers, a vigilante organization attracted
the attention of other sections of the United
States until the New York Times sent writers
to tell the stories. 2s

No other book has told so well the story =
of the Bald Knobbers as did that of Mrs.
Upton. During the past few years we have |
sold any copy we might find for eighteen and ~

twenty dollars. ge

The copyright ran out a few years ago.

Mrs. Upton renewed it and this year the book Pee .

is back in circulation much in demand. eae


—

JEFRERSON COUNTY, MO,

»
| ISTORY

. _—

: FRANKLIN, JEFFERSON, WASHINGTON, CRAWFORD $ GASCONADE

; q a a

y, ss re
i COUNTIES, MISSOURL
4 From THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT; TOGETHER WITH SUNDRY PERSONAL, f
% | BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL SKETCHES AND Numerous FAMILy he
a RECORDS; BESIDES A VALUABLE ‘ FUNDOF NOTES,
| ORIGINAL OBSERYATION®: Etc., ETc.

4

AP AOE
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THE GOODSPEED PUBLISHING co.
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402 HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

THE COURTS.

Circuit Court.—The circuit court was the first court organ-
ized and held in Jefferson County; and its first term, as has been

-. noted, was held in March, 1819, on which occasion the organiza-
tion of the county was effected, “Sitter which Elisha Ellis was

appointed guardian of Amon Biron. These persons constituted
the first guardian and ward in Jefferson County. The last willy
and testament of Peter Coleman, based, was then proven in
open court by David Stanley ang J ohn Fleming, and ordered to
be recorded. This was the first will probated in the county. The
first grand jury was then selected, as follows: Jacob Horine,
Timothy N. Withers, George Horine, Lewis Bigelow, John
Huskey, William Moss, Isham Williams, Abner Vanzant, Isaac
Ogle, James Foster, William Nul rancis Minea, William Brady,
Santimo Michau, Thomas Evansfand Samuel McMullin—sixteen
in all. After being duly empaneled and sworn the grand jurors
retired to deliberate, and finding no business, they returned into
court, reported that fact and were discharged. At this term
Ebenezer Martin produced to the court a license to practice law,
and. was accordingly admitted to the Jefferson County bar as a
counselor and attorney at law.

The second term of this court was held in July following,
when the second grand jury was empaneled. After retiring for
deliberation this jury returned into court and presented a num-
ber of indictments—one each against James Thomas and John
T. Guyard for assault and battery, one each against Baptiste Cote
Pichel and Ersus Shaw for larceny, and one each against Jim and
John, two slaves, for larceny.

This grand jury also presented to the court the following
political document, which, on account of its antiquity, and the
curiosity of its having beetBke pared bya jury whose jurisdiction
consisted only of an inquiry into the crimes and misdemeanors of
Jefferson County, is here inserted:

The grand jury empaneled and sworn to inquire for the body of the
county of Jefferson, believing it to be their duty to present all matters of public
grievance to their fellow citizens, do respectfully represent that, although they
have ever felt the greatest respect for and placed the utmost confidence in the
Government of the United States, yet they cannot remain silent when they see,
or believe they see, an attempt to infringe the rights of the States or the people.


4 a ite it Et estes Fa, eee
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2p "a eae ee ee ee saints ‘
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itt “on 1g noma

et aA i AE i a tis nig semiarael Pee ae

406 HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

the 22d of August, 1862, James ‘Edmonds and James Bridge-
man went together to the house of R. D. Massey, where Mrs.
Mary Massey, her daughter, Margaret, and other women were at
the time. No men were there, Sn approaching the house
Edmonds hurrahed for Jeff. Davis, and on enty ee he asked Mrs.
Massey if there were any Jeff. Davis ladies therein. On being
answered in the negative he became boisterous, and pointing his
gun toward the women, threatened to shoot them, Bridgeman
then entreated his comrade to desist, and not to disiftb the
women, and he, Bridgeman, started away; whereupon, Edmonds
shot at him, and ordered him back into the house, and to makea
search to see if any militiamen were in the house. This being
done, Bridgeman again started away, at the same time entreating
his comrade to follow. At this juncture Edmonds shot Bridge-
man, who died in the yard where he fell, in about half an hour
thereafter. Edmonds then forced the daughter, Margaret Mas-
sey, being “twelve years of age and upwards,” as stated in the
indictment, to accompany him from the house, and kept her out
about three hours. On the following day Edmonds was arrested
and given a preliminary examination before Squire A. Stewart,

by whom he was committed to jail to await the action of the

grand jury. At the following January term of the circuit court

he was indicted for the murder of Bridgeman, and also for the

crime of rape. On the 22d of J anuary, 1863, he was arraigned

for trial on the first indictment, and the following jury was empan-

eled and sworn to try him: Israel D. Waters, George Wiley, Rob-

ert N. Hunt, Samuel Prentiss, William H. Washburn, Thomas

Lanham, Thomas A. Williams, Russel Landers, Henry Wash-
burn, James Jackson, Samuel Wright and Leonard Metts. After
hearing the evidence, argument of counsel, and the charge of the
court, the jury retired, and after deliberation returned the follow-
ing verdict: 2

We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the degree in manner
and form as charged in said indictment.

[Signed, ] - SAMUEL PRENTIss, Foreman.
The court then ordered that the prisoner be remanded to jail
at St. Louis, there to remaix until March 5, following, “and that
on that day he be taken thence to Jefferson County, and that on


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STATE OF MISSOURI. 403

We have beheld with equal surprise and regret the attempt made in the last
Congress to dictate to the people of Misson, i an article in their constitution pro-
hibiting the further introduction of slavefy in their State, or debar them from
the rights of State sovereignty if they would not submit to such a restriction.
That slavery is an evil we do not pretend to deny, but, on the contrary, would
most cheerfully join in any measure to abolish it, provided those means were
not likely to produce greater evils to the peogghan the one complained of*but

we hold the power of regulating this, of applying a remedy to this evil, to belong

to the States and not to Congress. The # nstitution of the United States which -
creates Congress gives to it all its powers, and limits those of the States; and |
although that constitution empowers Congress to admit new States into the
Union, yet it neither does, by express grant nor necessary implication, authorize
that body to make the whole or any part of the constitution of such State.
Whenever a new State is admitted into the Union it comes in under the
Federal Constitution, becomes one of the United States, and consequently must
possess the sovereign power of regulating,all matters not delegated to Congress
by the Federal Constitution; and as th oleration of slavery is a subject left to
be entirely regulated by the old States, if Congress takes from a new State the
right of sovereignty over this subject, it is clearly a violation of the eonstitution,
State sovereignty and the rights of the people. The right of

holding slaves, although it may not be a natural right, isone which is allowed
py the Federal Constitution, is one which those States that would take from us
the power of exercising our own discretion on the subject can resume at pleas-
ure, and being derived to us under the laws of the country, when in possession
of Spain and France, is also secured by the treaty of cession. We do therefore
consider that if Congress should impose the contemplated restriction it would
be transcending their constitutional powers, depriving the people of Missouri of
their interest and constitutional rights, and breaking the pledge of faith of the

nation.
WILLIAM BatEs, Foreman.

Evidently this grand jury had one or more well educated
members who had been brought up “under the strict sect” of
the Calhoun political school. Among other business transacted
at this term of court, Jim, one of the slaves indicted for larceny,
was tried and sentenced to receive upon his bare back twenty-five
lashes, and the costs of the prosecution were entered up against -
his owner. At the’ Swly term, 1820, of this court, Henry M. Mor-
fet produced a license as a «“ gounselor and attorney at law,” and
was admitted to the bar. At the same term the first indictment —
for horse stealing in Jefferson County was found against Lind-
say Copland, but ‘if does not appear that he was arrested and
tried. The first term of the Jefferson County Cireuit Court, after
Missouri became a State, was held in March, 1821. This county,
under the State organization, was made to compose & part of the _

Third Judicial District.

388 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

Clerks of the Circuit Court.—Same as above to 1874; E. P.
ae Settle, 1874-82; R. E. Buehler, 1882. = Fe

~~~ Sheriffs. William Dennis, 1854-58; W. K. Toney, 1858-60;
Benjamin Holmes, 1860-62; Pleasant A. Hodges, 1862-65; A.
A. Duncan, 1865; L. H. Linville, 1865-68; C. A. Bennett,
1868-72; Benjamin Holmes, 1872-76; J. F. Hatton, 1876-80;
John T. Davis, 1880-82; William Womack, 1882-84; Wiley
Daniels, 1884.

Collectors. James F. Hatten, 1880-86; S. H. Carson, 1886.

Assessors.—Samuel Baird, 1854-57; Thomas J. Johnson, ~
1857-58; Benjamin Holmes, James Arnett, J. D. Lewis and —
James Kirkpatrick, 1858-59; W. A. Davis, G. W. Brooks, P. ©
Mabrey and John Kemper, 1859-60; John A. Marshall, 1860- _
61; A. A. Duncan, 1861-62; J. A. Atkins, 1862-63; Nathan
Montgomery, 1863-65; P. L. Powers, 1865-66; C. B. L. Row-
land, 1866-68; George C. Bowen, 1868-69; Mark A. Taylor,
1869-70; M. A. Taylor, 1870-72; C. W. Sutherlin, 1872;
James Carson, 1872-76; B. F. Sutton, 1876-78; J. D. Wallis,
1878-80; Stephen H. Carson, 1880-84; Franklin Farrell, 1884-
. 86; James B, McGhee, 1886. i
: Treasurers.—Jeremiah Spencer, 1854-56; James M. Woods,
1856-58; J. A. Atkins, 1858-60; West Owenly, 1860-66; J. AW
Atkins, 1866-67; W. F. Short, 1867-70; RB. L. Wilkinson,
1870-74; Alexander McBride, 1874-76; John F. McGhee, 1876-
82; C. A. Bennett, 1882-84; E. P. Settle, 1884-86.

Judges of the County Court.—William ©. Arnold, 1854-55;
James Kirkpatrick, 1854-55; Vincent A. Franklin, 1854-55;
David Ramsey, 1855-56; H. B. Witherspoon, 1855-56; L. H.
Flinn, 1855-56; Jonas Eaker, 1856-57 (district judge) ; David
Ramsey, 1857-58; Robert J. McCullough, 1857-58; John
Holmes, 1857-_; Alexander Sloan, 1858; V. A. Faulkner,
1858-60; Ed. Maxwell, 1858-60; Meshack Ward, 1858-60.
Probate Judge with county jurisdiction—Joel D. Lewis, 1860-
64; W. F. Short, 1865-66; James M. Woods, 1866-67; James
T. Sutton, 1867-68; Henry Flentge, 1868-69; Rush Byrne, ©
1869-70; W. F. Short, 1870-72; F. OC. Neely, 1872-74. County
judges—M. A. Taylor, 1874-76; P. ©. Ivy, 1874-80; F. C.
Neely, 1874-78; E. J. Dalton, 1876-82; C. F. Bruibl, 1876-80; |

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. 839

James Carson, 1878-80; John H. Raney, 1880-84; James A.
Rhodes, 1880-82; C. F. Bruihl, 1882-86; James Carson, 1882-
84; E. C. Rubottom, 1884-86; M. P. Cayce, 1884-86; E. J.
Dalton, 1886; M. N. Ijames, 1886; C. A. Bennett, 1886.

Representatives in the Legislature.—Elijah Bettis, 1822;
John B. Conner, 1830; R. D. Cowan, 1834; Hardy Allard, 1836;
Wiley Wallis, 1840, also 1844; M. N. Abernathy, 1846; Will-
iam Welsh, 1848; Samuel Black, 1850; Benjamin Holmes, 1852,
also 1854; D. L. Jennings, 1856; P. L. Powers, 1862; James
McMurtrie, 1864, also 1866; W. T. Leeper, 1870-72; L. M. Pet-
titt, 1872, also 1874; P. L. Powers, 1878; Lewis McSpadden,
1880; George T. Lee, 1882; Lewis McSpadden, 1884; George T.
Lee, 1886.

Formation of Madison County.—The act for the organization
of Madison County was passed on December 14, 1818, on the
same day that the counties of Lincoln, Pike and Montgomery
were formed. At thattime the circuit court transacted all the
county business.

Court Proceedings.—The first term was held at the house of
Theodore F. Tong, on July 12, 1819, by Judge Thomas. Charles
Hutchings performed the duties of clerk, but at the next term
Nathaniel Cook received the appointment. The sheriff was Jos-
eph Montgomery, who returned the following list of grand jurors:
Jason Harrison, John White, Adam Ground, John Clement, Jacob
Shook, Elisha Bennett, Thomas Cooper, Lee Pettitt, Nicholas
LaChance, John B. Deguire, Alexander Fletcher, William Dil-
lard, James Pettitt, Thomas Crawford, Peter Sides, John Best,
John Sides, Henry Whitener, John Wright and E. Mitchell. They
returned indictments against John Callaway, Samuel Strother, J.
G. W. McCabe, Joseph Bennett, D. L. Caruthers, George and
Jacob Nifong, Peter Chevallier, Moses Baird, Samuel Anthony,
Thomas Craddock, George Robertson, John Bridges, Adam Hen-
derson and Arthur McFarland for assault and battery; against
‘Fred. Mires” for horse stealing; against George Wear for “‘ cow
stealing ;” against J. B. Stephens for larceny, and against William
Stephens for hog stealing. In the assault and battery cases all
were found guilty, and fined in various sums, except Bridges and
McFarland. In the other cases there were no convictions.


GOODSPEED'S

STORY

——or——

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

——

Tax Countizs or STE. GENEVIEVE, Sr. Francois, PERRY, CaPE GIRARDEAU.
Bo.LLIncEeR, MADISON, New Maprip, PEMIscot, DuUNELIN,
Scort, MIssissiPPi, SropDARD, BUTLER,
, WaxNE axp Inon,

EMBRACING AN FLISTORICAL AccoUNT OF 8

INCLUDING A DEPARTMENT DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF PERSONAL,

PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE RECORDS.

ILLUSTRATED

A Reprint Edition |

at sees te £ Fe FEDPOA OV : ;


840 _ HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

Stephens was charged with having stolen a considerable sum. of

money from his neighbor, Caruthers, but there was not sufficient
proof to convict, and the case against him was discharged. Soon

after a man named John Duncan came to the county from Ten-
nessee, and, hearing the reports of the robbery, planned to mur-

der Stephens, secure the money which he was supposed to have ~

stolen, and make his escape. He went to Stephens’ house, two
and one-half miles east of Fredericktown, and represented him-
self as a land buyer. Stephens was at work in the woods, not far
away, with his sons, two young lads, and thither Mrs. Stephens
sent Duncan. The latter by strategem succeeded in securing
the ax and gun which Stephens and his sons had, and murdered
all three. He went to the house, killed Mrs. Stephens, spent
some time in searching for the money, and departed, leaving two
small children unharmed. He was arrested a day or two later,
tried, convicted and sentenced to be hung on April 5, 1821. The
execution took place in the northeast part of town, near the creek,
at what is still known as “‘ Duncan’s Hole.” People came from all
the surrounding counties, and several hundred were present.
Duncan made a full confession upon the scaffold, entirely exon-

erating two worthy citizens who had been indicted as accessories.

At the November term, 1827, Conrad Cotner was brought on a
change of venue from Cape Girardeau County, and tried for the
murder of Charles Hinkle. He was found guilty of manslaughter,
and sentenced to imprisonment for one year and to pay a fine of
$500.. To this the court added the following order: ‘It is or-
dered that said Cotner be put to labor in the blacksmith shop of
Elisha Bennett in the town of Fredericktown, in the county of
Madison, in the manner following: The said Cotner shall labor
in said shop, chained to the anvil block therein, the first, third,
fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh months of the time for which he
is to be imprisoned, the said Bennett furnishing the said Cotner
with diet, and returning him to prison every night.”

In February, 1844, A. W. Smith killed John Vincent. The

two men, who were neighbors, had hada quarrel about some

stock of the one breaking into the field of the other. Smith, who-

had previously borne a bad reputation, waylaid Vincent as he was
returning home one night, and shot him. He lived only long

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. 341

enough to reach the nearest house and relate what had occurred.
Smith upon trial was convicted, and was sentenced to be hung.
His counsel took an appeal to the supreme court, and pending a
decision an election was held in Fredericktown, at which several
friends of the murdered man were present. After indulging
very freely in whisky they proposed to take Smith from the jail
and hang him, but this the sheriff with a posse of citizens pre-
vented. After standing guard for about two hours the sheriff, to
quiet the mob, proposed to vote upon the question of hanging,
knowing that the majority present would sustain the law. This
was agreed to, but no sooner had the guards left the jail than the
lynchers made a dash, broke open the door, secured the prisoner,
and, putting a rope around his neck, literally dragged him to the
place of execution. Then they compelled a Methodist minister,
Rey. Jesse P. Davis, to offer up a prayer for the condemned man,
after which they proceeded with the hanging. Fourteen of the
mob were subsequently arrested and indicted, but, with one or two
exceptions, the entire number died within a year, and before any
trial was had.

The county court of Madison County held its first meeting
on February 12, 1821, at the house of J. G. W. McCabe, at which
time William Dillon and Henry Whitener, justices, were present,
and appointed Nathaniel Cook, clerk. At this time the county
extended west to Black River, and was divided into three town-
ships, Castor occupying the eastern part, St. Michaels the west-
ern, and Liberty the northern. Two new townships were now
laid out. They were Twelve-Mile, which included all the south-
west part of the county, and German Township, which adjoined it
on theeast. Election places were then fixed, and judges of elec-
tion appointed, as follows: Liberty—at the house of John Reno-
hue; Ephraim Stout, Anthony Sharp and Elisha Bennett, judges.
St. Michaels—at the courthouse; Thomas Cooper, James Holman
and Thomas Craddock, judges. Castor—at the house of Will-
iam Anthony; Hugh Fulton, John White and David Ward, judges.
German—at the house of the widow Whitener; John Bess, Mi-
chael Mouser and Anthony Clubb, judges. Twelve Mile—at the
house of William Boren; William Boren, William Cravens and
A. Johnston, judges. Other townships were subsequently or-


HISTOR

dC

——OF—

Cole, > ))oniteau, > )/)/lorgan, - Henton,
\NNiller, - Ylaties and Osage
~ Counties,

MISSOURI.

FROM THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESENT, INCLUDING A DEPART MENT

ESERVATION OF SUNDRY PERSONAL, BUSI-
$; BESIDES

DEVOTED TO THE PR
NESS, PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE RECORD

A VALUABLE FUND OF NOTES, ORIGINAL °
OBSERVATIONS, ETC., ETO. Le H

ILLUSTRATED.

CHICAGO:
THE GOODSPEED PUBLISHING CO.
1889.

Property of
Houston-Love Memorial Library

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COUNTY.

094 MONTGOMERY

HISTORY OF

court discharged The prisoner was again remanded, and the case
continued,

At the September term, 1858, the case was called up for trial, and
au part of the jury sworn, and on the fourth day of the term, the
court being unable to complete the jury, those that had been sworn
were discharged, the prisoner remanded to jail, and the case con-
tinued.

At the April term, 1854, the case was again called up for trial, the
prisoner, by his counsel, moved the court to discharge him, under the
twenty-fifth section of the sixth article of the act, concerning criminal
proceedings, because the prisoner had not been brought to trial in ac-
cordance with the provisions of said section. This motion was over-
ruled, the defendant excepted, and filed a bill of exceptions.

The prisoner was then tried and found guilty of murder in the first
degree ; judgment was rendered on the verdict. The prisoner moved
for a new trial; also, in arrest of judgment. The motion being over-
ruled, the cause was taken to the Supreme Court, where the judgment
and sentence were affirmed in July, 1855.

The Supreme Court refusing to disturb the verdict of the jury
(Judge Ryland delivering the opinion), Huting was hung at Danville
in the early fall afterwards. His gallows stood near where Freeman
had been hung, by the side of the present Montgomery City road, at
the north-east corner of town. Before his execution the condemned
man made a written confession, which was published in pamphlet form

sat Troy and circulated throughout the county. If a copy of this
pamphlet is now in existence the writer was unable to find it. The
type was set by Tyler W. Parker, afterwards editor and proprietor of
the Montgomery City Democratic Picket Guard, and now (1884)
foreman of the Montgomery Standard.

THE NATIVE AMERICANS.

The Native American or ‘* Know Nothing ’’ party deserves particu-
lar mention, as it once was a political organization very formidable in
its character and largely in the majority in this county and district.
It was formed sometime in the decade of 18380, but did not become
strong or very prominent until the dissolution of the Whig party, in
1853. In 1854 the first lodge was established in this county, and in
1855 lodges were numerous.

The party was a strange one, as it was a secret political order whose

“members were oath-bound, and which had its lodges, its signs, grips
and pass-words, and worked secretly to accomplish its openly pro-

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662 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

have been confiscated for the benefit of those who had remained loyal
to the Confederate cause, and suffered thereby, etc., etc.

In the whole State only 85,478 votes (including soldiers’ votes)
were cast at the election adopting the new constitution, as follows:
For, 43,670; against, 41,808; majority for, 1,862—a very i
majority, indeed, to decide so important a question. The constitu-
tion went into effect on the 4th of July following.

TRIAL OF ONE OF ANDERSON’S GUERRILLAS FOR THE MURDER OF
DR. SAM’L J. MOORE.

In the fall of the year 1865 John T. Hubbard, one of Bill Ander-
son’s guerrillas, who was present at the time of the burning and
sacking of Danville, was arrested and placed in confinement bas. In
November (29th), 1865, he, ‘‘ with others unknown,’’ was indicted
for the murder of Dr. Samuel J. Moore, October 14, 1864 — the time
of the Danville raid. It was rather clearly shown that he was one of
the parties that shot the doctor and then beat him over the head.
Benjamin Palmer, who was shot through the shoulder at the time
of the raid, was foreman of the grand jury which found the
bill. Really two bills were found, both for the murder of Dr. Moore.

Hubbard was arraigned at the time of the finding of the indict-
ment, pleaded ‘‘not guilty,’ and on his motion a change of venue
was granted him and the case was sent to St. Charles county. Hon.
T. J. C. Fagg was the circuit judge and E. P. Johnson the circuit
attorney at the time. Upon the trial of Hubbard at St. Charles he
was acquitted.

HELP FOR THE SUFFERING SOUTH.

In the spring and summer of 1866 there was considerable destitu-
tion and suffering in Alabama, Mississippi and other Southern States
over which the fire of war had passed, and relief was furnished the
people from abroad. Associations were formed in the country, having
for an object the aid of the indigent in the stricken Southern dis-
tricts. In some quarters there was an extra sympathy felt for these
unfortunates, because it was known that their misfortunes had in part
befallen them by reason of the part they had taken in behalf of the
Southern cause.

In Montgomery county an association, called the Southern Aid
Society, was formed by a meeting held first at Montgomery City, in
July. The proceedings of this meeting are still of record. Another
meeting was held at New Florence on July 28 following, at which time

reyoe nko y
q

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 66

it wus resolved that a county fair should be held at Montgomery Cit
on the 17th of September following, to be continued from day to da
until the work was completed, for the purpose of raising funds for tl
purpose indicated by the name of the society. The fair came off :
Montgomery City, in the college, in September, and realized about $90!

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1866.

In the political campaign of 1866, in Montgomery county, the fil
after the war, the parties were the Radical Republicans and the opp
sition to them which took the name of Conservatives. The latter we
chiefly old Democrats or pro-slavery men, war Democrats and moc
rate Republicans.

For an ‘off year’? the political canvass in Montgomery was ve
spirited. The Conservatives had «* Johnson clubs ”” at Montgom¢
City, New Florence, and Middletown, and during the summer tl
secured the attendance of Gen. Frank P. Blair, who delivered a spe¢
at Montgomery City. The following were the county tickets : —

Radical Union Ticket — For Congress, G. W. Anderson, of Pil
for Senator, W. B. Adams, of Montgomery ; for Representative,
A. Thompson; for Sheriff, William McCormack ; for Circuit Cle
S. T. Sharp; for County Clerk, John W. Ellis; for County Judg
A. F. Trainer, G. Lensing, T. McIntyre; for Assessor, W. P. Fish
for Surveyor, H. Greer ; for Treasurer, L. H. Riggs; for Regist)
D. M. Draper; for Supt. Com. Schools, J. T. Gleason.

Conservative Union Ticket — For Congress, Ww. F. Switzler
Boone; for State Senate, R. A. Campbell, of Pike; for Legislat
George Dillon ; for Sheriff, John Cope; for Circuit Clerk, 5S.
Hammack; for County Clerk, J. T. Hunter; for County Judges.
W. Hammett, J. B. Johnson, B. F. Clark; for Assessor, Jame:
Adams; for Supervisor, Sol. Hart ; for Supt. Com. Schools, J.
Hance; for Treasurer, D. R. Knox; for Coroner, Thompson Bu

The number of registered voters in the county was 960. The Re}
licans carried the county by a large majority of all the votes ‘
The following was the result of the election, Radical candic
marked R., Conservative candidates marked D., for Democrat

they all were: —

GENERAL ELECTION, 1866.

Congress — Geo. W. Anderson, R. 573; W. F. Switzler, D.
State Senate—W. B. Adams, R., 571; R. A. Campbell, D.,
Representative — L. A. Thompson, R., 564; Geo. Dillon, Da
Oircuit Clerk — Sam T. Sharp, R., 590; S. W. Hammack, aus


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670 UWISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Montgomery and Audrain county, to the north-west corner of section
6, township 50, range 6; thence south along the county line between
Montgomery and Audrain, and Montgomery and Callaway county, to
the south-west corner of section 7, township 49, range 6; thence east
to the south-east corner of section 12, township 49, range 6; thence
north to the north-east corner of the same section; thence east to
the south-east corner of section 5, township 49, range 5; thence
north to the beginning.

Bear Creek. — Beginning at the north-east corner of section 8,
township 49, range 3; thence west to the north-west corner of sec-
tion 7, township 49, range 4; thence south to the south-west corner
of section 7, township 47, range 4; thence east along the county line
between Montgomery und Warren county to the south-east corner of
section 8, township 47, range 3; thence north along the county line
to the beginning.

Montgomery. — Beginning at the north-east corner of section 12,
township 49, range 5; thence west to the north-west corner of section
7, township 49, range 5; thence south to the south-west corner of
siid section ; thence west to the county line between Montgomery and
Callaway county; thence south along said county line to the south-
west corner of section 6, township 48, range 6; thence east to the
south-east corner of section 1, township 48, range 5; thence north to
the beginning.

Danville. — Beginning at the north-east corner of section 12, town-
ship 48, range 5; thence west to the Callaway county line; thence
south along said line to the south-west corner of section 19, township
47, range 6; thence east to the south-east corner of section 24, towne
ship 47, range 5; thence north to the beginning.

Loutre. — Beginning at the north-east corner of section 25, town-
ship 47, range 5; thence west to the Callaway county line ; thence
south along said line to the middle of the main channel of the Mis-
souri river; thence down the middle of said channel to where the
same is intersected by the county line between Warren and Montgom-
ery county; thence north along said line to the beginning.

KILLING OF PATRICK CAIN BY JAMES J. DOUGLASS.

On September 1, 1873, the first day of the fair of the People’s
Association at Montgomery City, Pat Cain, a bar keeper for H:
Spinsby, of Spinsby’s Hotel, was shot and killed by J. J. Douglass.
The shooting took place in the bar-room where Cain was employed.
Robert Hayden, a brother-in-law of James Douglass, was with his
relative at the time, and was implicated in the affair. Both were
indicted and arraigned December 1, 1874.

The circumstances, together with a record of the trial in this case,
which follow, have been kindly furnished by Col. L. A. Thompson

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

121. This was the last election when the Whigs, as a party, put forth
2 Presidential candidate. The ** old-line’’ Whigs of this county
chiefly entered the Know-Nothing party.

MURDER OF CAROLINE SCHOLTON BY JONN HUTING EXECUTION OF THE
MURDERER.

In June, 1851, oecurred another terrible murder in this county,
which eventually resulted in the trial, conviction and execution of the
murderer. In this case the victim was a young German girl, named
Caroline Scholton, and her murderer was a German man, named John
Huting, who had become infatuated with her and shot her, because
she would not marry him. The girl lived with her brother, and
Huting lived in the same house, down on the Missouri river bottom,
in the German settlement.

It is said that Huting had furnished a portion of the passage money
which brought Miss Scholton to America, expecting that she would
marry him, but she laughed at his proposals and would not listen to
his suit. The despised and derided lover determined to kill not only
his sweetheart but himself, and nearly succeeded in both attempts.
He killed Miss Scholton outright, and then wounded himself very
badly. :

Although the circuit court records of this county are no longer in
existence, it is fortunate for the purpose of this history that this case
was taken to the Supreme Court, where the particulars were recorded.
In the 51 Missouri Reports it is reported in full. From these records
the following facts have been learned: —

At the September term of the Circuit Court, 1851, John Huting,
the defendant, was indicted for the murder of Caroline Scholton.
The prisoner was brought into court from the custody of the jailor.
The court assigned counsel to assist the prisoner in his defense, and
also appointed an interpreter, who was duly sworn as such in the
cause. The prisoner was then arraigned and pleaded not guilty, and
the trial was continued unti] the April term following. The illness of
the judge prevented the meeting of the court at the regular term in
1852, and consequently there was no April term of the court.

The trial of this case commenced at the September term, 1852,
and the record shows that it was not completed, owing to the illness
of the judge of the court, that the court discharged the jurors, and
remanded the prisoner, and continued the case.

The case was again called at the April term, 1853, and submitted to
a jury, but the jury failed to agree in their verdict and were by the


parents. The child’s fat}

2 ao cy Se Se
aS x a teen whe a.

casi sie Matias Hastighs Bea} ey
Annan ei Ses

HISTORY OF RAY County.

Caldwell and cther counties, together with thef

mitted by the Mormons, t}

t, arson and rob!
1€ people became exas
.€xpel the intruders from the communiiy.
In October, 1838, a portion of a company of “rm
by Captain Samuel Bogart, having heard that
camped near the northern line of Ray cou
mined to meet, and, if possible drive them back.
On the aftemnoo ain Bogart and his fo]
mon head
All was quiet
> When the pickets of the
approaching column of Mormon «
Captain Bogart sent out ty

ascertain

marched to the

Next Morninser “minute men ”

Saints,” and retreated to camp.

2g the strength of the enemy.

and there being o

minute men” lost one killed— Moses Rowland.
water and Thomas H. Lloyd were left ‘on the battlefield for dead; t}
survived, however, and are still living—April, 1891,

Odell, shot in the arm, and James Lockhart jn the
Wyatt Craven was taken priscner by the
him with them about twelve miles, he was released,
gO in a certain direction. Fearing they mea
he darted off in a direction Opposite to the one he was ordered to fol]
A Mormon, in ambush, called to him to halt,” but
faster. The Mormon fired upon him,
€scaped. * -

RE McCoskrie was
clothing.

hip, were wounded.
Mormen

nt him some furth

Ow.
Craven only ran the
inflicting a slight wound, but he

in the engagement. A ball passed through his

In another part of this work will be foun
death by violence in the county, of w
that of James Buchanan. We here state that at the time of losing his ]i
Buchanan was alone in th A hunter, coming. along, chanced to
descry him in a thicke¢ of tangled undergrowth, and, mistaking him for a

bear, fired and kil rred in the month of August,
1823.

d the Statement that the first

hich an official took cognizance, was

fe,
& woods.
ied him. The accident occu

A man ramed Lard and wife had raised to the age of Q
whose mother was dead..
e

q i tena bright and
attractive little oir]
latter, in turn, was

They were tender! y devoted
Warmly attached to jts foster-
ner, a man of Jow character, besides being quite

47

fired upon an

onnoiter, with a view to
Having found that the Mormons

nly forty-seven
nced a retreat under fire, which

Samuel Tar-

ley
Two men, Edwin

Ss, but after taking
and commanded to
1€r mischief,

a

Dery, com-
asperated and resolyed to

inute men * commanded
a body of Mormons was
‘nty, on Crooked river, deter-

lowers,
quarters, and camped
till about Gay-light the.

he Seay ars Cy ak:


476 HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.

indigent, lived in the neighborhood. Envying Lard and wife the happi-
ness the little one aiforded them, he demanded its possession, and threat-
ened violence if the child was not returned to him. In taking the child »
to their home—upon the loss of its best friend on earth—its protectors
were actuated by the purest motives of sympathy and humanity; they
had learned to love the little orphan, and were unwilling to part with it.
Fearing the father’s threats would be put into execution, they determined
to escape with the child to the south side of the Missouri; and at dusk
one evening they, with old Mr. and Mrs. Wallace (Mrs. Lard’s parents),
entered a covered wagon and started southward. They reached the
river, opposite Lexington, about midnight. The ferryman’s hut was
hard by; he was aroused, but at first refused to attempt to cross the river,
as the water was high and the current swift; he portrayed the danger of
the undertaking, and protested that he could not row them over—but
Lard’s story excited the ferryman’s sympathy, and he consented to go.
The summer night was calm and clear, yet lonely. The moon and stars
were aglow in the heavens, and their lambent light, kissing the current’s
face, touched it to ripples of silver. The prow of the little Hat-boat was
Crawn against the shore; the murmuring waters uttered a solemn warn-
ing, but the trembling little band, half heeding, half heedless, stepped
aboard.. Old Mr. and Mrs. Wallace sat in the wagon, which, with the
horses attached, stood in the middle of the boat.

The dauntless ferryman hove anchor, and pushed out on the turbulent
torrent. The party-had proceeded some distance, when the boat, becom-
ing unmanageable, was borne down by the strong current, and finally
overturned. All wert down—old Mrs. Wallace to rise no more, alive. Lard
seized the little girl, swam with her to land, and heroically returned to the res-
cue of his wife, but met the ferryman gallantly swimming ashore, bearing
the lady cn his back; she was saved. Neither of the horses, nor the wagon
was even seen again. The party, safe on land, bewailed the aged couple,
supposing them both ‘‘beneath the wave; ” but about two o’clock next day,
old man Wallace was observed about three miles below the ferry, far out
in the stream, clinging to a “sawyer,” and partaking, of course, of its
ceaseless upward and downward motion, a ride he had enjoyed for several
hours, having for a saddle a large feather bed; for, when reached by the
rescuer, it was found that in clasping the log, the old man’s arm’s also
passed around the aforementioned article of household furniture.

_ Subsequently, on a less hazardous occasion, Lard, his wife, and the
little girl, were rowed to the Lafayette shore.

Wallace was a man of seventy winters. His remaining years were
therefore few. What became of him, the writer has not been informed.


HISTORY GF RAY COUNTY.

DEATH AT A THRESHING MACHINE,
July 10, 1880, Messrs. Wolf aad Youngblood were running a threshing b camera
machine on the farm of Mr. Wolf, in township fifty-two, range twenty-nine. ee eerie es
A young man named Andrew Pollard, was employed by the proprietor Rapes Shek
as driver, and while the machine was in rapid motion, under full power,
he stepped from his place where he was driving, to tighten a tap at the Sea TEES
front boxing of the line shaft. The shaft was about eight inches above the Soba t ae aE
ground, and Mr. Pollard Stepped backward so near it, that the protruding ie ¢
bolt from the ring coupling caught in the Strap of his boot. He was
thrown to the ground with great violence, and revolved with the shaft
many times, as the power was very high, and the machine could not be
readily stopped. He was, of course, instantly killed, his body being hor- .
ribly crushed and mangled. :

Andrew Poilard was the son of Humphrey Pollard, Esq., and his death
Was not oniy an irreparable loss to his family, but a misfortune to the
community, as he was an industrious, promising and honorable young
ie jeft to mourn his untimely death an amiable and affectionate
young wife and three little children. ;

we
are

whe
a
>

eri

man: : |

ee

£
+

MELE

BLOODY TRAGEDY.

= Christmas night, 1874, two men were together,
New Garden P, O., in Fishing River township,
They were having a good time

one at his home near
the other his visitor.
together, partaking quite freely of strong
, that the tipplers were becoming too much
intoxicated, a member of the host's family hid the jug containing what 2
on the other made some remark, expres- ~ Be
event /zs wife or children should dare to
This remark excited a quarrel and the tw
ting each other with terrible effect, and continued till, from sheer exhaus- ee
tion and loss of blood, they fell over on the bed. The wounds of one
proved mortal, while the other recovered. a

It is not intended to give the remote origin of the abov
rest blame oa either combatant, but simply
many unfortunate results

The follow

drink, when, seeing, doubtless

remained of the liquor; whereup
sive of what 4e would do in the
hide hzs jug.

oO men. began cut-

~

e tragedy, nor to
to recite an instance of the
» growing out of the use of ardent spirits.

ng list of homicides, committed in Yardin, was
by Captain Thomas McGinnis, ex-sheriff

furnished us

of Ray county, and at one time re Poet
a justice of the peace in Hardin, viz: APA
In 1856, James Hall was killed by Milton Farris, who stabbed the pepe

former-to Ceath with 4 knife.
Love Snevw

?

ae :
cen (relative of the Love Snowden mentioned elsew]
was shot by the Union soldiers, in 1862,

1ere in Re ee.
this work),

SBS %
In 1872, Burton Snowden was killed by one Sam White. See
In 1869, Michael Vaha was stabbed to death by one Dick Brady. Ba3

&.

fs ery

+
(ee

i


HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.

RAS Er aes ES oie ee fs
Ta fase Sole opie

UNLAWFUL HOMICIDE. .
The first unlawful homicide was committed at or near Bu¥ilo bridge,
on Crooked river, in the year 1823, by one Love Snowden, a desperate
character of untamed disposition, the brutal propensities of whose nature
overwhelmed the promptings of a decent manhood. . .
The citizens of the neighborhood had met for social pastime, near the
bridge above mentioned. A quarrel began between Snowden anda
neighbor, named Woods. Persons gathered around the parties in order
_ to quell the disturbance. The difficulty was, apparently, amicably settled,
and the two men shook hands in token of peace. _ Every body thought
_the affair at an end, and for a while all went as smoothly as if nothing
had occurred to mar the enjoyment of the occasion. But the fiendish
fire of Snowden’s nature was not permitted to smolder: it continued to
rankle, till, in a moment of violent rage, he plunged a knife to the hilt in
the breast of the unwary, unfortunate Woods, inflicting a wound of which
he expired in a few moments. /
Snowden ‘was subsequently apprehended and placed ‘in jail. His case
came up for trial at the July term, 1824, of the circuit court: a change
of venue to Lillard (Lafayette) county was granted. oer
Afterwards, however, he was brought before the judge of the Ray
» .. €ircuit court, on a writ of hadeus corpus, directed to the sheriff of Lillard
county. - ae
_ Appearing in court, Snowden plead not guilty, and for trial, put him-
self on God and his country. Cie ates
For want of sufficient evidence, he was acquitted under the Jew of the
land; but whether in the eyes of his countrymen and his God, is quite
another matter. - 2,05. = eal rhein
The early records of the circuit court show that Love Snowden was
arraigned before that tribunal no less than thirty times, within little more
than three years, variously charged with assault and battery, stabbing,
disturbing the peace, and finally with murder—after which his name dis-
appears from the records. . Eee
_ At the close of the trial alluded to, Snowden went immediately to the
house of his father, with whom the former’s wife had been staying. The
father and son, became involved in a quarrel over a saddle, which the latter
claimed belonged to his wife. The old man refused to give up the saddle,
eee ase ees i ie and the younger Snowden in order to get possession of it, brutally
PIERRE SOMES eS ae _ belabored his aged father. After this unfilial attack, Love Snowden left
See e meen oe noe _ the community, to the ‘delight, not only of the public in general, but even |
of his kindred, and has never been heard of since. Basar rc |

About the year 1838, the Mormons began to infest the country; and
after numerous skirmishes and affrays had occurred in Jackson, Clay,


» the next to the
L Occurred April 45: 198

dams, white, 21

is in the next
I do not recall
a bi-weekly, and

» 4nd some of them
€ various hangings when you can't

ward (Mrs. )

Reference Library

THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI
COLUMBIA 65201

RICHARD S. BROWNLEE

26 » 1977
DiREcToR Cs., Qee ech ( sd /) be.)

Mr. Watt Espy, Jr.

Box 67
Headland, AL 36345
4 Dear MR, Espy:

In reply to your letter received May 23:

Mrs. Ross is correct in stating that Ralls Count
| legal hanging. The information she gave you was correct; Johnson
was 24 years old, born in Hannibal, Mo. If did not Supply

nd you a Xerox copy of a news story

County murder; it was executed in Boon
venue: A white man from St. Louis nam

on. The Simplest way to
Ox copy of pages 190, 191,
192, of History of Boone County, Mo., by Wm. F, Switzler, pub.
i graphical information bbout Samuel
Earls, however, it Simply says he came from St, Louis. I have
never known more than that about him. He was hanged 13 Dec 1831,
Presumably, he was a hired killer. There is no Person named
Samuel Earls or Earl listed in the fede

If you want the
» Send 45¢ for it, cash or

As far as we have been able to ascertain, the last le
in Missouri was 21 May, 1937, at Galena,

Sheriff I.H. Coin, who hanged Roscoe Jack
Pearl Bozarth, the murder occurred in Tan

gal hanging by a sheriff
Stone County, Mo., by

son for the murder of
ey County and was tried

in Stone County on a change of venue. Bozarth was from Evansville,
é nd., and manufactured poultry medicine which he peddled through
; issouri. Jackson was a white hitchhiker native of Ozark County, Mo.,

} that Bozarth Picked up. As they drove t
shot and killed him and took his car,
trial, hanging, and biography are in the Galena

News-Oracle, May 26, L937, Page 1 columns 1,2,3, and page 8 col 3
on microfilm. A Photocopy may be obtained

of copying and mailing. (Jackson was wh

|

ce Ae Hepes Sloan |

S7#1)37 alee

3 Dunklin County library

226 NORTH MAIN
Phone 888-3561

KENNETT, MISSOURI 63857

ts FE i Doane: Coage

phy be: tfiftte/- J. Letter, fo A
a hgh ray
feet St. Y2Z as ee Aare wore

tu alad F peggegee Jt

ate food gyn” _

Per Cpten ted Zajes! Gel Gong
. i Vsapides Ld ttersaT

fodey ig | (Age


%

itieiaiaes

za o Cov y)) ssouk!

1210 Gertrude
Salem, Mo. 65560
February 15, 1977

Mr. Watt Espy
Box 67
Headland, Alabama 36345

= Dear Mr. Espy:

ee 8s. SR,

I received your letter of January 6 and am sorry

fé6r the delay in answering. I have been questioning
people on the subject and have not come up with any-+
thing at this time.’ I personally can't recall reading
of any legal hangings in Dent County. One old-timer
says there was one he thinks, but he can't come up with
any details. If in the research material I have, I
find anything, I will forward it to you;

I am familiar with one hanging about 1910-15 in the
adjoining Texas Co. Mo. The man hanged was named
Hamilton and he had murdered several members of a family.
I could give you more information on it if you need
chin oa : 9

|

Sincerely,


Saco
a * o8 os,

commuted | bash

oF Hts. impr.

oO” tnteranted: teeifcin.
prison enh

Bt to save
fe other azpir-
nay See

The: deparnaad: ottit jes ‘en, open
Bd with *-reapect’ tothe eeveral
) be, who have
ettard for the judgeship.

st. that'can be aald-safely by
way. ot ‘prediction’ ta: that the de.
agg vt ane Sitges. ls dispos-

“d to. of St. Louis fae-
Gifficulties which have eee

and ‘€0 outside the city for an’
The same course may be

eGarence le the: fee
yaeion in’ wtcoont) aon

JEN. BROWN W Wie
GOBACK To MEXICO}

“= fenoutd hold a med

ané has
iderable ft
Would

. ‘& successful appeal} *
¢ Gnanuasiwvec the:-head of | 2

paatety workon na the

od’ by the fight over ees =

Ppolntem -. ‘caretu
ead ‘filing the spate din aad airs the that}

fs In. twalveyears =
- have had the pl:

‘the moter Far
been ‘carried, on }
way on this and on SN
ee eet asomN
personal Injuriers
Wmployea: ‘of , rafir
‘Deen. directly reverdy)
}) few years noe ap fet.
Dite adcidents af
ominated, seth iy
oe at see to’
“of: 30:\per prises, bs
Ahtowshost the ert!
x" ner Are
 Howsdernah onary: ,

aN
&
oi

: aN
The, large m jority
elderits are due tor
% instances ¢
er} Hagan tance
trains over crossing
 frequentix: fail: by |
| Inability to judge t
approaching train, oF
ability to get over t
OAYt every, automoby

make up Bie or betps

Rush | wit not have an acc

nica ein retuca

This is viewed
- Brown is: now

“1 te the 44. Shes ened
‘jot & good
‘| slew, carefully ant Ry

“aceldent® for the wee aN)

‘the personal injut
undoubtedly wilt be
T beffeve that eve


aa |Many Here Recall Events Leading tot xecuslollofSonny MeDiniel A

é x

ete &% ite

Greene County
an Bre tpi niotas GG Meh os, Ms teary ty indi

Ns] Bea

By MARGARET BREEN >

{ way several hours aficr *
the execution but the gallows was
Ee ute : . : nonthout the trial left standing for several days
Sever. 1 wou a y 2 fal Ne Was) doonied)’te Pay mostly because of requests from
id. eau ty. one the HK. im Mc te : he 1a 4 cHime tok “which people wha failed to see it hefore
i arch Fhe the state's tale hides Wax 0 n euilty, Nev: “the stockutdy. was Jocked the nike file
in Give: tiroes, fl ‘ Me ektiGied he wae With Th at: igtked. Heoryone before." hg ,
: piteat yates
issouri! McDaniel.» &itelswhet they picked: thew dae Mita ae Le ones
7 77 Labi hb) Ad che ds ) hope es Y ” tea Z 3 psi
Meee tpi Care 5 W istew ieg ea Vorth Three Hours of Credit) ;

‘ stopped, ant Mes
; cigarene: ;

Wiel biG & tour Direcing The [tip is Miss Mary
ind: Said he’ gaexxed! te 1 . ow Nork City Elizabeth oKlinkner,” professor ef
They drove on further. the, Moveek on Trtry Cofleve's tists modern languages at Drury, whe

/Paess kald, add. then Mcbiaiiet tor annual Europeyn thavel and study will be making her foutth Euro. +
thera ito get out. of the Care Trae er tt Pet he cet eer pennet tours: The © tour ote due
(hey ‘Chat he shot’ her “and. alled: ehoup. scheduled 46 mail hack at a Candian port on Sept: 3
¥otokt Warren th Pew pend ad Weeks: Springfieldians making the trip
FavSing | Girough Enyprandy? Seat: Will tae Judy. Grier: 142° Kim.
a lett, Telamd France: i Bettie. heowhi: Anne Lung, 2251 South
Holland ep itany SwittOrland Clay Natcv Hughey. 1141 Soulhr~
: paint Thalys ith THe: Week rer’ Delawaie: Tom Davidson, ie
aliber study alsa slated at the University yy Wahu eco, “ip fos yet cial aes
Kite Hew OF ee hes : pei pgiies shines Mack Phavery 338 South
Si SORE HED Soh: fy Phe students weil AVE a-ehbice Fort) Atryl Paul, Rojite ly Dorsey
+ eal ers feels 4 pot. Threw: €Gurx Jammmaty - of Dystart, 120 Sodth Fairway Ter-
az PEs MeMinar i barry Van’ Hook, 2236 En-
{Nits and wood and san Snith, git
. Sonth Delaware. AWS ure Drury
Mudents except Smith,» who al.
tended the” Missbur, Schoo! of

JOCCUP, | surned to the electric ‘chair, then pool hal
will be Oo Hallie 5

: ‘deh Risnite: ae) , edge ay hon! White teat Other 1 TAUNTS on the tour 7

of oa : . sategi: forse a : : ve My dur ine the | InCtade “Rartiova Bull, Poplar

lahager | jel. er AT chet wag 71 it Before : 7 veld 2, SE Te pee Bhatt Janie Noller, Hayward

; ; ia arid WE é rites is pala ty] ties “about! Calif; Annette Smith, Stockton:
: ' Prouitire ot People Anna’ Walters und Phs Nis Mallin,..

eG Criminal i is they. will be Sind “Kansas City? Ann Woody, Wek

then ‘Shenug( ine 2 They /also diy et Brite Sa’ stereGrovess: and John Klingner,

3 T9eNINAR Paper at the Jconclusion  Quiney, Ml. a Student “gt the Uni.

wpe dl Rare aa ae ee ie Nebaty of Mlinois coke

ot of a!

pre

, invited still |
Mayon [take tickets. which. they declined
at Sta, 0 use, * *S Ret
Smine). hey say that several days beni,
“im ifore the hanging peopte~came- tn’
Feb ; look at’ the gallows and would ;

- ‘alk round and round, looking |
t_it_from every angle and some | ~#
ven tried the lever that - sprung *

ithe trap 9 ;

etipesd The enclosure Where the gallows }

Rization | “8S erected was built at the}
[Southwest~corner~af the present

r ; Lara oty ~ he a :
Sérieq) Crowds pressed around the en
he Mis. | Closure before the execution. Two /
fighters |S¢Ctions ‘of the Stockade around |

ago. , the gallows were blown down by |
five at Strong winds’ several nights be. |
WO mar. fore but the damage vas quickly

Of the Frame“Sinny McDaniel, ren
St and ferred to hy some as “Big Son
h, and! 8Y"" because of his’ 6 foot, 3 inch
ci frame. ‘was
«

{.. The murder occur- | #
March °29, 1933. Tae ia
yee ve Was found guilty by a° jury;
CEL? !in the courtroom of Cireult hide ¢
; Warren L White. Prosecutors for}
: re Were the late: Dan” Nee. |
Brsday | osecutor “then,” and” an
t which
of which | Sprin

Chalender,  §
3 $

2 odie : ss 1 ‘Sa i . ; : ‘ 4

| The ‘conviction was appealed to : ee oe capt ie ane fe «oC Feesemys
(the Supreme Court. and affirmed. | oe Ae i th. siti 4 +
Facts ‘of the tase sas reviewed 2 ee gested Aes Bt ;

3 es a aE veres igi :
“a bey the “Supreme Coetrt i Pie aif etal Nea

F hens $€. Sot inctiedti yas Chas, Miey: Meme hwew atreeeds ur kewt

MeDaniel had werted ene tern, ‘ | : a 1s Ek % 4 ;

es MK ‘ : * ate setteng ce aety try take onty eae TS wee ONT vet lid és - . ‘

SW the state pennentiary. fortis S, fOodis stl et Vile” whictei tire TSE tase at Stir \ ( hanoe
Bary B04 larceny “asd another in el MNES BS Drury. Colts pe “it vighibe pm ©
-@ federal prison for violation of k Pt | \ se ee ] ‘ : <i ‘ r
bauer fews aut t i ware $ € Mins Marty Blizaheth Kitngner, I: or Roanoke

. : ; ; <
aan pene ie a esha Preeent Certificate i sieh aa WU Gurtesy,
Misi 4 oy ‘
i RAT Ov ilirty « brtitaued be agent #70 Paul

Herd of Bis hme tpt. al
Fen = at cae

ee EM trun “rea } are

thf Mafety in July c Traffie Engineer.
. Jest ye re Bh Fhevitives, af "Poalilis
tts a ; ’ no I. = pai . ane nd
a. ae | a ae 3 ancl é Pi "4 . : Ai “ ++ Bde tts
oe ee eat 5 ee wt ORE f: le geal Metin iver.  B trl Ee 5

r

Assenita get My Narrow Prater,


———y
Stes ee sceml San ae

ir then; nul? hallsthe woring sn ro the MePanlebrhounten:.x :
s t : } tf they canplete © ‘the Coufse tended the - Missour

sagt? pet
De ethiat | kas for ‘ek ettitions og or Milling cid” he fdidn't> know she 5 20 am, nervously’ paling noche
ear

we |

teumilerly filled. ane nner “The only ‘other: legal: hanging’ in?had wen: kijfed and sleelared: he ‘arette! ! "Se lang’ sheriff, the Kant: 4 ork. they “Ih receive three hours? Mines last Yeur a

, ‘a nie i Greene County took place in "1858, {had bees’ homme Hat! evening: | He“) erm glad to spy! Ein ready 4o credits at_- Drury {or the van Other Drurvite ro. «

ins tour of all city fire stations on | Longtime courthouse . employes; j alsy deniige ou iting ic he inka meet iny, Gods: be gold seteral , Portion of the tour) While aboard facie) Bachata fi
Piss] a : ye wes the frst. : of # i well, remember jthe. day. that Me- | pistol! * doministers’ who visited. him in jis ship; und periodicaty suring the tint 3 Oh

pe- | setdes iwhich the new Manger | Haniel, a. 28-year-old Springfield! » M{ Haniel coflended hee was in.” cell before. the execution: PT don't rived time, stinlents wu ahd one’ rnb! ard
hax is. attemplingto get acquainted) xoer5” mounted the: scaffold: with inocent throughout the 2 trlal "and: bold nothing Against: sfobpdy, oF quired te attend lectures about .Cali€y “Annette ton
ins, a | with all city. em og At its com 200 ‘persons jamming’ the enclos- ‘protested * his’ innocence. ati the!) AC. the “time fof the sl winder. | the history amd, culture aif people. Anna‘ Walters; Hin

; two para ge “4 ; ta gs ure’ around: the: gallows. °<!) + ‘Last, fle refused’ to: confess to, the | Chief) Criminal: Deputy George Mee tines. ake bes i wont ? Say aa A ;

re * rd wy? s , ! ;

case fire’ chief would be. frthed Official. passes: to! view the: exes killing’ aiid: spent the last hour in Spencer.then''a “deputy, Tok Sheriff, Quiney, Tih: in =

shortly: #
Boehm, 55,is.a veteran of some
20 years \service ‘with: the depart-|

cution \ were! distributed’ by” the a fail ged i pa the Part

Sheriff Scott, Curtis, who. cars}
“the execution, and even}
now. sonva.of tho ¢cinvited still»

pox"at ment, which he joined during ‘the
‘actors administration of the late °Mayor pact sh vee seer Aecined
Road, | HarryB. Carr, He served at-Sta- ) They ‘say that Several days 4

rc wine
m. to-

services We Senyth-on Siete Ie ey

tions. 4 and 3 before becoming
secretary. of “the department un-i
der.Chief Marion Baker on Feb. 1,'
13945, He became assistant to, Chief ;

Hal | *.

wner |

He has ae as secretary of |

ghey the: police And firemen's ’ relire-

rest-t ment board since its organizatidn ;

° gain’ in 1946. He is chairman, of. the |

yen, but
it fs the. } s Foutine check.

On -the-Fear floorboards, offi }
cers foundd six-pack of beer and
inthe’ trunk was’ a. Jarge cooler
with” 36 Skans Cof < beer. «Officers

at year-old boy” and ‘girls: 14: and. 16

supervisory... committe \of the |
Springfield = Greene Courity Ems)
- | ployes Credit Union, and served
as. secretary” “treasurer of the Mis:

souri State Council. of Firttighters |
luntit his resignation ‘a ‘year. azo, |
Chief ang Mrs Boetini“tive

idren. He is~a member: of’ fhe:
‘board. of. trustees” of .First. ‘asia!
Calvary Presbyterian Chureff, ‘and
| a_member -of- the Downtown -Ki-
wanis Club. j

Lucky, or Was He,

Tn Finding Beer?
“James_ Eugene. Jenkins, 18, of!

tied daughters and two iirandchile i

fore the -hanging people~came ;to > aM a

rlook at‘ the,® gallows® and, would |
walk {round.-and ‘ronnd.
‘at_it: from every: angle and SOME y

even tried the lever that sprung |
the trap.
The enclosure where the. eatlews
was erected” was beelt® vat thet |
southwest: carne Of the ‘present |
jail. anae BEGG ,

Growk pressed dround the ene fh:
closure before thé execution, Two |
sections of: the “stockade around)

ithe gallows Were blown down: by ;>
at strong winds several ‘nights bes :

re epairel 2 r

. Frank; “Sonny”. McDaniel, saad
ferred: to: by “some” as)“ Big“/Son-4
ny” because of ‘his. 6 foot. 3 inch
frame, was convicted of, first:de:
gree murder in, June; .1933, for the |:

Savilla ‘Scolt: The murder occur-}:
red. on March 29, 1933,

* He. was: found guilty: by: a jury
in thecouttroom-of Circult JudgeT
Warren Li Whites Prosecutors ‘for
the state were'the Jate Dan Nee?

killing” of -his. Negro‘ girt friend, wl

te, im,

by officers for_possession-of

Tae county, prosecutor. Vien, and? an,
{ Chadwick, was-~ cited Vasey ey, le

intoxicants—42 cans of beer’ which
he claimed he found and for which
he bought ice.

Jenkins,» accompanied by a 15-

years old, was stopped 9:30 p.m,
“j north | of Ozark on Highway 5’

Springfield Courtiof Appeals), The'|!

prosecutor;! ”
now ~probate~ judge; Fait age 1p
Theé¢onviction | was fe aiade to!

lhy Trooper J.) L. Patrick and +
Christian. County Deputies Buff.
Lamb) and. Herbert Taylor: for cr

yes Se

“Chine the~state “penitentiary for hts

the Supreme: Couirtyand? affirmed+)
Facts, of the-cuse,” as teyiewerd
by. “the ‘Supreme oars BG
“MeDaniel bad? served’ one? tevin

| glary! and larceny, and another in

Jr. now presiding. judge: “Of the}.

mirder charge+against McDahiel}-
was 'drawWa: by* another! assistant | fs
Charles. Chalendets. im

werice a

eign “

lookings =) nats

‘Curtis, anised: inibe® pavestiga-

nor’ ade ee fate for violation. ‘of Ke our Al Ae) rd=

For; some time’ prigh: ie ‘the date”

are getting regis fer arte ttt orn’
” Rliropesae wt Week The: tours §
Jeate® New York “June <i, Lett

{seminar paper at the conclusion
of the four, .

Leader and Press Statl Phote

Thies (10 Sypinaticidiones | their. Drury Hight: bagw atrendy packed:

ae faweek-traver and situate tour a
ponsored by Drury Colle Ke. will

to right (front row} are Anne ~

Long. “Nancy} Alughess tour diréctor Miss Mary Elizabeth Klingner,

: ‘Kune tu Smite. and Junty-Grier. St

anding (same_ erder): Bill Gurley,

sersity of Te

Study

For Ro:

~*

said | quoted--hith_‘ts° saying he: found of the killing, He. was’ unemployed Veesdit ¢ lertifie: ates! BES A i {Paulos Pune 2a
fall sthe = ‘peer, but admitting aan Tinea? fh pal z e. a ie Playery, ae Dav ape Sid oe and ArryW/Paul. i Ira ffie 1
gna Ddought. “ice. for: it. most of ;his ‘time Sate > 2. dae hd OF Safety in July? abe he 1m
idee oie ‘ Po-Narro
Marka] D Shel oe : tiie Spriteneld pabiie; eae igi due gen Detinition of Public Assemblage’ ‘
Beauty amage Suit Fi iled The! rurrieredt Woman? was. Will-again-be honored’ by. thet ‘Nant ; ita ee ae, ancl
at On. Husband 8. Death | working as: an-elevator operator (tional Safety. Council fore outstand.;* Lon w be; et gel Ma n eu vers ie nd iow wid 7” n
~Mrs.- Inez *-Kephart,- 310--West- at- a-Springtie!d department-store {ing achievement. in School, saferys) “i SaceTaRe
ed ~} Cherokee; widow of “Elmer. Kep-!and testimony: for/the state show-| Cityy, Manager * Tom ela abel Sr,
= {hart, who was killed April 10. in jed that. she and McDaniel had; Was, Notified in a telegrams roe 8 hs Parking Seq
| tat acide ed su today ved ones fr amt ee nalonalorBancaton jal sya Ciaeg eae,
the |in circuit’ court seeking » $25,000 {months before the killing and’ had! al prRaraealion erat 1 hig thalatout Hotelabale ots sion the-right-of-every-ciliten-t4--+ eheesde
¥ AE AION TE the. 79 Tir: tty rye Rente- Harrses
be_ex- ae for: the-deatii of her-hus:; been- having: trouble-=— : Nar ATE IBE Ts Tae a ar anu egal mance bul Dv keep—and—hear—atms—in—delense—okt acai Be
Order | band. See oR Sia pr epee mest peg bem wnt at-inventory: mae Earl Golloway. "34; of 2508 West nt home —pers6il—or—property; or ~wiial. curing ea
bays portend in the lawsuit t is! exomination—a9 to whether ve he Pacer ee renee Deo nj Grand. his pally won. his free: when eee! summoned in aid‘ emply inte Gra
i Christie, Cher | dom from jail re Of Civil power Shall-not be ques- stratfic yielding
The meine: ies pate mares : Secounereourk recs oaevest rye Oe iewinaa! Charges' of re eter danger-' ee but ro shall oe justify’ fefferson-aind
. ep an employe peel * ous weapon into? a-public- assém- © wearing of concealed-wea become a riehy
Place | the Gulf Oi! Company, was killed, | McDaniel... answered:, 1 cdidn’t| available when. Phil. Streit f're- blage @sainstsGollowaywere.dis- “ons i Pst with Sie
asa, greugred at Cherokee. and: Kings. Ves her eyez nitoneied her. * {gional director Hor the= national missed ayeatter: Circuit Judge paw aicn as sree
There: was lavdance * in: Spring. } council cis. iv Sppnsfield.in: July. williamiy1t Coltinsors upheld | wai Aside froth aw Statiite Torhid fing er reaper ants

arms inca public

“field. the-night-before* the ‘slaying, ‘Last ty ear, Springfield was’ hon-i motionistor. dismissal hy Attorney the*hearing of
—ussemblage.-_proarranved-—-0-f£——} esethaait-t

3 */and: threes witnesses for. the state | 0 Scedmplishinents: ‘intraf- "Dod: Bonaker,
F that “the::¢ouple! attended fic’ acieating ys Sakon > bee

Sons’ a arc Ring Y course Prosccuting Attorney Don eoult ta ho
the: di: e, but: that rent homed” The award iv the pute School Boia kers. motion: ittidge Collinson’ Burrell said there is also a Statute | jand the tims

* She’. followed “later “ig being mude: for thé fourt - :
f 1 is ing mai rt Ae can=| Said: under>the-<constitutional: “dis; which forbids the carrying of gun. Ce Usiznals
sister and—her—sister’s secutive. year, Bown saidit is-bas- ‘inside the State ; iid asad

" Ot: Missourf Shlatutes-reRard: capitol building by tie: “ers
Pusbarid: Swas“erying and started | eq 61 On ,activities .of- all of athe | ning=-thehearins obsarrs by Titi histtempt=to-gain= freedtont A Tc “Trou
“Tto-take: down the” curtaitis; it her’ schools in’ the’ system 2.and nated | Py Situation tis! Mite cus after) bis-arrest in E we
oF LCN this: Sia MLSs nut. — iter Dis arrest 4 “Cbs Se Chile cotqerremnte jenit hal wi
with-.thecannounced=inet iit vall ape: members, of the; {Nast ‘ere are, CTS re loway-acted as his owt-attorney-at —coira sed,
tention:of: Jeaving.® witnesses: tes. tiotiak. Councils honor, valle oo Rai itialiont matnse eh, fou (preliminary heuring, repegted-> \Othes-matters
tified: a a “4 Normal: Patieysune echuols- ns Galloway: adrniltel: heat had WY" refused 16 he tried “unti} hes hoard Sesterday-
sae tity officet: credited the: driver dU Pa few “drinks.” Hancted Hite, could have ian attorney appeinted. op et and

Man: ‘Gixe en ‘60 Days.

<~ gation. progtant mi: the! three: high “and-hireda taxicab: to, take hin then refused a court-appointed “at-. Shawnee Stewart

j he “school¢, ws major> factor 4 The* to Campbell Avenue wheree Zine otorney when he said he hud three of the parking lot
On License Charges: safely program, -he said. is’ made : tended» to kill” a‘ man.'* Golloway priv; ate lawyers at~his- disposal. Jeiferan” With a
‘After being. out of, jail jess: than! | possiblelthroifgh: the interest. and | reportedly gol out of the cab, fir. “tote, Circnit” Judge Warren L. cars. the lot isn
two months, Billy: “Gene: Fietch- | ¢ooperation | of the Board’ of*Eda- | ed” a. shot. from the ‘loaded rifle | White that “he was. being held: in an gverage. of -at

er, 27, of 1222)'N accepted » The» boand recon

“Broatway, ation, administration; faculty, -and | intd thee ait, ‘then, euitered a tay) Jail wlegully. Gually
: $ a .court-appointed | purchase. of -adjo

}*Bonacker: as

found: himself. back“ in he, morn. } students. in all schools, 27. 7 hernia ster st a ae
so ing, facing’ a 60-day term.# 5» Py The: award “will be. made ‘5; be Rat Hee at een yf eames. ce a writ of habeas | enlargement of tl!
e Fletcher. « was’ sentenced /.t0” 30 Streil to. Superintendent of Schouls Later. Golloway. placed the. load- Judie “Golinean te Sieh by | cor.
day$ each. ont twojounts of driv-j Willard Graff. during his ‘July vis- ted rifle ina doorwayand he was ns B ded ‘: re en today’ sco ret-- Director J
ing withouty an: operator's license: i¢ here: Bown believed. » picked up by: police, soon thereaft. P aigcniceat: With; Ute eee | for} in favor of sidew
era by: Magistrate? Orville Kerr He: » ‘Tyo othe Missouri cities, Kaiser! 3 yoo Se hal subdivisions,
4 had been, released from jail April} sac: City’ and ‘St:, Jeseph,« were. ‘2 Judge Galinson: said: “EY want» “aps Collinson, : in; overruling | asked Stewart’
2 o pee cnarentiret th by. stroma] ited’ by. the National -Counei} for {to mre! a — site | Sie eg chabes ef pie Pee, frenpt onthe qu
= Judge leason — fro grams. cash to D ave the ri t oul
first Leeder and. Prees Staft Phete. dist nténce. } cain’ school safety pro a. we re legally held in jail, but that, in| side eater
major ey urpanice sé to ‘have a rifle with ‘meé> aj ment of- the -§
eaey raising project of etiatt Re —}| bank;.with persons convened there | ‘Hé judge's opinion; the informa- | anc
ame Service of Springfield, | THE SPRINGFIELD League of| yy ‘Days ‘Since’ || may be. considered: a -publie-as-, foal mate charge <onainat bim+}-- Dr_ “Wilber;
the check Candlelight Charity Ball | women Voters yesterday endors.'| / Last Traffic’ || semblage Contained: No: Otlense: | chairman,
@ & today was. turned ever to -jed the -full amount of} the -Appro> | Fatality In Judge ‘Collinson® differentiated | 3. SUE pores . pand Robert M
‘ wringfield Speech “and Hearing ' tion which Congress had ‘auth: | between. a. public. assemblage! NEW' OFFICERS of the Spring-| tee to mee
FON Paee were :
— Mrs. Walker ‘Types, |orized_ for the _ mutual security|} "_ |. Springfield. (wherein persons jist, “thanpen_ta }field: Life - Underwriters. - Associay; ol tbe. Zoning
het president, and Mrs. Jack economic aid program for fiscal}: tg"; City | itthis .Year) 6 He igathéred\*’) and, @- public’ as-.' tion: will be installed at 7 o'clock | mission. the
om ke helt, ag proceeds from the Com- |.19!. League _ members will de! b Same “rhe: Last Year: ge bebo snbigre: sal meeting has ‘tonight at the Crystal Room, Kent-| merce. and
fag Placed i a trust fund.*to be're-  Urbed to write ‘theiricongressman? >) % aa |) been* coauch (a6. atwood Arms.’ Taking over “duties {0 discuss th
heritabte Darpeces. tn pddilion tof? support. the. appropriation); The; ta County’ ‘This. Year! rege i Schook spas ‘Thee tins gan elec: a Mocoralay will be Don Sim- | tien ef a di:
. oe the ae te. \ League’ also ‘planned 2 July bute, ‘same. Time, Last Year. 10-F tion, whete. it would Mg legal to president; Joe Revis.. first Jowiag the F
“itelbtagy gv eamization have. donated’ (et at. which. time’ members" my We State, This Year), ~ BBS lake: & “gun ne se, president, -.and- Mrs. Anfie i wick brane
Service to’ charitable agencies. |meet tandidates “for. state’ ? and tine Pant Yea 335] |” Section 23 of the deat Con! Drummond... -sécond vice presie! casi Spring


zoe Tibrarian,
The Albany or Gentry County Public Library,
Albany, Missouri 6,02

Dear sir or madam:

I am engaged in research on Capital Punistnent in our Country which hopefully will culminate
with the pulbication of a work which will contain 4 brief biographical sketch of each narron
to have been legally executed in theUnited States as well as a brief account of the crimes of

each,

According to records that I have received, no person sentenced from Gentry County has been

legally executed since Missouri vesan executin, ite condemned felons at the State Prison in

193. However, prior to then, thosa sentencad to die in your State were han ed locally by

the Sheriffs in the Counties of their convictions and no Stete Department or A,ency maintains

a iisting of those earler, loca execu iL ors. .

If you have any record of any legal hangings in Albany or Centry County, Rika I shall cer-
tainly appreciate any information that you might provide, dust the names and the dates of
exacutions would, at least, give me a basis for re search, wut additional Hatornation wovld be
very, very helpful indeed. If pause or articles from a local or County History (frequently
these mention or carry accounts of local executions end spectauclar erines), newspaps8, mage~
aines or other publications are copied in any way, then I shall ve glad toppay for the cost

of the copies.

If you cannot assist me, please provide me with the names and addresses of your local His-
torical Society or Museun, alocal Historian oi someone well--srsed in local History, your
newspaper or some other orjanmizations cx individurls who might be helpfil.

Enclosed is 13¢ postage for your convenicuce in replying and vou will, of course, ts given
crecit in the work itself for your assistance.

Thanking you for your cooperation, I am,

SOX 67
HAADLAND, ALA, 3635

Bipope bat tbs Lich tail

penn Chew, Ceti re: Fa etec’ WZ lyse. mar sag Cot A

wy gel | Ne Ati L CbeenT Medetic plac Aa
Yah ee Mix, tlhe : “A G Pies Y Sb Aebenge ,

“i AA get. Sechles Abit


21% HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.

erward proved to be only $50 bills; thatis
d in his mind to kill Clark and haves
them. He accordingly laid plans for the consummation of his inten
tions. The night they camped on Tebo's banks he intended to com:
mit the deed and throw the body into the stream. The opportunit

came the next day as the victim lay asleep, and was taken advantag
of with the results as stated. Se.

Patterson was brought t

took to be $500 bills, but they aft
when he saw them he determine

o Clinton and placed in the county. jal

an indictment for murder was brought against him. He was brougt
nue taken to Morgan County. Here he suc:

ceeded in breaking jail and making his escape, and for nearly twelv
ceeded in eluding justice. aes

and
to trial and a change of v§é

years Suc

Pa

THE MANNER OF HIS RE- ARREST.

The father of Patterson died in Jasper County some eight years ag
ng up the estate the administrator found among the papersse
W. Patterson, from Illinois. A correspondence wa
t of a reward, to this re-arres
Illinois, where he was livin Ba
When he found that he wa Sie

and in settli

a letter from John
the result, which led under the stimulan

in August last, in Livingstone County,
under the assumed name of John Williams.
fairly captured, he said:

“Tam your man, there is no us

there know all about it”
He was brought back to Clinton, indicted by a grand jury, tt

ted and sentenced to be hung at the April term of the cir¢

convic
court. A report came that a man in Granby, Newton County, had mags

a confession upon his death bed several years since t
Clark. Upon the strength of this, the statement, wor
prosecuting attorney of that county who, upon inquiring, found ‘|
such a confession had been made. Information to that effect was $&
to T. J. Lingle on Wednesday night. Thursday morning Judge McBee
went to Jefferson City to confer with the governor, but he positivel
refused to interfere. Thus the last hope for a release faded from B
view. It is very doubtful, however, whether he built very largely “ups
a respite, knowing so well his guilt. When told of the governor's des

sion he simply remarked, “that settles it.”

e in denying it, for the folks |

ON THE BRINK HE STEALS A WATCH.

Although his days had been numbered, and the time set for his
cution, yet it seems not to have given him any serious concern for
hereafter, or caused him to amend his conduct. The ruling passio
still strong in the face of death, as the following incicent shows:

Mey

FHSTORY GF HE S&P. ter Ce eee ae
ere, 21

One of the attendants at the jail som-ser-yce mi
he had left hanging near Patterson's ce? ioe pate ne oe
3 ee a small box of things to his as ce eae ope
and reque i eer e box nailed u
Poe ae ‘ cep apa be opesicc.2 ots wish was pee lie
 edanies , and in it was founis sussing Gatch ig :
he ad stated thatthe watch was given Bey ints ce . Ina note
it as a present to his infant.son. QOne aoe ey aes and he >"
stated that Patterson had fastened alias ee sons feliow prisoners
tie Patel tA: sratcin to a stick and hooked
Someti i ;
re, ee at Patterson wrete-na? «claims to de his last
: a hardened wrete).tse-whoc : :
nity with so palpable a falsehood upon » CRE ste can pass into eter-
voluntarily made, and fully enka. several coakssions,
shadow of a doubt in the minds of siiscae a ee ee nA
been another guilty of the crime, and 2 abies ait pass
partner, he would certainly have made oc ig as was this sealed
ip. bit Htngulltly enovall be Series wavelsae thoi of pep
ove thought that Dy and-

ing this man his own innocence WOUKT be Rts!
-smehed. The fativring is

THE STATEX:-
7 eee Eiss ; 7 rNN
ree “‘tissouri, Jung. S80.
a raving been asked a good man: see osce :
fact ea : My y I did not hare any plea _ sc Pee my ae last
s ° 2k Lie Sheets ay , ehh =
i ao oes in answer to all such quesiz. -« = owe be ae will
rare P ace, without any show for m: se a hak 1 te ee Sanit
ntages ever since, and consequ=" +a that T have bess ender
Athee to me in any way shape or eats cant it woulé 2 oF no
not back gs TIO 12 dese e Tote naee
have a up what I might say with evs ent trouble, wv - could
and ad no witnesses in my behal: ar + SUES Ba Sars J
considering that I am behind ti Pe eee a ee
tell the teuee Th am ehind the Bev ome. 45 wean ? 2 ee yy
erthel T have thought it best tc #=- = ee eet:
ata I will state a few facts which. ed say nothing. “Nev-
n ; — ames « fier “Ee + c.
the first place I will call the mn. -- 2 the aie ‘
inde “2s “people bart 27. the

beginnj
nr '
bowen of this trouble of mine Gr iz pore
/ Oo . : ‘ it 3 Os aes
in the me Missouri, (my fatber he» Boon lef dex 2 in
boxes of he 1868 ) to make a trip to Seta ate ¢ vel tps state

* a Se abe TUF pose et $
ban f household goods belonging ts x “pose of ge img some
n shipped through by rail). N tut sents, (the gancd t.2ving
ast this aan Cle ale wis ok ce arriving iv Sevalia I
im. When I ark, who was looki:: be age g | seer
to get m n I found out what he wanit: hapcit se da + Nav or
that t} y wagon repaired before gor a ee Bur 1 wanted
on i& Iree or four days would ela _ ‘yas Faas «Hc after I sacstained
intictea neo then I chanced ey tits mid get the pak dole
td T =i
ter thie that I haul the load for him. ur» ‘the street agair ad he
Spok partner of mine (spoken of :: i
trip € 4 and said if I would let en i “mony at m: +3f¥ he
td yas RE Bae eae he woud sust

e was out of work and it wour ee: peu speniee : sen ie
ee mer ar help

xs considering 23 mat-

z: 8 :

214 HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY. ae
| Y OF HENRY COUNTY
the road from Sedali
. edalia to Henry C ;
time tha Henry County, which was j
my shecoey pee te confession to them, and Shei ees egy to the
to have told aon my experience at that time I was . the ics: = |
consequences sale, bowel that I. was asked to tell; nora t on 7
eine Toa 46 fr: e result was that I related the circumsta nt of the
placing myself i y were detailed to me but two evenin nces of the
pnd in the stead of the real criminal nings before, only
: Sa strange myster . ‘
fright; a ystery to me now why I did
ee o- oly after the examination at the ee ye ape
that is, the Be cape ay he 2 nee and which would be He an
the mob go from there to avoid coming i st,
eng peo ee aihty os as though they opetied ae oe with
after starting tor Clinton (it being then lat tn ‘the
¢ m e

t him take the tea a i
consented to le evening) they took me off of the road some dist
ance to stop over ni
ght,

my wagon fixed. He

to make expenses for me while waiting to get
brother’s in the count

suggested that I could stay in town or go to MY
until he returned with the team. ; He:
i din the ways of the

- And, being young and entirely ine? { ae
world, having always remained pretty close at home and under the influssaae

ence of honest, upright and religious parents, and supposing ©

everybody else was as good as their word, i
pirtner), who was a man I chanced to overtake on my way to Sedali

soon after leaving home. let him ride; said he wa

traveling looking for wor size and about my com
lexion with short hair, w mine long and curled:

under at the bottom. His name I have forgotten, and he making m

some very fair promises as to W

He asked me to

back, his own charges. etc., I at last
and make the trip, and expenses if he could, in part un in order t
’ ’ Z oO baffle the ty '
ith lumber, 2 lou . mob, they said. I
, another, that if the mob didn’t find us that arte we: sald ive
wou ave no

my wagon repaired. ‘So he loads up W
(but no fishing tackle, as indicated in t

off he starts in company with this man Clark, what his christian name
was | do not know, for I never heard of it as I know of until my re-ar=siyec§
rest. How long he was gone with the team I don't remember now, DUER:

I was anxious to see him when he returned. When I met him on these:

street he said he had put the team in the stable and the wagon in these
yard, and after going to t m all right, we themag:

went to the hotel and reg =
gotten) after supper he said to met

need to fear the ne
xt day. And

outat all. A oe , come to find out, there
recollect that ageing meet A I think, that the witnescese na hee
Sedalia), while a ing was said about a mob, except once th ee
gon feline pep ghia mp dng ap
ieuties! as to say he recognizes me as bei : 2

person that he spoke a few words to twelve ee = cane

ago, an

and two chairs

another man testified that I i
Clintor Yas 7 he As while on the train betwe S :
called it me genre . large pocket-book, or wallet aie on
Illinois on the first train that came along, W from my father’s a . a ae the same time that was ried
nine and ten o'clock that night; and that is the last that I have seen: . will tell anybod ao Fie [' think, that. reasonable commo a
heard of him since; and between supper and train time he told me. aties, = consider what ad . ad no such thing with me at the time fc ate
about the trouble he had been into, giving me the full particulars of thess = arrested and eke was then—being away from Ser gucy
crime; what he done it for, how he Gone it, and what he done with the: sheriff of Illinois othe home since—I could not help er ener
body, and also the load and that he had dropped a letter in the postofficés; said, which if be kaa e put a false addition to what he ought pai ie
at or near the place that he left the load, stating in the letter to MYg% in a manner, in bel Se it, his evidence would have Ri a i
father about what time I would be at home. | (As Lhad directed him ta» “1 ett aad the: lalf of the state—that wherein he testified tl ar isaid
as soon as he got through with his load and mail it at the first postofices it,” this much of pre ee ee and there is no use a denyiag
when he had an o portunity to do so). ee man’s sta tement is false. And Mr. Kehn’'s t
He said he oust ee aaa detected when he seen a man cross And shen Chor eat drawing the wallet out of my roa on ee
creek near where he was seen after throwing the body from the waggr mention, but I co 2 pape evidence of the same character, that I ould
ee an oes a eine him hcache run back next morning pela ee ae ay er ae is sufficient to show the people that Aone
get the sheep skin, after that he said he had no fear, and if 1 would keep fession out of me Endo a That in the first place Chee aceon = —
still that he would give me big money, that he would pay me well i¢ nore added to it a coe. shat suited them, on and at the trial eles was
‘t. He told me he seen the man pay forthe lumber, and thought he had. b ieaet it seeniéd bat pparentiy in. order to be sure to convict me was
money with him. He then gave me the pocket book that was found: more or less, in add fadmit that I did wrong, and was to blan a
my possession next day. What it contained I do not know, all tha’ ubept although ie ene ieee as I did, but I done it anes
: ritnesses ha a es ; ;
ey did not try to influence me in foe a Fee aaa cue pa
1, an

know of its contents is what the witnesses testified to on the stand. -
that to m
. , Ss r : x . :
y sorrow, since the beginning of this trouble, that I did wron
’ g g

next day I was arrested, taken up stairs in a building. The parties Ue
arrested me searched me and found the pocket book. They kept: not exposing the man while I h i H
? wbhi ad the opportunity—I me
an to say

over night inthat room under guard. They had made frequent rema While he was to be had
during the night of a mob, which I think was enough to make anyboe inexperienced in the a : But I was young at that time and entirel
hair stand on end; and once they all jumped to their feet and loo} ice efore where the lav be of the world; never had been in any tro atid
from one to the other and said the mob had surrounded the house, 28% Cys, easily led as : aut have anything to say. [I was like all oth :
as like as not try to break in, (SO they all expressed themse Not only sad to me a has proved a sad experience ie ane
and then there was several words passed in regard toa mob w Goubly sad to me on her gece affairto my bosom friend, my wife and
2 unt. ‘ Bt ‘


HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY. Rice, rage

may rise in the minds of some people why did hes
1 admit that I done wrong in®
d woman into shame ant

- Now the thought
get married while in such circumstances?

getting married and by so doing draw a goo

sorrow as | have

In the first place am happy to say I
tions, not inclined or disposed to become a renegade or outlaw, but, 0

the contrary, I was raised under honest, upright teachings and being:
so inclined it was my desire to settle down and make a good citizen of
myself if I could. And considering that I had implements put into. th
jail to effect my escape with twelve years ago (by who, 1 know not) an
having been home twice since my escape to visit my parents, the fi
time about four or five weeks after my escape, the second time abo
four years after; this last time I remained in Carthage with my pare:
over a week, and there was never any reward offered for me, or any stir
made after me that I ever heard of, and having lived in the same neig
hood in Illinois, undisturbed nearly ever since my escape. I natural
concluded that I never would be disturbed, and the best thing I cou
do would be to seek for myself a good companion and settle down an
have a good home of my own as comfortable as I could under the ci
cumstances, which I believe I did with some honor as 2 citizen a
neighbor. (As evidence in my trial goes to show.) Thank God I ha
honor enough about me to make my living by the sweat of my brow, 0!
in other words by hard work. Now I think I have said enough:
explain my trouble from beginning to ending, as this statement w
show. and, as I have stated above, it seems useless for me to say mu
in self defense, for Lam behind the bars where people are all consider
false. Although I have made a true statement, as best [ can, peop!
may not believe it, but I wanted the people to have a true histor
the circumstances of this trouble before it is too late for me to writ
\Whether believed or not they are my dying words. And the way
matter stands now I have no hopes of a future happiness in this wor
although I have a wife and child in Illinois who long for my return; 4
allow me to say she is a true wife and a pleasant companion, and very
dear to me, but my hopes for a future time in company with them 4
blasted, and as it were, like the dews of the morning vanished from
sight.
Now, wishing everybody well,

I bid adieu to all.

THE MURDER OF MILLS.

This was a cold blooded murder, yet not one premeditated. It.
the result of a high temper, violent and ungovernable, and it wrec

the homes and lives of two families. =.
On Monday morning, October roth, 1870, John W. Adkins, a well38

do farmer, shot and killed a neig

had some trouble about his hogs, an
ter took it for granted that Mills was the trespasser, merely from:
fact that he resided near Mr. Adkins’ home and passed through 4,
near his (Adkins) house. His hogs had been dogged and other

ill treated, and he had found them shut in his barn only a day oF

HISTORY G} iE=s~ COUNTY
before. Meeting Mills and his sone-= -

: 7 3 morning ;
their way to work hauling rock. WM: *3:hs. wh nen ee
» WhO was on horsehark ard

armed with ak
ch bells sc aie Stopped *éix-2nd accused him of bei
nied all chatzy. Adkins cursed \ 1
poe violent as his anger increasec. sx sid Mills if ae ce ae
ool with him he was barking uptis =z ie oe ae
g tis =romg tree, and c

Mills did . c cocked hic
not seem much alarmed. e-sexed up a pi op ne
338 Gao 1ece of rock 27 th
= Tah

bottom of his as Som
2 ce wagon, and then three =:cown. He rose. i
is seat at ; ; i ose, however. =
sai id faced Adkins, saying zee- ho threatened h § be ee
out for ne no t has tet tcl
emselves. The latter im:tiecszety fred. The! a 10S
=sstty fired. é toad of shot trzk

effect in his side, just above his and Mil trek
almost instant death. - ills fell, and causes

2 2S
His sona :
ing the loud nda family of mover: pare: ‘ty, who had stopped
g the iou talk and angry words we= pees LOppea Of

The move > esses of the apoailir> es
rs were brought to towy sn. save their ev eae ca a
eo yidence, and then

were permi j
: p Lids to proceed on ther :cere-y. Mr. Adki
eas ed STEEP ey, : ins went to Sis
ee en fled from his home ferss=__ A little while aft vata Be
s traced to Arkansas, but he we: Hai ries

been seen in Henry County. H metr arrested and has not er“e7
. f€ Set ote oe

ser u-teed of forty acibe nf jond2

Fes OF ianc 22

Henry C .
been (ayes _ eal of kis vitor. since which time ke
faint its si € Was never touset or prosecuted. His sw

was ee. here, and left te- z=rderer to himself prea
one seems ae ee 2 uarried in that state
sie btlahaeis ve . en the trouble =: Ar tut. Just why he aS
this case was di justly deserved for =. z2-re js hard to tel! See
ifferent from that inth: cz: : P Res
years after, punished for his crime ie Se aver
fiad-a haid in setufing for hig his we

-=7 ¢

~~ st

Poa!

_—-

atee..

hace
sie eee

a
aki.

Leathe

He was henze3

ASSASSINATION OF JA‘:

FAAS

hey

[L'MONDSON,.

One of the mo i a wag S sin ¢ ~ that =
h: ‘ 1 st deliberate anG Clil me 3dt ad assas i i =
. . . te c a ions i fot:
appened in this or any other Count = = *he 5} i ne f ene a
; | . ; = ihe Ss 100ting oO: James +.
dD Septen gs ~ 869 a
n oO } the n ht Oo - . I ’ at Calhou: ee | ithe

County . :
y. Of this assassination little i: = = said, for little is k
= RIG, is known oct-

Side of ;
gone to ny Sahai . Mr. Edm-r:ss:: nad closed his store, azz
little distance ie an ue occasine z= out, did so. While ase
Public square, he 7 the house, whic) =s on the east side of i
did ‘not eal: ep hailed by sonie “is that you, lim? is.
caine back fs at words at first, bur sai. “who's that?” The ae
ee id note i st Jim?” in -@ aE voles: bad Ne anes ae
of buckshot, Aah A igsaa ti he ap raen the person fired a ga
ratsed himself received naehee Pat - tip, and as he turned ané
ge

ite —Th
hy so SES Fe

saoulder and neck, arc he


HISTORY OF HENRY “COUNTY...

218

fell prostrate. The firing had alarmed several and doors were flung

open, but the second shot followed so
no ene could get out before
The groans of the wounde
and he was carefully carried in and laid on his bed.
remarks, which he was hardly able to utter, he made no sign, and soon:
the soul of James H. Edmondson had been wafted on spirit wings to his
Maker. He did not recognize the voice, and nothing definite has evi
been known. "g
The work of death was on the public square, near the northeast
‘corner. The murderer ran across the square, and crossed the railroad
just south of the square and in the southwest corner of the town; beyond
that he could not be traced. Edmondson had received no less thar
twenty-one buckshot, any one of which would have killed him, beside:
being grazed with others. The above number was found in his body
and whoever the murderous wretch was he meant to be sure of his work
Some time afterward a man by the name of Thomas A. Spotswood w
arrested for the murder. Suspicion was strong against him, but the e
dence was lacking. His triai was short and he was discharged. Ove
thirteen years have passed since this terrible tragedy took place ant
nothing reliable has yet been discovered as to who was the assassin, |

HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY. 316

THE B ET’S ; ‘ORK
ULLET's FATAL WORK—WILLIAMSON GAVE UP HIS LIFE

The cause of the death of John S. Willia : ‘
ne ee quarrel, and yet it was sie Ra iets Salsa
pies relige av the moving causes which produced the ae!
aed fia a . iamson and John G. Clark were both young men
aoe er was a suitor and aspired to the hand of Miss William
Tete and Jolin Ge The Williamson family did not approve a the
oe * : ee a pi: particularly and determinedly opposed
nS Han NPT a OE is day, to get anything like a history of this
sad othere - rs nn friends on both sides will not talk about it
bine subir Aa well, yes, I remember the affair, but really f don't
voi RaW? 5 eae it only from heresay.” Well, can you give us what
sfedeal es a . really I didn’t know anything; there was some
oie Weligee. tat Dan fe yuk Miss Williamson, and there was
thing of the kind, ae idnt know anything about it. I heard some-
It wil

ie ee such guarded expression that there was little
Pape: nh what objection the family had to Clark will not be

A erie . ose who know, whether from fear, policy or friendshi
eee : the writer cannot explain. The above is the ei
a dozen enquiries to learn the true facts. Outside of rae

the belief has in no wise abated with many that Spotswood was the m
Thus was a young man in the prime of life, with large family cof
nectiofs and a host of friends, taken off to appease the hatred of s

fiend in human form.

the writer interviewed many others, w i
sea : thers, whose chief reply was, ‘‘ W
cn Pa a and if you will go to such a nen a
abuiiae ae ae person was found but all he knew was
oe dozen were tated Se ee
ef; 7 i :
he We: ae th eee that the young men were not on good terms
asa eas oe to Clark as a brother-in-law, and he used at
ee pee " s, Where Clark was in the habit of visiting, some very
ak aie Sabie ines to Clark. Whether Clark was there or ine
ev aes ec : ut Clark came, the language about him he soon :
aii fee . add ormed Williamson that it must be settled. A few
Williaman, a ee of two young men, he went to the field where
Seay ee ; ne hay. Williamson was on the stack and Clark
This Witacce. es a retraction of the language above referred to
Williamec, vA refused to do, and Clark drew his pistol, as als dd
; wo or three shots w ae
ta. thous de eae s were fired by each when Williamson
lark Bican ath fe) ees over his heart and below his left shoulder
Bae ee a eS illiamsen was taken homte and lived but a ae
‘ at the young men who accompanied Clark had no

id

“a of a fat inati
would a ee of their visit, but expected that Williamsor
pal nd went as witnesses to settle the quarrel. The Spat:

as, how
eve i
r, took the matter in their own hands, and the end proved

RAPE AND JUDGE LYNCH.

o, a Miss George, while on her return from icking b
> “5

In July, 187
home in broad day light, by a ne

ries, was stopped on her way

named John Sears, supposed to
veins. Sears drew a large knife and swore he would kill her, and i

fright he accomplished his hellish purpose. She was on a visit to.
brother-in-law in Calhoun. She succeeded in getting home and. f¢
her sister. She instantly went to her husband and related the st
who gathered his neighbors and started a hunt for the criminal. <3
was tracked to near Clinton where he was captured and put in ja
same night. The next morning Judge Lynch gave his decision

the miscreant should be hung, and although the sheriff objected

stated he was not the judge whose orders he obeyed, the represé

tives of Judge Lynch gave the sheriff to understand that it was hse
business to obey orders and John Sears was taken to the court.
yard and hung to a tree, the lynchers waiting around the dooms
lain to see that he was done kicking before they left. The crim
heinous and the punishment just, swift and terrible. “


STATE OF MISSOURI. 409

of Richard Bilecke was found in an upper room of the house of
Gustave Dugge. A coroner’s inquest was held over the body
and the verdict of the jury was that the deceased came to his
death by a wound inflicted by a shotgun. On the 21st of the

same month Gustave Dugge was itdicted by the grand jury of.

Jefferson County for the murder of Bilecke. His trial was con-

tinued from term to term until “Agcember, 1875, when he was.

tried, and the jury disagreed an failed to find a verdict. The
defendant then plead guilty hy aan in the third degree,

and was fined $500 for the offense. He at once paid $100 of the

fine, and upon learning of his insolvency, the court commuted the
other $400 to imprisonmeyt in the county jail for five days.

State vs, William derbrand.—On the 29th of August,
1878, Hugo Veth, of Jefferson County, was shot with a rifle, and
died the next day from the effects of the wound received. On the
12th of January following, William Hilderbrand was indicted for
the murder of Veth, and on the 13th of May, 1881, he was tried
for the offense and acquitted.

State vs. Monroe Guy, Colored.—On the 25th of December,
1878, Monroe Guy and Aaron McPete, both colored, had an alter-
cation at the Christmas festival at the colored church in De Soto,
and the former shot and killed the latter on the outside of the
church and near the door. Guy was arrested and taken before
Squire J. O. French, by whom he was committed to jail to await
the action of the grand jury. At the following J anuary term of the
circuit court Guy was indicted for the murder of McPete and
tried on the 5th of January following. The verdict of the jury
was as follows:

We, the jury, find t he det, Monroe Guy, guilty of murder in the first
radi [Signed] ALFRED STEWART, Foreman.

The wast day the prisoner was brought into court, when the
following Sentence was pronounced by the judge: “That the
defendant, Monroe Guy, be hung by the neck till he be dead, by
the sheriff of Jefferson County,in the State of Missouri; that
said execution take place at said county of Jefferson, in or near
the town éf Hillsboro, on Friday, the 14th day of March, 1879,
between the hours of 9 A. M.and 4 P.M.” An appeal was then

26


STATE OF MISSOURI. 407

the 6th'day of March, 1863, betweenS{0 o'clock, A. M. and 8
o’clock P. M., he be hanged by the neck until leg’v dead! dead!
dead! and that the sheriff of Jefferson County be charged with
the execution.” The following, which completes the history of
this case, is a copy of the sheriff's return:

This execution came to hand March 8, 1863, and I executed the sani#n the
6th day of March, 1863, by taking the body of the within named James Edmonds,
and hanging him with a rope by the neck until he was dead! dead!! dead!!! and
buried him near the Hillsboro graveyard, on the day above written, and this
execution is returned satisfied in full.

[Signed] JEROME B. Dover, Sheriff.

State vs. John Miller.—On the@8th of August, 1868, Lucas
Bauer, living near De Soto, was shot and killed with a rifle gun.
John Miller, being suspected of the commission of the crime, was
arrested and taken before Squire B. S. Reppey, and there given
a preliminary examination. On the 27th of the month he was
committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury; but
before the next term of court he was taken on a writ of habeas
corpus before Judge G. J. Johnston, by whom he was released on
the ground that the evidence given at the preliminary examina-
tion was not sufficient to hold him. Miller than ran away. In
November following he was indicted by the grand jury for the
murder of Bauer, but has never since been apprehended.

State vs. Charles H. Bickford.—In 1868 Alexander Walker
lived alone in a cabin near Vineland, in Jefferson County. He
and Charles H. Bickford had a business difficulty which led to a
lawsuit, decided in favor of Walker. Afterward, on the night
of the 3d of November, of that year, Walker was called to his
door, and then and there shot and killed. In the same month
Charles H. Bickford wexindicted for the murder of Walker, and _
was arrested and lodged in jail at Hillsboro. Subsequently he
was taken out of the jail and hung, at the same time and by the
same parties that took Quick from the Hillsboro jail and hung
him. Quick was under indictment for the murder of Mr. Higgin-
botham, of Washingtor’ County, an account of which can be seen
by reference to the history of that county elsewhere in this work.

State vs. Hiram Wright, Jr.—On the 21st of July, 1869,
one Hiram Wright, Sr., was shot and killed in Jefferson County,
and Hiram Wright, Jr., was arrested for the crime, and given a


cpbediies. ER SS Se opr Caney EHD

410 HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

taken to the supreme court of the State, whereupon the court
ordered that the execution of the sentence should be stayed until
the 6th day of June following. On the 19th day of May, 1879,
the State and prisoner were both represented in the supreme
court by their respective attorneys. Having heard the argument
of the counsel, the gupreme court, after due deliberation, con-
firmed the judgment of be er court. The prisoner, Monroe
Guy, was executed in accor with the foregoing sentence, on
the 6th day of June, 1879. was defended by Messrs. Joseph
J. Williams and James # Green, attorneys.

State vs. John Vaughn.—On the 3rd of January, 1881, John
Vaughn and Ezekiel Whitner quarreled in the town of Festus
about a blanket. The lgtter was shot on the sidewalk in front
of a store, on that Pasion, and three days later died from
the effects of the wound then received. When he was picked
up from the street two revolvers and a bottle of whisky were
found on his person. At the Jefferson Circuit Court, held in
that month, the grand jury found an indictment against John
Vaughn for the murder of Whitner, and on the 17th of May,
following, Vaughn was tried and acquitted. It seems that the
parties were in a drunken row when the killing took place.

On the 7th of March, 1881, a log cabin near Peverly, with
Frank Spaulding and Peter Drendel who lived therein, was con-
sumed by fire. Four men had been in the house a short time
before it burned, but two had left, and they claimed that the
house must have been set on fire after they left. No one was
ever arrested for the crime.

State vs. Milliard Huskey and Elias Huskey.—On the 5th
of September, 1880, Andrew Wilson and Martha Shultz were
both shot and killed while riding in a wagon near Ware post-
office, in the western part of Jefferson County. On the 17th of
the same month Milliard Huskey and Elias Huskey were indicted
for the murder of these persons, and on being arraigned for
trial they pleaded “‘not guilty.” Separate trials were ordered, and
Milliard was tried and acquitted, and Elias was recognized to
appear_at the next term of court, at which time the prosecution

as to him was nolle prosequied.
State vs. Matthew H. Marsden.—At the May ter m, 1883, of


pa
ooh Satay

at Finn Oa

i bch
es ni hater crete no dimen then fos aga:

Ef
7

coat ien. eated a tt Se ee

oon ppene ey

408 HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

preliminary examination before Squire William Mockbee, by
whom he was caused to be held to await the action of the grand
jury. In November following he we indicted for the murder,
and on being arraigned ‘for trial pleaded “ not guilty.” He then
asked for and received a change ‘ venue to St. Louis County,
where he was finally triéa and acquitted.

State vs. George Reppey.—On the 27th of September, 1870,
Hiram E. Reppey was stabbed with a knife in a saloon at De Soto,
from the effects of which he diedgwo days later. On the 4th of
October following George Reppey'was arrested and taken before
Judge G. J. Johnston and given a preliminary examination on
the charge of killing Hiram E. Reppey, and was held for the
action of the grand jury. the 25th of March following he
was indicted for the murder, and before that term of court closed
was tried and acquitted.

State vs. Rosabelle Rebecca Boltinghouse and Charles Eads.—
At the January term, 1876, of the Jefferson Circuit Court, the
defendant, Boltinghouse, was indicted as the principal for the mur-
der of Louis Merrill Taylor, a youth whom she had taken to
raise, and defendant, Eads, was indicted as accessory after the
act. The charges were that Mrs. Boltinghouse, on the Ist
of April, 1872, with an ax handle, struck and killed young
Taylor, and that Eads afterward assisted her in concealing the
body. A change of venue was taken to St. Francois County, where
Mrs. Boltinghouse was tried on a defective count in the indict-
ment, found guilty of murder in the second degree, and sentenced
to a term of twenty years in the penitentiary. On motion, and the
pointing out of the defect in the count on which she was tried,
the judgment was arrested — e she and Eads were remanded
back to Jefferson County to awéat the further action of the grand
jury. Atthe J anuary term, 1877, of the Jefferson Circuit Court,
another indictment was found against Mrs. Boltinghouse for the
same offense, het no further indictment being found against
Charles Eads, he was released. Afterward a change of venue

was granted Mrs. Boltinghouse to Iron County, where she was
tried and found guilty of murder in the second degree, and sen-
tenced to serve,ten years in the penitentiary. ‘
State vs. Gustave Dugge.—In September, 1874, the dead body


HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Moses. ‘Tanner lived on Cuivre river, in the north-easterm part of
the county, and had not been long in the county. He had aeted dis-
gracefully towards Moses’ wife, who was herself a slave, and she
told her husband of the fact.

The negro was very much attached to his wife, and when she
informed him of his master’s conduct, his spirit rose in great imdigna-
tion and he seemed like a distracted person. Then he vowed revenge.

He left home, secreted himself in the woods, and it was reported
that he had run away. But there were those who knew of his where-
abouts, and who sympathized with him, gave him provisions, and
counseled him to leave the country. He told his story in such feeling
language and with such burning words, that one man gave him a
loaded rifle, saying, ‘* Do what you please with it, but, Z would Avila
scoundrel that would treat my wife so.”’

Moses embraced the rifle as he would have grasped his free papers
and disappeared in the woods. That night Tanner was killed. Moses
crawled up to the house and shot him through an opening in the

wooden chimney, which had not been completed. The house was an
ordinary log cabin, with a partly finished floor. Tanner was sitting
on this floor, with his face towards the chimney and his feet im the lap
of the wife to whom he had been so shamefully untrue. When Moses
fired, the ball struck him fairly in the breast. He sprang to his feet
and called to his wife, ‘hand me my gun,’’ but before she could do
so he staggered to the door, fell, and died instantly. |

Moses was arrested, indicted, and tried at Lewiston. He did not
deny his guilt, and there was no trouble to secure his conviction. The

extenuating circumstances availed him nothing except to seeure gen-

eral sympathy.

The laws of Missouri were inexorable on slaves who

killed their masters, and public policy seemed to demand the with-
holding of a pardon in this case. There were afew who thought he
richly deserved death, because a slave, they held, ought not to have
sympathies, affections, or sensibilities, which could not be imterfered
with by his master in any way, and to any extent. But there was no
talk of a mob in the case.

The negro was sentenced to be, and was hung, at Lewistom, in the

spring of 1829.

Rose thus deseribes the manner of his exeeution : —

Henry Clark was sheriff at the time, and rode in a cart with the
negro, seated on his coffin, to the seaffold. The last act of the con-
demned man before his execution was to sing the hymn commencing,

‘¢ Show pity, Lord; O, Lord forgive.’?

This he did in such an affecting manner that nearly all who were


SE TE ta (omer rm ote

a part of
icted dis-
, und she

When she
t indigna-
f revenge.
reported
is where-
ions, and
ch feeling
re him a
uld kill a

e papers
1. Moses
g in the
se Was an
iS sitting
n the lap
n Moses

his feet

could do

did not
ion. The
ure gen-
ves who
he with-
sught he
to have
iterfered
> Was no

n, In the
ition : —
with the
the con-
Fuencing,

"ho were

Laka pO Be QU pA Oe es AMOI) SON NCH AEN a Oy

ore Pie ese enn ent ae Ee To we eter
Peas PMR SAE ES yy SD Ret ees At Baa Wein eters do hee oer ng ee Fe te

|
|
i
bi

Fw abe

ie

Sm dite"

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 579
No other seene like it was ever witnessed in

present shed tears.
The body was given to Dr. Jones, of Marthas-

Montgomery county.
ville, who dissected it for the benetit of his students.

Some of those who were present at the hanging, say that Moses, on
the scaffold, admitted his euilt, but stated the circumstances, and said
he could not eat or sleep or rest after his wife had informed him of
her disgrace. Ife averred that he loved his wife as devotedly as any
white man loved his wife, and any injury to her affected him as

deeply.
MISCELLANEOUS.

In the first settlement of the county, there was none or but little
The indians kept it burned off so that

undergrowth in the woods.
The ground in the woods, in the warm

they could sce to hunt.
months, was covered with weeds, grass, peavines, and other vegeta-
tion. A man, or even an animal could not go through without making
a plainly visible trail, and this is the reason why trails could be easily
pursued.

The wild sweet peavines grew very luxuriantly, especially in the
bottoms. So rank were they that in many places they kept green
and cattle lived upon them all winter, without other feed, and came

out in fair order the next spring. Togs, too, were easily wintered

but for the wolves; the bears did not give much trouble in the winter,

as they were usually hibernating in some hollow tree or cave.

Horses ran out in the warm season, after the Indians left, and there
was no limit to the rich luxuriant pasturage they had.

en

= —
cane ee nT OE = oe Rn 3 ee
se: noes ry % ie tte

% PACES


POE APT a ees
Ee RRS Sk ote A 5, 0 = Bo ees

ee Ce PE Ne pe et oo a :

v8 oo he ash RRS er ae ak ee Ge wit sh SEER CS eI A TT Se

nvoking the
pported him
‘ken-cock as
d the latter

revailing en-
Mass
processions,
litical discus-
where. The
wand graphic
of the cam-

spirit.

ing character
small, it was
itre Lick, and
lates for gov-
;, Democrat,
a+ dummy,”

ped dress, an

vhat was con-
son, 344; Van
nearly 7,000

meaty in 1842-43.
wages ridicu-
the best flour
id $3 in ‘** city
vent down to
1. Nice, well-
rsts,’’? brought
3 were propor-
the best sugar
the barrel, 18

Shae

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 589

good steer was considered well sold at $10. Cows brought propor-
tionate prices. Horses and mules were a little better in price,
as certain local dealers were went to buy up these animals and drive
them South into Arkansas and Louisiana, where there was a demand
for them at good figures. Occasionally, too, teams were purchased
by the movers, who were about the only customers the farmers had

for their produce.

MURDER OF JOHN PEARSON BY HIS SON-IN-LAW, JOHN FREEMAN —

HANGING OF FREEMAN.

Some time in the first years of the decade, beginning with 1840 —
not earlier than that year and not later than 1848 —a desperate mur-
der was committed in the eastern part of the county, which resulted
not only in the death of the victim, but of the conviction and execu-
tion of his murderer.

This was the killing of John Pearson, who lived in the vicinity of
Price’s branch, by his son-in-law, John Freeman. Pearson was an
old man, and Freeman was middle-aged. Freeman was atilicted with
a cancer which had eaten off his nose and a portion of his upper lip.
He presented a repulsive and distressing appearance, and his case
would have excited universal sympathy, but for the fact that he was
of an ill-temper and always had been, especially when drinking, of a
This infirmity of his nature

quarrelsome and vindictive disposition.
outhsome character of his

was seemingly aggravated by the terrible, |
disease.

Freeman’s wife became estranged from him.
disgusted with him because of his miserable appearance, which the
ravages of his complaint had caused, or whether she could not abide
his evil temper, is not certain. Perhaps both. At any rate she left
him, taking a daughter with her, and returned to her father, Mr.
Pearson. This action on the part of his wife enraged Freeman
greatly. After a time he went to Pearson’s and demanded that his
wife and daughter, or either of them, should return home with

Whether she became

him.
A quarrel resulted and Freeman assaulted his wife with a long,

keen knife. He stabbed her twice or thrice, once in the lower part

of the body, ‘* cutting her to the hollow,’’ as one old settler,

Sele the dd wg SLUR Se teers on detent ED «a ee ne teh ae ote atte F ssilydinreres ad

this
e pint, 5 cents. rather indecorously, expresses it, and making a serious wound. Hie
t Danville for Her father interfered, and Freeman cut him so severely that he ie
cents per bar- died soon after. He also wounded his mother-in-law, Mrs. Pearson. He
Fete
yer pound. A Mrs. Freeman fell across a bed and lay insensible for some time. ik
ite
He

ha iors ? edits ks


090 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Dr. Forshey was called, and he sewed up her wounds and _ she
recovered,

Freeman was arrested and committed to jail at Danville. From
here he contrived somehow to escape for a few days, but was appre-
hended in this county and reimprisoned. He was tried, convicted of
murder, and sentenced to be hung. No efforts seem to have been
made for a2 commutation of the sentence. Three of the jury who
tried Freeman were Judge R. G. Snethen, Alonzo Wade and Edward
Bush, all of Loutre township. Judge Snethen is still Jiving at his old
home, but, strangely enough, can not remember when the trial was,
who the judge and attorneys were, or who it was that Freeman
killed, whether his wife or his father-in-law, or both. He only re-
members that the trial lasted three days, and that he was heartily
tired of it, being impatient to get home to a new wife !

Geo. W. Crane was the sheriff who hung Freeman. The execution
came off north-east of Danville, at the borders of town, and under the
hill, on the west side of the Montgomery City road, as it now runs,
and south of the branch. <A big crowd was present, and though the
writer has interviewed dozens who saw the hanging, not one remem-
bers the year it occurred. It is probable, however, that the hanging
was in 1844, and the murder a year previous.

Freeman stood in a wagon with one end of a rope about his neck,
the other end being fastened to a beam overhead. He made.a few re-
marks just before he was hung, but owing to the effects of the cancer
on his mouth and tongue, they were unintelligible to all except those
nearest him. It is said his last words were: ‘* Farewell, and fair
warning.”’ .

Some time afterwards a sister of Freeman’s came into the county
and made investigation into her brother’s case. She was quite weaithy,
and said if she had heard of it in time she would have employed the
best counsel and done everything to save his life. She seemed to
have some of her brother’s temper, and was very severe in her de-
nunciation of all who were at all concerned in her brother’s death,
claiming that he was insane and beside himself, and not responsible
for what he did.

It is stated that some time after the hanging of Freeman reports
against the good character of Mrs. Freeman were circulated. Ina
quarrel over this matter Beverly Camp struck John Archer on the
head with a handspike and killed him. This occurred at «a house-
raising in Warren county. It is believed that Mrs. Freeman married
again and removed to Texas and died there.


HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY. - 47]

thorouch examination, adopted a verdict that « Mrs. Cleavenger came to
her death by an attack of apoplexy.”

The same (Monday) evening Mrs. C. was buried, but the people were
not satisfied with the result of the coroner’s inquest. Dr. Mailet, a physi-.
cian of the neighborhood, feit assured, upon Post mortem €xamination,
that death was not caused by apoplexy. | Suspicion was rife that the
unfortunate lady had been murdered, and the whole community set about
to find the murderer or murderers.

Ish, a man of color, owned by Richard Cleavenger, father of the
bereaved husband, was Suspected. A party of men, armed with guns,
went to the house of the slave’s master, and demanded to see the former.

Ish was brought forth, and in reply to questions, answered, with con-
siderable trepidation: That Froman’s Henry had come to him, and asked
him to go with the former to William Hill’s, a neighbor; that he assented,
and on the way to Mr Hill’s, Henry told him (Ish) that he (Henry) had
killed Dorcas Cleavenger, and wanted Ish to go and help him (Henry) to
put her on the bed. Blood was found on Ish’s coat sleeve; and in reply
to the guestion how it came there, he said it was the blood of Dorcas
Cleavenger; that he had no other chance to get it. Ish claimed that he
had no hand in killing his “ Miss Dorky,” but confessed that he helped
Froman’s Henry to put her to bed, and Stated further, Froman’s Henry
had Killed her. 9 ste

"Ish, however, implicated himself before the-interview ended, and he and
Henry were arrested.

Their preliminary trial was held June ist, before justices of the peace,
James Dickie and John Dozier. Asa result, the negroes were incarce-
rated at Richmond, to await the July term of the circuit court,

The indictment found against the culprits at that term, will complete
the story, and it is subjoined, as well on account of the quaintness of the
document, as of its bearing in this case:
STATE OF Nitssourr, Ray County.

Ln the Circuit C. ourl, Fuly tern, cighteen hundred and thirty-seven; Ray
county, to-wit :

The grand jurors for the state of Missouri, for the body of the county
of Ray, aforesaid, upon their oaths, do present:

That Ish and Henry, late of said county of Ray, men of color, and
Slaves, the said Ish the property of Richard Cleavenger, of said ‘county,
and the said Neary, the property of Abrahar: Froman, of said county,
not having the fear of God before thei , eing moved and seduced
by the instigation of the devil, on the twenty-eighth day of May, in the
year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, with force and arms,
at the county of Ray, aforesaid, in and upon one Dorcas Cleavenger, in
the peace of God, and of the state of Missouri, then and there being,
feloniously, willally, and of their malice aforethought, did make an assault;

and that they, said Ish and Henry, with both the hands of each of them,


1881 HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY, MISSOURI.

a
—

470 he HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.

MURDER OF DORCAS CLEAVENGER.

It were more welcome reading if a complete series of historical events,
pertaining to our county, contained no reminiscences melancholy in their |
nature. But, it is the province of history to relate every true story; and
it becomes the annalist’s duty, anon, to fill the interstices between agreea-

- ble recitals with naratives of more solemn interest, °

On Sunday night, May 28, 1837, was perpetrated a nameless crime and
the most atrocious murder ever committed in Ray county.
The victim was a Mrs. Dorcas Cleavenger, an amiable, inoffensive lady,

the wife of William Cleavenger, who, it will be remembered, was one of:

the first settlers in Fishing river bottoms; the perpetrators were two
fiends incarnate, named Ish and Henry, slaves respectively of Richard
Cleavenger and Abraham Froman.
On the afternoon of the day mentioned—Sabbath as it was—Mr.
Cleavenger went fishing, leaving his wife and two little children, aged .
three and five, alone at the house. :
Mr, C. did not return home until late at night. The stillness of the mid-
night hour breathed not a whisper.of the horrible disclosure awaiting him.
He approached the door, pulled the latch-string, and passed the threshold,
little knowing that he was entering the chamber of death! Silence pre-

_-vailed. The little innocents, nestled closely at their mother’s side—three
cheeks pressing the same pillow—were wrapped in the happy uncon- | ~ -

sciousness of sleep; and so was the mother—but not to wake again on
earth. The room was dark. The husband called to his wife, speaking

her name, but receiving no response, stepped to the bed-side, and, doubt- ..
_» less rebuking himself for having stayed away so long, tenderly placed his

hand on her brow; it was pulseless, and cold as marble! He again vainly

called, and then, thoroughly alarmed, kindled a light in the fire-place. Ca
‘The blazing fagots threw a ghastly glamour on the pale face of amur-
“dered woman—the mother of his children—she who had been the life of ao

his life and the soul of his soul. There in the dismal glare of a waning

light, the poor man stood—wifeless; and motionless with unspeakable woe. “

After awhile the heart-broken husband lIeft the dead, and the » :cox~.

“scious living, alone, till he-could go to the house of his father, hapnily liv-

ing not far away, and make known his sad discovery. is
_The father and other members of the family, on receiving the informa- ~
tion, repaired to the house in which the dead woman lay. .
The neighbors assembled early next morning to ascertain the cause of
Mrs. Cleavenger’s death. The coroner was notified. He empanneled a
jury, and such proceedings were had as are common in cases of mysterious

death. ©. : ) oe
The jury, after having made some inquiry, but without, it appears, 2.

.

472 a _ HISTORY OF RAY~COUNTY.

>

said Ish and Henry, about the neck and throat of her, the said Dorcas
Cleavenger, then and there, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice afore-
thought, did fix and fasten, and that they, said Ish and Hency, with both
the hands of each of them, said Ish and Henry, so, as aforesaid, fixed and
fastened about the neck and throat of her, the said Dorcas Cleavenger,
then and there did violently squeeze and press; and that the said Ish and
Henry, also, then and there feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice ufore-
thought, with both the hands of each of them, said Ish and Henry, threw
the said Dorcas Cleavenger down to and upon the ground, and then and.
there they, the said Ish and Henry, feloniously, wilfully, and of their mal-
ice aforethought, jumped and pitched their knees in and upon the belly of
the said Dorcas Cleavenger, giving to her, the said Dorcas Claven er,
then and there, by jumping and pitching their knees in and upon the belly
of the said Dorcas Cleavenger, as aforesaid, one mortal bruise; as well.
of which said squeezing and pressing of the neck and throat of her, the.
said Dorcas Cleavenger, with both the handsof each of them, said Ish
and Henry, as aforoesaid, as all of the jumping and pitching of the said
Ish and Henry, in and upon the belly of, the said Dorcas Cleavenver, as
aforesaid, she, the said Dorcas Cieavenger, then and there instantly died.
And so the jurors aforesaid, upon their oath aforesaid, do say that the
said Ish and Henry, her, the said Dorcas Cleavenger, in manner and by
‘7 the means aforésaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought,
did then and there kill and murder. Against the form of the statute, in
such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the |
state. : é maa tes
a T. C. Burcu, Circuit Attorney.
And the jurors aforesaid, upon their oaths aforesaid, do further present:
That Ish, late of said county of Ray, a person of color, and a slave, .
the property of Richard Cleavenger, of said county of Ray; and Henry,
late of said county of Ray, a person of color, and a Slave, the property of
Abraham Froman, of said county, not having the fear of God before their
eyes, but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the devil, on the.
_twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and |
_ thirty-seven, with force and arms, at the county of Ray, aforesaid, in and
upon one Dorcas Cleavenger, in the peace of God and the state of Mis-.
souri, then and there being, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice afore-
thought, did make and assault, and that the said Ish, his left hand about
_the neck and throat of said Dorcas Cleavenger, then and there, felon-
-. iously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, did fix and fasten, and that
e - he, said Ish, with his left hand, so as aforesaid, fixed and fastened about
* .... the neck and throat of her, said Dorcas Cleavenger, then and there did
_ Violently, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice aforethought, squeeze and
press; and that the said Ish also then and there feloniously, wilfully, and
“of his malice aforethought, jumped and pluoged the right knee of him,
said Ish, in and upon the belly of the said Dorcas Cleavenger, giving to
her, said Dorcas Cleavenger, then and there, by jumping and plunging
his, said Ish’s, right knee in and upon the belly of the said Dorcas, as
aforesaid, one mortal bruise, as well of which said squeezing and pressing
of the neck and throat of said Dorcas Cleavenger, with the left hand of
the said Ish, as last aforesaid, as also of the jumping and plunging of the
right knee of said Ish in and upon the belly of said Dorcas Cleavenger,

as
os


HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY. - 473

, the said Dorcas Cleavenger, then and there instantly

said Henry, at the time of committing the felony and

aforesaid, in manner aforesaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of his

malice aforethought, was present, aiding, helping, abetting, comforting,

assisting, and maintaining the said Ish in the felony and murder last afore-
said, in manner and form Jast aforesaid, to do; commit and perpetrate.

And so the Jurors aforesaid, upon their oath aforesaid, do say that the

said Ish and Henry, her, the said Dorcas Cleavenger, in the manner and

by the means last aioresaid, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice afore-

thought, did then and there kill and murder. Against the form of the

Statute in such case made and provided, and against the peace and dignity

of the state. ’
T. C. Burcu, Circuit Attorney.
The above indictment was returned a “true bill,” July 10, 1837. On

that day Ish and Henry were led into court, and having no counsel, Alex

7

defend them. Amos Rees was appointed to assist in‘the prosecution.

July 1th, the prisoners appeared in court, and being ready for trial the
Same proceeded. .

-é\fter hearing all the evidence in the case, the jury—Joseph Ewing,
Samuel McCuistion, Abraham Linville, Harry Lile, William T. Tisdale,
Jobn H. Smith, Henry Clarke, Reuben Holman, Henry Hill, Albert
Snowden, Avlen Ball and Samuel Boon—retired, consuited, and returned
with the following verdict, endorsed on the bill of indictment:

We, of the jury, find the defendants guilty in manner and form, as
Charged in the within indictment.
JOSEPH Ewine, Foreman.

Thereupon, the court ordered and adjudged that the said defendants be
remanded back to the jail of this county, there to remain in close confine-
ment until Friday, the 11th day of August next, and on that day, between
the hours of ten o’clock in the forenoon and three o’clock in the after-
noon, they be taken from thence to a gallows, to be erected for the pur-
pose at some convenient place, within one-half mile of the town ‘of Rich-
mond, there to be hung by the neck until each of them are dead; and
that the sheriff of this county carry the foregoing into execution. :

At the designated time and place, Ish and Henry were duly hanged by
the neck until they were- dead—Bardy Holman, sheriff, ber = the
executioner. . °

Ish and Henry were the first to be convicted of murder, and theirs was
the first public execution in the county.

The writer inadvertently omitted to state in the proper place, that the
scene of the murder just narrated, was near what is now the site of Fred-
ericksburg, or New Garden post office, in Fishing River township.

30

‘ rs “a4 @ r . <. - : : 4 ae 7%
W. Doniphan, William T. Wood and Eldridge Benner were appointed ta“! wrclen ee ae

§ als. nate Dba ada

ase a


my nicianpaaniaiaiis a a ity

Da eae mene sen

STATE OF MISSOURI. 649

remanded back to Crawford County, because the change had been
improvidently made.

In 1839 there were numetous indictments for betting at cards
and for selling liquor without a license. David Sterigere was
judge in this circuit June 14, 1841, and in 1844 John H. Stone,
judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, presided.

On March 14, 1848, William Fisher was tried for murder be- ~

fore the following jury: Christian Kuntz, Daniel Campbell, John
M. Frakes, Thomas Meuse, J oseph Heath, Robert J. Heath,
George W. Wilson, George W. Massie, John Kesseburg, Gottlieb
Straub, Nelson Jarvis and Jackson Fowler. The verdict was
“guilty of manslaughter in the first degree,” and the court fixed
the punishment at five years in the penitentiary.

In the circuit court, April 23, 1862, Fritz Heil, indicted for
the murder of Mathias Croner, was found not guilty of murder in
the first degree, but guilty of murder in the second degree.
Thereupon the counsel for the State declined to further prosecute
the defendant on the charge of murder in the first degree, and
submitted the matter to the court. The court, Judge John H.
Stone, thereupon adjudged that the defendant undergo imprison-
ment in the penitentiary for thirty years, and pay the costs of the
prosecution.

James W. Owens was judge of this court, commencing Sep-
tember 14, 1863; Daniel Q. Gale, August 3, 1868; A. J. Seay,
April, 1875, and Rudolph Hirzel, the present judge, in May,
1887.

One of the most atrocious murders that have occurred in Gas-
conade County was that of William Burchard, at Bem, May 10,
1883. The circumstances leading up to and connected with the
murder were somewhat as follows: Two men went to the house
of William Collier and ordered breakfast. While Mrs. Collier
was preparing the meal she overheard remarks which led her to
believe that the robbery of the store at Bem, kept by Burchard
& Viemann, was in contemplation. When Mr. Collier came home
she informed him of the occurrence and of her suspicions. . In
the afternoon of the same day he went to the residence of W. P.
Burchard and told him what had taken place, and what were his
wife’s and his suspicions. In the evening William Burchard,

4)

saint.


=

650 HISTORY OF GASCONADE COUNTY.

son of W. P. Burchard, and Mr. Collier, went to the store armed,
the one with a shotgun and the other with a rifle, with the inten-
tion of watching for the expected robbers. A few hours after
dark, upon arriving at the store they found the two men already
in the store talking with Mr. Viemann, and at the same time keep-
ing a sharp lookout, and when Mr. Burchard and Mr. Collier ap-
proached the store the two men inside the store commenced fir-
ing upon them with their revolvers. Mr. Burchard was struck
in the arm and dropped his gun. Soon afterward he was struck
by two more balls, one of them passing into the abdomen and
inflicting a fatal wound. Mr. Collier received a shot in the
shoulder and then fired upon the two robbers, killing one of them
instantly, but the other escaped. This man was at length found
near Detmold, in Franklin County, was captured and brought
back to Gasconade County, and lodged in jail at Hermann, whence,
on Monday night, June 4, 1883, he was taken by a mob of citizens
and hanged toa tree in tlfe immediate vicinity of Hermann.

-. The name of the man thus made to pay the penalty for the mur-

der of Burchard was Fisher, although he gave the name Whit-
ney, when captured. The circumstances of the lynching were
somewhat as follows: About midnight the back door of the
jail was forced open, and a number of men armed with
heavy sledges, hammers and chisels, entered the hall and
battered down the doors to the cell containing Fisher. In the
meantime Sheriff Bergner, who had heard of the attempt, in
company with Deputy Sheriffs Mumbrauer and Oscar Schultz,
arrived at the back door of the jail. Sheriff Bergner was imme-
diately seized, blindfolded, and carried out of doors, thrown to
the ground and there held down, while others of the mob found
the keys of the jail in the pocket of Deputy Sheriff Mum-
brauer. It thus became an easy matter to open Fisher’s cell
door. His hands were then tied, a rope placed round his waist,
and he marched down to Front Street: He was led down to the
“Tron road” about 150 yards north of: the residence of Christ.
Fleisch. Here the party having Fisher in charge was met by a
number of masked men, who then took charge of the prisoner,
marched him under a tree, where he gave his name as J. W.
Fisher; the rope was thrown over the limb of the tree and fast-

a
io
i]

A
Era
et


STATE UF MISSOURI. 651

ened to the trunk, and in twenty minutes he was pronounced dead.
About four o’clock in the morning the sheriff, accompanied by a
number of citizens, repaired to the scene of the hanging, and cut
down Fisher’s body. Many people considered the lynching justi-
fiable, but by the majority it was condemned. Gov. Crittenden
was especially severe upon the course of the lynchers, and urged
upon Judge Seay, of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, to take prompt
measures to bring them to justice, but it was thought by many
that the anxiety of Gov. Crittenden to have these violators of the
law brought to deserved punishment would have merited and
received more respect and consideration if his own course in con-
nection with the James’ boys had evinced the same anxiety.
What was known as the Hallenscheid-Alband murder was
one of the most flagrant and sensational ever committed any-
where. Henry Hallénscheid and his wife and their daughter,
Wilhelmina, conspired to kill and killed on June 16, 1875, Christ
Alband, the husband of Wilhelmina, with a club, and threw his
body out of an upper story window. They then dragged him
about 150 yards from the house and buried him, covering him
over lightly with earth. The jurymen before whom the two former
were tried were John H. Buddemeyer, Joseph Apprill, Fred.
Remmert, Henry Holt, H. A. McKinney, Paschal Crider, Hiram
Robertson, J. B. Cantly, Martin Michels, Fred Klossner, John’
Michels and William Norwood. The verdict of the jury in this
case was: “We the jury find the defendants, H. Hallenscheid
and A. Hallenscheid, guilty of murder in the first degree, in
manner and form as charged in the indictment.” The two con-
victs were sentenced by Judge A. J. Seay to be hanged December
17, 1875. The former was, in accordance with this sentence,
hanged December 17, on a gallows erected on the western slope
of the courthouse hill, in the presence of about 4,000 people.
The Rev. Mr. Pfaff read a statement from the prisoner to the effect:

1—That he was convinced that the punishment he was about to undergo
was just.

2—That through prayer and repentance he had been forgiven.

Mrs. Anna Hallenscheid’s sentence was commuted by Gov. ©.
H. Hardin to imprisonment in the State penitentiary during her
natural life, and Mrs. Wilhelmina Alband, the wife of the murdered

en ae ete eC ree Ser ere eerie wwe TT To aes


652 HISTORY OF GASCONADE COUNTY.

man, was convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary, where she
died.

WAR HISTORY.

Soon after the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, in
1861, Julius Hundhausen raised ten companies of soldiers, who
were known as Home Guards. This was in May. Six of these
companies were raised in the central and southern parts of the
county. Mr. Hundhausen became lieutenant-colonel of this force,
Charles ©, Manwaring and Constance Riek, captains, and Hermann
Schlender, quartermaster. The regiment had charge of railroad
bridges from St. Louis to Jefferson City until mustered out
in 1863. Three months after the organization of the Home
Guards they were Ineorporated into the Fourth Missouri Reserve
Corps, under command of Gen. Lyon, George Hussmann, quarter-
master, and Dr. J. Feldmann, assistant surgeon. The other offi-
cers were the same as ip the old organization, except that Capt.
Manwaring resigned, and was succeeded by Michael Bauer, Man-
waring becoming provost-marshal of the congressional district.
After the reserve corps was mustered out, Col, Hundhausen was
appointed assistant provost-marshal, with his office at Hermann,

In the spring of 1864, while on a visit to his family, Capt.
Manwaring was killed by a party of rebels as he was attempting
to arrest one of them. The rebels were pursued, and one of them

.cape. The horses were sold, and netted the Government $600.

A militia regiment was organized, of which George Klinge
was lieutenant-colonel, and Charles D. Eitzen, captain. This reg-
iment was in several engagements. In 1864, when Sterling
Price made his great raid through the State, it was called to
reinforce the troops at Rolla and Jefferson City, thus leaving the
town of Hermann with but few defenders. Upon the approach
of Price’s army from below the town, the women and children

small piece of artillery, firing upon them as they came in sight
around the bluff below the town, This caused a retreat on the


. i ; BARRY COUNTY, MISSOURI.

PIONEER HISTORY OF BARRY COUNTY

z

.-~

fininnestingnst aap
’

anise hemlowcioess. ell

- Barnes, in
-..1876 Albert Cox ane
-. ford, in 1877 Robert. Hudson. One

. Sooter was murdered near Corsicana,

 $0me time in the fifties. ~~ 2

line, was murdered some years be-
fore the war,

Wat Short killed Lock in 1849. In
1849 Ezekial Merryman was indicted
for murder. In 1850 William Pogue
and Richard Oldham murdered How-
erton; 1853, Dudley H. Snyder mur-
dered Charles Wolfger; 1854, James
Dunn was charged with murder;
1856, Samuel Lee killed Resley;
1857, Arthur Blankenship poisoned
his wife, and William Lee killed
Wright. In 1863 Jesse Jenkins was
charged with murder, in 1865 Geo.
Stockton, and 1866 Joseph and John
Baze. Onie Bussel, who was Selling
whisky contrary to law near Rocky
Comfort, fired on the sheriffs posse
sent to arrest him. Sheriff Moore,
John Tate, and a third party return-
ed the fire, resulting in the death of
Bussell. In June, 1868, Daniel
Howry, his son and Robert Mann
had a quarrel over a horse race, re-
sulting in the death of Robert Mann
and Daniei tiowry. The murder of
Jack Carney and his wife, eighteen
miles southeast of Cassville, in De-
cember, 1869, by George Mcore, re-
sulted in the lynching of Moore. He
was hanged froin the old bell post,
which, at that time, stood at the
southeast corner of the courthouse.
In October, 1871, a vigilance com-
mittee in Barry County was said to
have tried and hanged Aleck King.
The report of the hanging .was
false. The murder of Hogmier’ by
Perry Ethridge, arising out of a
dispute over the ownership of a deer-
lick, took place May 3, 1872, thirteen
miles southeast of Cassville, in Bar-
ry County. His trial resulted in
acquittal. R. M. Morgan, the coun-

. ty coroner, held an inquest On the

body of Edward Hogmire in May,
1872. Squire G. M. Goodnight held
the inquest on the bodies of Frank
Haskins and William Cunningham
at that time. -In 1872 Edward Mc-

-. Cullah and David parnes_ were in-

dicted for murder. In 1873 Thomas

T. H. Craw-

Boyd Brice, who © resided near
Cassville, went to Fayettevillé in

. May, 1874, to purchase a_ horse, but

failed to do so. A week later the

-,OWner found his horse missing, and
'.With others hurried north in search.
_ At Pierce City heard of a horse-race
and alse of Birce and his gray racer.

On that morning, as Brice rode to-
ward Pierce City, he saw his pur-
suers, and turned to fly. They were
Within pistol-shot, fired, and the
horse thief fell dead from the sad-
dle. In November, 1875, Green Car-

In January, 1880,
1875 Samuel Orr, in — ¥, 1880

Texas.
erty, the deputy pursued, and seeing —
_ that the Texan was likely to escape,

ter murdered one cronice on Mike's
fork of Sugar Creek. in McDonald
county. In May. 1876. a boy named
Mayfield, a victim of whiskey drink-
ing, shot and killed one Cray with-
Out provocation. After this another
young sot, Charlies Walls. of War-
Saw, across the Arkansas line, killed
his brother Albert. About this
time Bear Toter, or Short Stump. a
Cherokee, was arrested for the mur-
der of Latham, at Hico. in 1873. This
Lathim arrived from Ireland, and at
Gunter's tavern showed his belt to
contain about 3760,

On Monday. July 10. 1876. Er. J.
A. Holladay was arrested on a Crim-
inal charge ai Corsicana, and se:
ov. under charge of Bud Crawford
toward his house. When near the
house Crawford ordered his prisone
to halt. but upon the latter's refuzc!
Crawiord fired, killing the doczo
who was buried on July 12. Cre-:-
ford fled. Sometime before the mer
der the unfortunate nhvrsieian noir.
ed: to his pistol, s-ating that Be
would send himself or somebody e?:
to hell before ‘CaxyNeht. Cra
was subsequently captured’, but
awaiting trial died tn jai: at Sori:
field.

Amos Kelly was killed by James
Hall in 1877, at Corsicana, in Wil-
liam Fly’s store. Kelly and his wife
went there to acknowledge a deed,
when the quarrel arose. The testi-
mony was so conflicting that Hall
Was acquitted.

Civil And Military Murders
In March, 18806, William Hall was
taken from the jail at Yount Vernon
by the Sheriff of. Barry County,? to

~ be duly tried for the murder of Kel-

ly. The body of a man, shot and
killed, was found in White River,
-near Leland’s Ferry, April 15, 1879.

~ Inquiries pointed him out to be

“Thomas Ellis of Morristown, Ark.

Sheriff Hudson
and Deputy Sheriff Edens, of Cass-
ville, went out four miles south of
Cassville to arrest James Heffley, on
a requisition from the governor of

Heffley made a leap for lib-

opened fire on him. ‘At the third
Shot Heffley fell, the officers pro-

". mounced him dead, then went to the —

house to inform his family where his
body could be found, and proceeded
to Cassville to bring the coroner
on the scene. On returning to the
battle field Heffley’s body could not
be found, and on asking about him
they were told that he was not much
hurt, and had left the State at a

¢
&

Tapid gait. Yo piStigeS het y

ber, 1883.

“there, with instructions

In July, 1882, a quarrel between
Mrs. Campbell and Mrs, Roark re-
sulted in the former stabbing the
latter through the heart. The trag-
edy was enacted twelve miles north-
east of Cassville, near the mouth of
Willow Branch. ‘The trial of Mrs.
Campbell resulted in her being sen-
tenced to two years in the peniten-
tiary. Thomas Brattin was killed at
a dance at Russells, three miles from
Cassville, in 1883 or 1884, by James
Roberts. Latter was defended by
W. S. McConnell, who won his ac-
quittal. The quarrel resulting In
this murder arose entirely from
jealousy, both loving the same girl.
Robert Mann kiiled old man Lowry
near McMurtry’s Spring, and young
Lowry killed Robert Mann. Jack
Walden killed a man _ on Roaring
River, but a case of justifiable homi-
cide was made out.

In February, 1882, Napoleon Row-
ley shot and killed ex-Shrefif Hop-

~kins in Long's saloon, at Washburn.

The trouble grew out of the imper-
ious manner in which the ex-sheriff
asked the brother of the man whom
he murdered in 1877 to drink. Hop-
kins died at the Western Hotel next
day, and was buried by Pythagoras
Lodge of Masons. The slayer of the
ex-sheriff was acquitted. In  Jan-
very or February, 1882, a young man
was killed near John Hadley’s and
the remains found in ‘March. that
year. The name and every trace of
the youth were lost. William Black
Stabbed and killed William Brown.
in’a drunken row at church, three
miles north of Cassville, in Decem-

verdict of justifiable homicide. Ed-
ward Clumb murdered J. J. White

‘and Ellen Bowe, July 8, 1886, in

Capp’s Creek Town8hip, Barry Coun-
ty. He was hanged by the sheriff,

April 15, 1887 in the D. P. Pharis

field 209 yards southwest of. the

court house. es
In connection with the murder of

White and Ellen Bowe by Clumb, all
residents of New York, in 1885, the

-- following particulars are given. On
“Clumb coming here he found his wife

passing as the wife of White. She
returned with him as far as Lebanon.
and Clumb left her at his sister's
to follow

him. Very soon she. returned tn

White, but she was taken sick and __

died. Clumb came to Barry County,

where he and White kept company

with Ellen Bowe. Clumb worked or

the farm, and seeing White and Miss 3
Bowe sitting on the bank of Capps -
‘Creek deliberately shot both of them, —

He buried them wrapped in a blan- —
execution desired.

that he be buded An. tat manner, |

ket, and at his

fe
rs

S. Pike

His trial resulted in a-

ritingy


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BARRY COUNTY, ‘MISSOURI.

THE
WHITE RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL pOGIE! Sat .
QUARTERLY ee Hee spacer ist ae :
Published quarterly (four times a year) at Point i aokout. Missouri 65726,
by the White River Valley Historical Society, a non-profit organization,
devoted to the preservation of our historical heritage in the upper White
River Valley. The membership dues are $2.00. Of this amount $1.50 is for, a
subscription to the White River Valley Historical Society Quarterly.
Secretary's Office to pay dues for membership: Room 103, Jamison
Building, Post Office Box 7, Point Lookout, Missouri 65726. 3 Skee: :
Second Class Postage Paid at Point Lookout, Missouri Sha Sn Srp ereat se, oe
: Volume 4 Summer 1971 Number 4
OFFICERS FOR 1971 72 FIO Lah age :

President, “Mrs. Ruby M. Robins, Gainesville: first Cee oreciderit, “Mrs. Cinita op sea Ee mt
Brown, Ava; second vice-president, Mrs. Harriet H. Massey, Ozark; secretary, Soudtge thee Bea oe
Col. Albert D. Cummings, Branson; treasurer, Mrs. oo SALT apa oie 3 free Leh
Hollister; historian, Mr. me sled SAE Mes Bes Ree TS) Settle st CS oy Haast,

3 4

Rime

“BOARD oF DIRECTORS 3 ae bee sit meh

1969- 70, Carrell Ceonty Ark. Vs Cay Toga. Borvilla: Douglas County: oe os
Mo., Mr. Elmer Curry, Ava, Mo.; 1969-71, Stone County, Mo., Mrs. Ruth .% | tah le ey
Asher, Galena, Mo., Christian County, Mo., Mrs. Lucille Adams Anderson, .. 9.8 a
Ozark, Mo.; 1969-72, Ozark County, Mo., Mrs. Stella Luna, Gainesville, Mo., ee rut = eae ’

Taney ‘County, Missouri, Mrs. Rockwell Fletcher, Branson, Mo.; Marion mee ae RRL 4
ise County, Ark., Mrs. L. D. Burns, Yellville, Ark. ys EAS Set ree TAS S fe eR re

Goes ) ss Please Note 9s ae nal oe 3 oo : re a ein ana
“. ee Ehianuscripts may be mailed to the editor: Pee Ma ae Ree ces Ae aire: £4
ae Mrs. Jewell Ross | Mehus. Flag Route, Branson, Missouri 65616 erat ay fo
ray = 3 eee eh te, s sabes
Les ~ SUMMER 1971 : ae
DOUBLE MURDER "AND ‘LYNCHING IN WHITE RIVER VALLEY ae ea
ne ~ - By Emory Melton —_. SN Den tees eater pee Weiek

TWO. NEW BOOKS TELL OZARK HS TO

ita a Sgebe BS ee ties Sat ae ae eee are ear ae

“¢

i: BRANSON - M907 fae eee

. From Branson Beacon By E Eva Eakin Grizzard fea ecm ees 2 ee bi
- LOFTIS CEMETERY RECORDS a oi
peas -By Jean bb Loftis
_ MINUTES pe : yee Lee

si

| SCOTCH: IRISH HERITAGE thes erat Sa Le Seer
‘¢. rae’ a8 By Fred DeArmond ee aia eer en Bee
THE : PEDROW MOBERLY’S GRIST MILL Peeks aie on renee oe

By Almer A. Ridge 3
THe JOSEPH e. LYON’S MILL

f ve By W. D. “Bill” Cameron Gu asis fae!
MORE MARRIAGE RECORDS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY Bate ey
digg 4, ott x. Copied by Cinita D. Brown ne Se See a — eS

THE EDITOR SPEAKS fee Seater

Ry lawall Race Mehus i ital oss oe

IP

—

Double Murder and Lynching in White River Valley

By Emory Melton

Attorney
Cassville, Missouri

About a mile northwest of the Central
Crossing Bridge on Table Rock Lake in the
White River Valley, a double murder occurred
slightly over a century ago, which resulted in
the only lynching me County has ever
experienced.

The site of the tragedy. which took place
early on a Saturday evening, December 4,
1869, was a small country store operated by
Jack Carney and his bride of ten months,
Cordelia, in the village of Schell Knob just
west of the Stone-Barry County line. ~

-(When a post office was established at
this location on July 12, 1872, the postal
department dropped—whether by accident or
design it is not known—the ‘‘c”’
and it hasn't been used since).

Henry Schell, Sr., was born in 1810 at
Lutesville in the southern part of Eastern Mis-
souri and came to the Barry and Stone
County area in 1834, where he promptly
married Elizabeth Yocum, and started a
family that would ultimately include six sons
and six daughters. Before leaving Schel! Knob
and moving to the Big Sugar Creek country of
McDonald County in 1845, his name had
been appropriated for the area now making
up the Shell Knob community. It quite likely
grew from the fact that Schell was the first

permanent settler and that he lived on or near |

a‘‘knob”’. : ane
Apparently Phere are no raritten records
to confirm it, but the oldest ‘‘old-timer’’ of
them all, John Sanders of Cassville, who was
born near.Shell Knob and is now in his 95th
year, believes there were stores located at the
present site of Shell Knob prior to the Civil

War period of 1861 to 1865.
~The slaying took place in a double log
Bouidiac located about 400 feet West and

. slightly south of the present school house site
at Shell Knob. Shortly after the marriage of

the young couple, the Carneys had obtained
the double log structure, one end of which
was used as a residence and the other end of
which was used as a store building. It stood
just south of the present road bed of Highway
39 in what is now il eastern edge of Shell
Knob.

ei,

from Schell .

Carney v was 20 years s of age and his wife
was 21. Me

The murder tOOr place about dark on
Saturday evening, but was not discovered
until Sunday afternoon when a resident of the
community called at the store for a package
of goods he had purchased the day before.
The door was not fastened, and, on entering,

the visitor found Carney lying dead on the

floor. He had been shot twice, both bullets
having entered his head near his mouth, and
apparently had died immediately. A story
from the Missouri Patriot (Springfield), on
Thursday, December 16, 1869, noted that the
young wife had apparently been shot in the

-upper chest and that when the shot was fired

her clothing took fire and was
consumed down to her waist.

Patrons who had visited the store on
Saturday immediately voiced their suspicious
of a young man named George Moore, a
28-year-old ner’do well who had been reared
in a large part by the Carney families. Word
was immediately sent to Sheriff John H.
Moore (no relation) in Cassville to arrest
young Moore if he should nas found in that
area.

Moore. fad ‘spent a ‘Targe portion of the
day Saturday lounging about Carney’s store

entirely

-and was seen there about sundown of the
evening

Moore and Carney. had been
acquainted from childhood. About a year
previous to the slaying, Moore had robbed an
elderly man in the neighborhood and im-
mediately fled to Arkansas where his mother
resided. At the time of the robbery he was
working for John Carney (the father of
Jackson Carney) and while there was sent by

John Carney to take the elderly man, who
~ had gotten drunk and was not in condition to
_be trusted alone with his team of horses

home. While going home with the old man

' Moore robbed him and then fled. Nothing was

heard from Moore until'a few days before the
double slaying when he made his appearance
at Gadfly (a now extinct. town located just
West of Purdy), in Barry County. He remain-
ed there two or three days and then left
going directly to Carney's store where he


Ww

arrived on Saturday about 11:00. Moore |

spent the entire afternoon at the Carney’s
store and apparently the two enjoyed the
afternoon visit, even indulging in a friendly
scuffle. The patrons of the store that after-
noon later noted that there was every appear-
ance of friendship between the two young
men, but as soon as the last visitor had left
the store Moore got down to the business for
which he had apparently made the visit.

A few minutes after he was last seen at
Carnéy’s—between sundown and dark—three
pistol shots were heard in the direction of the
store by a neighbor who resided about a
quarter of a mile away.

About two hours later, Moore sought
lodging for the night at a house about nine
miles from the store in the direction of
Cassville and remained there over night. He
was traveling by horseback. On Sunday, he
attended church at the Horner school house
near Cassville, and on Monday the Sheriff
arrested Moore about a mile and a half south
of Cassville and lodged him in the county jail.

At the time of the arrest, Moore was

“wearing the hat of the murdered victim and’
‘had Carney's revolver strapped around him,

while Moore's hat and one of the pistols were
found in the store where the slayings
occurred. On his person, $201.00, which had
been taken from the store, was found. The
money was found, a little of it in each of his
pockets with some in the lining of his pants,
his coat and his vest, and here and there a bill
pinned to the inside of his clothing.

Shortly before the slayings occurred,
Cordelia Carney had dyed some woolen
material with a yellow dye. In making change
at the store, she had handled some of the bills

_while her hands were yet wet with the dye

and the dye had gotten on some of the paper

- money. Some of the money which Moore was

found to be carrying had traces of the yellow
dye on it. :

Sheriff Moore transported young Moore
to the county jail, which was a new jail and
which had been built and accepted by the
county on October 10, 1867, some two years
earlier. It was built of log construction and
was a rather formidable structure. It had been
built, as per the order of the county court
‘six feet from the county courthouse”’.

The Barry County Courthouse, a two-

story brick structure constructed in 1856, was

located in the center of the public square in
Cassville on the site of the present Barry
County Courthouse. a
Carney was a member of one of the truly
pioneer families of Barry County. Thomas G.

7

Carney and his family settled in extreme east
central Barry County in the 1830's. He was

‘the father of John Carney and the grandfather

of Jackson Carney. John Carney, father of the
slain storekeeper, had attained a considerable
degree of prominence having served as county
judge from 1863 to 1868. As a result of the
prominence of the family, and the ruthless
nature of the murders, indignation was at a
high point in the eastern part of the county.

On Monday evening, a large company of
friends and relatives of the victims converged
on the county seat with the announced
purpose of carrying out summary justice.

The December 9th issue of the Barry
County Banner, which was published in
Cassville at that time, carried a detailed

~ account of the affair. An exerpt follows:

“When these circumstances all came to
light on Monday evening while Moore was in

jail, some of the relatives and friends of the

deceased combined for the purpose of taking
the prisoner out of jail and executing him,
and the Sheriff only saved him Monday night

by secretely taking the prisoner out of jail and

running him to the country.”
“The deceased were buried on Tuesday,

- and on Wednesday some one hundred or more

citizens came into town about noon, as was
understood by the Sheriff for the purpose of
hearing the trial, many of them being wit-
nesses, balance generally friends and relatives,
and before the Sheriff was aware of it, having
been assured that the prisoner was to have a
trial, he was surrounded and the keys of the
jail demanded, at the same time enforcing
their demand by presenting revolvers, and no
denial would be received, was the word.

“The sheriff knew he had to encounter
an enraged and injured, deeply injured,
people, and that they meant what they said,
and gave them the keys, and in about five or
ten minutes this man, George Moore, could be
seen dangling in the air suspended to a rope.
But before he was hung he was given a few
minutes to say what he desired. He denied the
authorship of the atrocious deed, but it is
generally believed he did not think they
would hang him. But they did, and George
Moore is no more.” 4

It was estimated that some 200 men,
virtually all of whom were residents of the °
vicinity of the crime, gathered at the lynching

‘on the southeast corner of the public square

in Cassville. Several wooden goods boxes were
procured from nearby stores and placed under
an extending arm from the bell post which
stood at the southeast corner of the square. ~
Suspended from the bell post was a bell which —

: f
es,

220 <) HISTORY OFHENRY COUNTY. ry
disastrous. Clark was arrested, or gave himself up, was dault
and put in jaila short time. He was, however, in poor health, a
released on giving bailin the sum of $15,000. He lived but asdag
dying of heart disease before his final trial. 2) Ale ae
This is the substance of all the writer gleaned or could ¢
this sad and tragic affair, and this was submitted to a party wha:
or was supposed to know as much about it as anyone, but who.
claimed all but heresay knowledge, but said that the above wax
the facts of the case as he had heard. The shooting and death Qea
tamson occurred in January, 1872. pe

WORK OF

es


878 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

of Bollinger County was approved on Marchi, 1851. It was
formed from portions of Wayne, Cape Girardeau and Stoddard. =

The county court was organized at the storehouse of John C. |
. Whybark, on March 24,1851, by Reuben Smith, John Stevens ©
and Drury Massey, justices. Oliver E. Snider qualified as clerk,
and William:C. Grimsley as sheriff. The records of the courts
were burned on March 2, 1866, therefore no account of their
transactions prior to that time can be obtained.

Soon after the organization of the county a brick courthouse —
about thirty feet square and two stories high was erected. It
was destroyed by fire, and a similar building was completed the ©
same year, partly by private subscription and partly by appro
priation. In March, 1884, it was also destroyed by fire, but it
had previously been condemned as unsafe, and had been
abandoned by all the officers except the circuit clerk. At the
general election in the following November a vote was taken”
upon the proposition to remove the county seat to Lutesville, but
the corporation of Marble Hill voted $1,000, and the citizens _
raised subscriptions to the amount of $1,620, for the rebuilding ©
of the courthouse in that town, and the proposition to remoy
it was defeated by a vote of 1,266 to 750. The county court,
appropriated $7,000, and the present courthouse was completed
the following year under the supervision of J. J. Conrad.

The county is in a fairly good condition financially, the ag-
gregate indebtedness amounting to only $9,535.15. In 1887the
expenditures amounted to $9,981.55, and receipts to $11,701.54.

List of Officials.—The following is as complete a list of
county officers as could be obtained in the ubsence of records.

Clerks of the County Court.—Oliver E. Snider, 1851-58; J.
C. Noell, 1858-64; Philip Sutherlin, 1864-67; Jacob J. Conrad,
1861-74; B. F. Stevens, 1874-82; J. M. Snider, 1882.

Clerks of the Circuit Court and Recorders.—The same as the
clerks of the county court to 1866; Lindsay Murdoch, 1866-69;
Moses Whybark, 1869-74; John W. Revelle, 1874-86; William
M. Morgan, 1886.

Sheriffs.— William C. Grimsley, 1851-56; Levi W. Tankers- ~
ley, 1856-58; Jesse R. Henson, 1860; James Rogers, 1866-68; —
Erich Pape, 1868-72; John Hopkins, 1872-76; Benjamin Thorn-

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. 379

burgh, 1876-80; Jasper Frymire, 1880-82; C. M. Thornburgh,
1882-84; James Seabaugh, 1884.

Collectors,—F. M. Wells, 1877-84; Samuel J. Lessley, 1884.

Assessors.—Daniel Belchamber, 1865-67; William C. Will-
iams, 1867-68; J. J. Duffy, 1868-74; J. M. Burton, 1874; Isaac
H. Sample, 1874-76; Samuel J. Lessley, 1876-80; J. M. Snider,
1880-82; F. OC. Shell, 1882-86; M. H. Williams, 1886.

Treasurers.—David Lutes, 1866-68; Fred F. Dickman,
1868-70; H. C. Scholl, 1870-72; F. M. Sutherlin, 1872-74; W.
F. Kinder, 1874-80; Benjamin Thornburgh, 1880-84; W. F.
Kinder, 1884. ‘

Probate Judges.—Alexander Barrett, 1871-72; William
Welch, 1872-86; Jacob Frymire, 1886.

Judges of the County Court.—John Stevens, 1851-52; Reuben

Smith, 1851-52; Drury Massey, 1851-52; D. R. Conrad, 1852-67;

George Snider, 1852; Eli Richards, 1852-62; Milton Abernathy,
Jacob Rhodes, Sampson Shell, 186 -67; James G. Woodfin,
186 -67; Erich Pape, 1867-68; Grandison Sample, 1867-70;
C. J. Eaker, 1867-74; J. G. Woodfin, 1868-72; C. D. Rowe,
1872-73; W. A. McMinn, 1873-74; N. M. Zimmerman, 1874-78;
Asron McKelvey, 1878-81; J. H. Sample, 1878-80; J. G. Wood-
fin, 1878-82; A. G. Henson, 1880-82; G. W. Clippard, 1881-86;
J. H. Sample, 1882-84; Charles Nenninger, 1882-84; Hezekiah
Estes, 1884-86; Philip Frissell, 1884; David Stevens, 1886; N.
M. Zimmerman, 1886.

Representatives in the Legislature.—R. Smith, 1852-56;
Aaron Snider, 1856-57; J. H. Hunter, 1857-60; Milton Aber-
nathy, 1860-62; R. Smith, 1864-68; John H. Dolle, 1868-72;
William Berry, 1872-78; Robert Drum, 1878-82; Moses Why-
bark, 1882-84; William Berry, 1884-86; John I. Ellis, 1886.

Tron County Formed.—The county of Iron was erected from
portions of the counties of St. Francois, Madison, Washington,
Dent, Reynolds and Wayne, by an act of the Legislature approved
February 17, 1857. Maj. John Polk, representative of Madison
County (but a resident of the proposed new county), Conrad C.
Ziegler, of Ste. Genevieve, member of the State Senate, and
James Lindsay, enrolling clerk of the Senate, were instrumental
in securing the passage of the act. Great difficulty was expe-


a”

880 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

i :, securing sufficient territory without reducing other
Sa tlie take constitutional limits, hence 2 aged
shape of the county. Ate special election ordered gee
the first Monday in June, 1857, J. V. Logan, John W. soi
and Moses Edwards were chosen members of the send eat
John F. T. Edwards, clerk of the courts, and John rs = er :
The county court held its first meeting in Arcadia, on . zee
1967, when the cownty We “Pilot Knob, roadie, Liberty snd
i olin, Iron, Pilot Knob, ‘ 4
eae ea aene: officers appointed for each. At the q
same Serr Theodore F. Long was elected school commissioner, =
A. C. Farnham, treasurer, and Allen W. Hollaman, county sur-
ee the act forming the county the county ns nw ae
i ‘onate part of stock subscribed to the Frederick-
ee eie Kist Gravel Road Company, incorporated reomre .
5 1855, and, accordingly, at the September term, it vere a
thet the clerk issue bonds of the county to the amoun : : w :
‘In January, 1858, an order was made for the — 2 oe
house and the issuing of county bonds, ee n fel —
painaelieed apie ea sa ae ee Mikal for the s
. Evans an ,
or 4.000 ond 3 ohn V. Logan was appointed to superintend th
: rk The corner-stone for the new building was laid on er,
ee of July, 1858, and in October, 1860, it was completed a 4
occupied. In April, 1866, $10,000 was appropriated a mK
| i on of a jail, and the contract for the building awarde
iompson & Flynn for $8,972.50. The ay ee of ve ~—_
; sum of nearly $18,000, but trom that tim”
a er eed eee There is now no bonded debt, 4
an ‘ing the year 1887, $4958 was appropriated for the re :
mnent ‘of roads, in addition to the road tax. OnJd — i cP .
there was a balance in the treasury, above all outstanding
Fae tt overt for Iron County was organized on May
1858, by Judge John H. Stone. The members of the nee ie
— ere John F. Green, Elbridge Clayton, John Imbo
TT. Russell, Joseph Sutton, George W. Young, James Sloan,

“ ee a aa oom ree Pesce EAE Thess
a ate erence nana aenae nn.+cccetabinanecuaamiaena

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. 881

P. Hayden, Samuel Rice, William Boatwright, Michael Vineyard,
Andrew Henson, Frank P. Smith, Joseph Beal. An indictment
was returned against Malinda and Washington Brannum for grand
larceny. The former was convicted, and sentenced to the pen-
itentiary for two years. The latter was acquitted. In 1860 Will-
iam H. Young was arrested for the murder of his father, whom he
had stabbedin a fit of intoxication. He obtained a change of venue
to Reynolds County, and while out on bail was killed in a fight.
There have been several convictions of murder in the various de-
grees, but none have paid the death penalty in Iron County.

Official Directory.—The officers of Iron County have been as
follows:

Clerks of the County Court.—John F. T. Edwards, 1857-61;
David Humphreys, 1861-65; Joseph Huff, 1865-70; Joseph T.
Ake, 1870-78; G. B. Nall, 1878-86; W. A. Fletcher, 1886.

Clerk of the Circuit Court and Recorder.—Joseph Huff, 1872
(the present incumbent).

Sheriffs.—John Cole, 1857-62; W. N. Gregory, 1862-65;
Morgan Mace, 1865-68; James Buford, 1868-72; D. F. Martin,
1872-76; James Buford, 1876-80; W. A. Fletcher, 1880-84; 8.
E. Buford, 1884-86; P. W. Whitworth, 1886. e

Collectors.—Same as sheriffs to 1880. James Buford, 1880-
82; W. A. Fletcher, 1882-86; S. E. Buford, 1886.

Treasurers.—A. C. Farnham, 1857-58; David Carson, 1858-
62; Theodore P. Russell, 1862-63; Amos N. Hunt, 1863-64;
H. P. Russell, 1864-70; James A. Greason, 1870-76; D. F.
Martin, 1876-78; Isaac G. Whitworth, 1878-86; William H.
Whitworth, 1886.

Assessors.—J. M. Powell, 1860-61; Charles H. Collins, 1861-
b+; Joseph Huff, 1864-65; Richard F. Trow, 1865-66; Warren
E. Peck, 1866-68; R. F. Trow, 1868-70; Ira M. Raney, 1870-
12; A.D, Williams, 1872-74; William E. Bell, 1874-82; S. E.
Buford, 1882-84; John W. Harral, 1884-86; Samuel P. Rey-
burn, 1886,

Judges of the County Court.—John V. Logan, 1857-65; John
W. Miller, 1857-58; Moses Edmunds, 1857-59; Samuel Tulloch,
1858-60; Philip Pipkin, 1859-60; William Suits, 1860-62;
John W. Hancock, 1860-65; John P. Hayden, 1862-66; Franz

aa”


GOODSPEED'S |
STORY r43

—or—_

| SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

RACING AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF

iene

EMB

2 “Pax Countias oF STE. GENEVIEVE, gr. Francois, PERRY, CAPE GIRARDEAT.

Bo.LIncER, MADISON, New Maprip, PEMISCOT, DuNELIN,
Scort, Musstssrpr1, STODDARD, BuTLER, \ .

_ WaxNE AND Tron,

E PRESERVATION OF PERSONAL,

INCLUDING A DEPARTMENT DEVOTED TO TH
PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE RECORDS.

ILLUSTRATED

- A Reprint Edition — ee
sce 1955 3 3 {ims

ee ee bP EDA OW.

agin é ries:
ee ee

eee

Ly oo i Se Lilie Gite De
24 lane ‘as 7 wae deed a feed

Ctctes

Lt Allen g Nag Sy nese Bo
pele garde sed


MURIEL FORSYTH CLEVERDON
BOX 446
LEXINGTON, MISSOURI 64067

a
RET
ior’

Or Df
baie

fe ma


ee eS waters, bt

STATE OF MISSOURI 411

the Jefferson Circuit Court, Matthew H. Marsden was indicted
for the murder of Anson A. Vail. The charge was in substance
that the defendant, on the 12th of November, “did choke, suffo-
cate and strangle” the said Vail, and thereby caused his instant
death. Marsden was tried for the offense in July, 1883, and
found “ not guilty.”

State vs. Fidelo Rogexgy#—On the 10th of March, 1882, after
nightfall, the house of Joseph, Yerger, a merchant at Antonia,
was set on fire. Discovering tit “% house was on fire, Yerger
rushed to the well, which was nea by, to get water, and while
there he was shot and killed bytan unknown party, who evidently
had set the house on fire, in order to get him out where he could
shoot him from a concealed position. The house, which consisted
of a store and dwelling cgg/bined, was consumed by the fire.
On the 15th of September, 1884, the grand jury for Jefferson
County indicted Fidelo Rogers for the murder of Joseph Yer-
ger, and on the 14th of January following the prosecuting at-
torney, Mr. James F. Green, dismissed the case for want of evi-
dence to sustain the charge in the indictment. |

State vs. James Strickland.—On the 18th of September, 1883,
Thomas Davis was shot and killed in De Soto. James Strick-
land was arrested for the crime, and taken before Squire Elias F.
Honey for preliminary examination. At the following January
term of the circuit court he was indicted for the murder of
Davis, and was tried in February following and acquitted.

Murder of the Bonacres.—In J anuary, 1884, Mr. Bonacre and
wife, young married people living near High Ridge, in the north-
ern part of Jefferson County, were brutally murdered with an ax,
in their house. The perpetrator or perpetrators of this horrible
crime have never been discovered so as to be apprehended.

State vs. Barney B. Smith.—On the 20th of December, 1885,
certain parties at Crystal City indulged in drinking intoxicants,
and while thus engaged, Martin Thorp was shot and killed. On
the 20th of January, following, one Barney B. Smith was in-
dicted for the murder of Thorp. On being arraigned for trial he
plead “ not guilty,” and the case was continued until March, fol- °
lowing, when he was tried and acquitted. .

State vs. Thomas Moss et. al.—On the 29th of August, 1883,


nt
We, “manent

ager. Pipe SURO ade A ar ea a oo ade a di
Se ONSET cee a CM Ra te eee i

412 HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

Matthew H. Marsden and Allen Hensley, while riding in a wagon
on the gravel road, about a mile and a half north of Antonia, in

Jefferson County were both shot by parties that lay concealed

by the roadside. Marsden was instantly killed, and Hensley lin-
gered until the next day and then died. Thomas H. Moss,
James Moss and Allen Marsden were arrested for this double
murder, and on the 3d of September following they were given

a preliminary hearing -before Squires C. T. Rankin and D. D.

Goff, by whom they were discl¥yged.,* Afterward at the Sep-
tember term, 1884, of the circuit co qt, these same parties were
indicted for the murder of Matttgw H. Marsden and Allen Hen-
sley, but did not have their trial until June, 1886, when they
were tried and acquitted on account of insufficient evidence to
convict them.

It is not pretended that a the homicides committed in Jef-
ferson County have been ‘mentioned in the foregoing; but in
nearly all instances where the supposed guilty parties have been
arrested and tried mention has been made. It will be observed
that a large majority of the persons indicted and tried for the
crime of murder have been acquitted. Of course it is presumed
that the parties acquitted were either not guilty, or that the evi-
dence against them was not sufficient to establish their guilt;
however, the fact still remains that the murders were committed,
and that the majority of them have been committed since the
outbreak of the Civil War. It would seem from this fact that
feuds were engendered during the war period, which finally cul-
minated in murder, or that the war begat with some persons a
disregard for human life. Jefferson County, however, has suf-
fered no more from crimes committed by lawless individuals than
her sister counties in Missouri.

Jefferson County Bar.—Prominent among the Jefferson
County bar may be mentioned the following: Hon. James A.
Beal was admitted to this bar in November, 1840, and became a
prominent and able lawyer. During the Civil War he left the
county and located in the city of St. Louis, where he practiced

- until he- retired from professional life. Hon. Abner Green, a

native of Virginia and brother of Senator James Green,
was admitted to the Jefferson County bar November 25, 1844.


rner of section
v line between
way county, to
6; thence east
nge 0; thence
thence enst to
nge 3; thence

of section 8,
corner of sec-
th-west corner
he county line
-east corner of
he county line

of section 12,
rner of section
vest corner of
yntgomery and

to the south-
‘e east to the
hence north to

tion 12, town-
’ line; thence
1 19, township
tion 24, town-

tion 25, town-
’ line; thence
el of the Mis-
to where the
ind Montgom-

‘the People’s
eeper for H-
. J. Douglass.
vas employed.
Was with his
- Both were

iL in this case,
\. Thompson

- — Sermate e

bec

Reenth tags act ones oon rre wot

y

Nl a Are

4

% ee AME ar ae
SITES Un alr hada

ateitedie-Gh naib cmndsgh aromas

Uta ltrs Bari i

Seon Sd

dade Me rSggrei Macmpnat yee:

vee Snag ace Si ey hic ae

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 671

from the files of this newspaper, The Ray, of Montgomery City, and
by A. B. Hunter, Esq., circuit clerk, from the official records.

The case was called December 1, 1874, and at the instance of
defendant the cause was severed, for the purposes of trial, and after
some controversy about the record of a continuance, and also an
application for a new continuance, the case was taken up, as to
Douglass, and a trial entered into.

For the State appeared E. M. Hughes, prosecuting attorney, and
Judge W. O. Forist, of Audrain, and for the defendant appeared
Capt. Stuart Carkener and Hon. Jeff Jones, of Callaway.

The following jurors were selected from a new panel summoned by
agreement to try the case: William Smith, Garland Gibson, Will-
iam Loyad, Thos. Jones, H. H. Atterbury, John D. Poindexter,
William Penn, J. B. Shelton, William Webb, J. B. Culpeper, Fred
Davault, Renk Renkin.

The defendant admitted the killing of Cain, but claimed that he
did it in self-defense, belicving that the deceased made an assault
upon him with a deadly weapon — billiard cue —and was when fired
upon about to do him some great bodily harm.

Judge Forist concluded the examination of witnesses for the State
and Capt. Carkener for the defense.

TESTIMONY.

There was scarcely any substantial difference about the material
facts in the case, but as in all such cases there was some conflict as
to the position and demeanor of the parties, immediately before and
at the time of the commencement of the affray, which proved fatal to
Patrick Cain.

Douglass and Hayden are brothers-in-law, and in the forenoon of
the day the killing occurred, went to the billiard hall and com-
menced playing at a game called ‘ pin-pool.’’ Patrick Cain, bar-
tender, and Thomas McDonald, assistant bartender, joined in the
game for a time and withdrew. After several drinks Hayden became
so much intoxicated as to be disagreeably noisy, and in the afternoon
Cain took the balls from the table, but after some parleying gave them
back and the game was resumed. After a short time Douglass sat
his cue down by the counter, and Hayden apparently became ‘* vexed
with his luck,’? commenced knocking the balls about the room and out
through the door; and at this Cain told them to get out of there, that
he had been troubled with them long enough, and then took the cue
that Douglas had put down, and struck Hayden on the head, and


Jackson Day
at large.

5, IN LOUTRE

Brated collision
» German citi-
vs and of the
‘espondent of
igence of the
ollows: The
nviable repu-
e vicinity of
n obtained to
t German, as
ept on hand a
ber 29, 1881,
liquor, which
» house, upon
x and wound-
sed was being
from 25 to 50
ninate shoot-
fhomuas King,
her buck, and
oe King was

1 out against

tin, some of

ild have been

he bad repu-

lat they had

rctments for
nry and Ed-
iry Feblings,
lan residents
rged on pre-
ty was with
, Westworth
rand no one
ing of Mrs.

OSG Sekt MAAS, aS, Allg

S| a eee

TRA Shiba RNA NS deanna Re oi me aAbiep cts) eomon”

~ rag wis cst

eS ee ee ee reed

eee eee arrays

et WD ie. BORD DONS

sy mentee

i A Ate Hate) Reaulner yo!

wan Le tia ae coe oe ee ue eo On OO ate as ot ek

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 675

Austin was purely accidental; the German citizens of Loutre are not
so heartless and cruel as to kill an aged woman purposely and in cold
blood.

Abbie King and Thos. Austin, the latter a son of the murdered
woman, were indicted for assaulting the wife of Fritz Gloe, another
German citizen of the township. They were arrested but gave
bond with G. Tl. Kallmeyer as surety. They ran away before trial,
however, and their bond was forfeited.

After leaving the county farm the Kings lived at Montgomery City
and Wellsville, at both of which places they had trouble with the
citizens. Their present whereabouts are unknown.

DEATH OF GEORGE BAUGHMAN, ‘* THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY HERMIT.’

About the 20th of February, 1882, a singular character named
George Buughman died in Danville. He was known far and near as
‘«the Montgomery county hermit.’’ The following from the Mont-
gomery City Standard, of February 24, 1882, gives a correct history
of the old hermit and of the circumstances attending his death : —

Everybody in Montgomery county, no doubt, has either heard of or
secn Geo. Bauglhim: an, the hermit, who for nearly thirty years has
lived a solitary ‘lite in a cave near Danville, and during all that time
has been searching for gold which he claimed was hidden in the hills
surrounding his abode. His history is briefly as follows : —

Baughman was 65 years of age, and came to this county in 1852
from Carbondale, Ill., where he formerly resided, and where he
owned a good farm. In the spring of that year he in company with
two boys — nephews — started from his home in Illinois in a w agon
drawn by two yoke of oxen, for Pike’s Peak, where gold had been
discovered, and on reaching Loutre Lick, west of Danville, finding
plenty of wood and water, concluded to camp there for a few days to
rest. During his stay there, one yoke of his oxen died, and one
animal of the rem: auining yoke ‘strayed away. In his search
among the hills for the missing animal, he cial the
caye since made famous by his labors, and concluded to re-
main there. Itis situated one and a half miles south of Danville,

near a branch running into Loutre, known as Town branch. He at

once took up his wbode in the cave, and commenced his long and fruit-
less search for gold which he believed was hidden in the hills. He
claimed to be commissioned by the then Emperor of the French to
dig up the gold hidden there, and said the depression in the rocks in
the eave answered the description of the place given by the French
government. One of his nephews soon tired of this mode of living,
und returned to Illinois. The other one remiined some two or tiree
years and he too returned to his home, leaving Baughman alone. Baugh-

Nan Ne AAT oR ARN ani UL ill beatae 2 see ems ape

TTR. ee any


Spe eran Soe RR IM Ce

a ne
sPaest

oe ee

ae
uf
}

672 HISTORY

OF

MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

then commenced with the same weapon on Douglass. After striking
two blows, Douglass drew a revolver and fired two shots at Cain, and
they clinched and in the skirmish fell to the floor. Hayden came to
the relief of Douglass and caught Cain by the throat and commenced
choking him. MeDonald caught Douglass and took him away. Maj.
Spinsby, the proprietor of the hotel came in and told Hayden to ** let
go,’ that Cain was dying, but Hayden held on until Spinsby knocked
him loose with a billiard cue. Cain died in about 15 minutes.

There was a slight conflict in testimony only us to whether Douglass
advanced on Cain after Hayden was struck; also us to the effect of
the blow Cain struck Hayden; the State claimed that it was harm-
less, and the defense that it felled him to the floor. A wound on
Hayden's head, which was dressed by Dr. Caldwell, showed that a
severe blow was given him, and the State contended that it was the
effect of the blow that Spinsby gave him when knocking him off the
dying man. One witness, L. Dow Hendershott, said that when the
balls were taken off the table Hayden started home, and Douglass
went to the door and called him to come back, that he (Douglass)
had money to pay their way, and if the bulls were not returned he
had something that would make livelier times than were usual in that
hall, and at the time drew from his pocket a revolver which he exhib-
ited, whereupon Hayden returned and the balls were put back on the
table, and five minutes later trouble commenced. And McDonald
said that he thought the parties, Douglass and Hayden, were ‘¢ itching
for a difficulty.’? But the statement of Hendershott was contradicted
by Thomas Skinner, who was present waiting for a train to return
home.

On Thursday, December 38, the jury repotted that they were unable
to agree, und were consequently discharged nnd the case continued until
the April term, 1876, when, April 28, it was again tried by another
jury, who returned a verdict of ‘* guilty,’”’ fixing the time of impris-
opment at five years in the penitentiary.

A motion for a new trial was made and sustained. The muin cause
urged, was the fact, as alleged, that Wm. J. Sanders, of Middletown,
one of the juvors that decided the casc, had expressed an opinion pub-
licly as to the merits of the case. Of this fact there were several
affidavits, depositions and other testimony.

A change of venue was taken October 24, 1876, and the case sent to
Boone county, where, on trial, Douglass was acquitted. Douglass
and Hayden are both still residents of the county.

’ the ce

The

By
Total —

Pop |
in 187

In 1
Ameri
907; &

White
Colored |

Danville —
New Fle
Montgoi

On t
Germ:
by two
in gree
only pe

Susp
Callaw:
Jackso
Walter
tor the
propert
the «uct:

The
quite a
the arré
those n
caught
Neff we

guilty v

Bae ee oe ee

-ing which followed Mrs. Austin, the mother-in-law

SESE SAE BRN es Bea ise eReN ee

EIT ORE ERR,

O74 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
against Truman Day was nolle prossed, and Wm. Day, Jackson Day
and Fred Moody have never been arrested, and are still at large.

THE TROUBLE WITIL THE ‘6 KING BOYS ’”’ NEAR AMERICUS, IN LOUTRE
TOWNSHIP — MURDER OF MRS. AUSTIN.

In the latter part of the year 1881 oceurred the celebrated collision
in Loutre township between the King brothers and some German citi-
zens, which resulted in the killing of one of the King boys and of the
mother-in-law of inother, Mrs, Nancy Austin. A correspondent of
the Montgomery City Standard furnished the first intelligence of the
trouble ina communication which was substantially as follows: The
King boys, three in number, were men ofanythine but enviable repu-
tation, and were Suspected of numerous crimes in the vicinity of
where they lived, though not sufficient evidence had been obtained to
mike a certainty of the perpetrators. John Nellison, a German, as
was the custom with that class of foreign-born citizens, kept on hand a
supply of wine for private use. On the evening of December 29, 1881,
the King boys, in passing Nellison’s residence, demanded liquor, which
was refused them. They then begun an assault on the house, upon
which action Nellison fired three shots, killing Jack King and wound-
ing one brother, Subsequently, as the body of the deceased was being

prepared for burial, one bright moonlight night, a moh of from 25 to 50

men approached the house and fired into it. In the indiscriminate shoot-

of Thomas King,
received a ball through her breast and several shots in her back, and

was found dead on the Steps when the melee was over. Joe King was
wounded, as was also Mrs. King. Warrants were sworn out against
eight men, charging them with the murder of Mrs, Austin, some of
whom were afterwards arrested. But little attention would have been
paid to the affair save for the killing of Mrs, Austin, as the bad repu-
tation of the King boys caused many persons to think that they had
met a deserving fate.

At the April term of the Cireuit Court, 1882, indictments for
murder in the first degree were found against John, Henry and Ed-
ward Elsinradt, Tlenry Westworth, Fritz Hlestenbach, Henry Feblings,
Philip Schroff, Matthias Keep, and five or six other German residents
of the township. The majority of these had been discharged on pre-
liminary examination 3 the sympathy of the community was with
them, and none of them have ever been arrested. Henry Westworth
died, and it is understood that the others left the country and no one
knows or cares to know their whereabouts. The killing of Mrs.

= Austi:
_ so he:
. blood

woman
Germ:
== bond
 howev
me Aft
and Y
~~ citizen

DEATH

Abo
‘ Georg
the.
gomer
of the

--seen (
lived ¢
has be
surrou
Bau
from
owned
two dc
drawn
discove
plenty
rest.
animal
among
cave
main t
near a
once t¢
less se:
claime:
dig up
the cav
govern
and ret
years a)


cornea es Se as
<I
A
fan)
fae)
B

Criminal Record,

Monday, January 19, 185
> Hon. Daniel Q. Gale a
John D. Coalter, Hon.
e peared for the prisoner,
, 3 dicted had been

STATE OF MISSOURI.

—There has been but one man

no public

279

hanged in

The
ppeared for the State, thd the Hon.
W. V.N. Bay, and Maj. Uriel

A severance of the prisoner
anted. A motion for continuan

ea of “not guilty” the trial was conducted

Wright ap-
8 jointly in-
ce was over-

, William T. O. Dickinson and Jer-
emiah H, Williams; which, a

ad, on Tuesday, March 17,
» took an appeal to the

including the father and

a8 NO special excitement ex-
Although Worrell made


i Me eH Cai 1 RRR Rr eke Te oe Sahat ioe a OE 5 ic tsa
eee ACE ae aa ete om (Gu) (eet de earl et Tea tego apie a

ese |e
; por

en aa Mae Pt.) Mat OO ROM aE coum. ree x ” i .
a vivre my epee

tHe - ASS s

pened eal ANE lati ahBbll os 8

eet

hi gilnetone Oe Me glare

vg

Reina eg than pt ti
Poot tome

ad

*

Not ‘ 7
Be ag as Oa a ie
neta get

r “i
Pig

280 HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

shot dead in a second attempt to desert, at Fort Leavenworth, Kas.

The capture of Worrell and Bruff was one of the finest pieces
of detective work ever performed in this country. They them-
selves had givenz#fe clue at the Planters’ House in St: Louis as
to the identity of the murderers, which was so skillfully followed
by Capt. J. D. Couzins that both Worrell and Bruff were ar-
rested within the same hour on one February day,in 1856, the
former in Dover, Del., and the latter in M on, Ga., and
immediately after the arrest each one was induc? confess by
representations to him that the other had already confessed.

On January 4, 1858, Nelson Cross was indicted for the mur-
der, in 1857, of Andrew McCreary, in Prairie Township. The
jury before which he was tried was composed of Alonzo Williams,
Squire Brammel, Vpion T. Greenstreet, Alfred M. Chiles,
Valentine Johnson, Jordan M. Glenn, William T. Jones, Hol-
come P. Watkins, Moses J. Robertson, Joseph E. Robertson,
Richard Ferguson and John Conally. The verdict of this jury,
rendered January 6, 1858, was: “ We, the jury, find the defendant
guilty of murder in the first degree, as charged in the indictment.”
The sentence of the court was delivered on the 16th, and was
that Nelson Cross be hanged until he was dead, on the 26th of
February, 1858. An appeal was taken to the Supreme court,
and a new trial granted, and, finally, on the 7th of April, 1859,
the defendant pleaded guilty, and put himself upon the mercy of
the court. The court therefore found the defendant guilty of
murder in the second degree, and sentenced him to twenty-five
years in the penitentiary.

William L. Hall ran the most remarkable career as a mur-
derer of any one ever in Franklin County. On January 18,
1858, he was twice before the following jury for the murder by
stabbing of Andrew Bullock: William W. Johnson, William E.
Bronk, Henry Anderson, James Park, John Evans, Thomas
Woodeock, Joseph J. Brown, William Reynolds, William P.
Lemmon, James Waggoner, Jshn D. Carter and George W.
McCullough. This jury brought in a verdict of “ guilty of mur-
der in the first degree, as charged in the indictment,” on the
date named above. On January 19, a new trial was granted,
and a change of venue to Washington County also granted’


182 HISTORY OF MISSOURI.

and cavalry, under Lieut.-Col. J. T Buell. The Confederates,
commanded by Col. John T. Hughes, of Clinton County, and G.
W. Thompson, numbered from 600 to 800. They were fairly in-
side the town, and had commenced a vigorous attack before their
approach was suspected. Col. Buell was at once surrounded at
his headquarters, thus preventing all communication between
himself and his men; nevertheless his soldiers fought bravely ;
but so completely were they surprised that the best they could do
was to retreat into the fields, where they formed for defense be-
hind a stone wall. While the rebels we charging upon this
position Col. Hughes was killed. Col. Buell, finding that his
camp was in the hands of the enemy, and that extrication was

hopeless, raised the white flag and surrendered the post. Both
sides suffered heavy losses.

BATTLES OF LONE JACK AND NEWTONIA.

At Lone Jack, a village in Jackson County, a rebel force
(3,000 strong) under Cols. John T. Coffee, Vard. Cockerill, 8. D,
Jackman and D. ©, Hunter, attacked 800 State militia under
Maj. Emory Foster, of the Seventeenth Missouri State Militia on
August 16. The Federal loss was 43 killed, 154 wounded and
75 missing; the Confederate casualties were about the same.
The Federals were defeated and lost two pieces of artillery,
The rebels hearing their adversaries were to be reinforced
retreated southward. .

On September 13, 1862, an engagement took place at New-
tonia, Newton County, between about 5,000 Kansas, Wisconsin,
Missouri and Indian troops, under Gen. Salomon, and a Confed-
erate force of 8,000 or 10,000 under Col. D. H. Cooper. Num-
bers were killed and wounded on both sides, and the Federals
were compelled to retreat as far as Sarcoxie, fifteen miles distant.

EXECUTION OF REBEL PRISONERS. .

At Macon, Mo., on the 25th of September, ten rebel prisoners
were executed on the charge of repeated violations of their paroles,
and on October 18 a similar number was shot at Palmyra, in
retaliation for the abduction and murder of Andrew Allsman, a
Unionist of Marion County. After the battle of Kirksville,

+


HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 133

sixteen were executed for violating their paroles, and Col. F. H.
McCullough was shot for recruiting within the lines.

: BATTLE OF CANE HILL, ARKANSAS.

The last great battle of the year in which Missourians had a
part was fought at Cane Hill, near Fayetteville, Ark., on Sunday,
December 6, 1862. The Confederate forces under Gen. Hind-
man, of Arkansas, and Marmaduke, of Missouri, were defeated by

the Unionists under Gen. Blunt of Kansas. The following is-

the official report of the engagement, sent by Gen. Blunt to Maj.-
Gen. Curtis, commandant of the department of Missouri:
PRAIRIE GROVE, December 10, 18624
Maj.-Gen. S. R. Curtis: “

The enemy did not stop in their flight until they had crossed the Boston
Mountains, and are probably ere this across the Arkansas River. The enemy’s
killed and woun ed is between 1,500 and 2,000 — a large proportion of them
killed. One val of their wounded have died since the battle, and a large
proportion of the others are wounded mortally, showing the terrible effects of
my artillery. My casualties will be about 200 wounded. Most of the wounded
will recover. The enemy have left their wounded on my hands, and most of
their dead, uncared for. They are being buried by my command. Hindman
admitted his force to be 28,000. Maj. Hubbard, who was & prisoner with them
all day of the fight, counted twenty regiments of infantry and twenty pieces of
artillery. They had no train with them, and mufiled the wheels of their artil-
lery in making their retreat. Four caissons filled with ammunition were taken
from the enemy. The Twentieth Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers, in addi-
tion to those mentioned yesterday, suffered severely in charging one of the
enemy’s batteries, which they took, but were unable to hold.

James G. BLUNT,
Brigadier- General.

THE CAMPAIGN OF 31863.—BATTLES OF SPRINGFIELD, HARTSVILLE
AND CAPE GIRARDEAU.

In the early part of this year, the Confederates, led by Gens.
Marmaduke and Price, resumed activity +n Arkansas and Southern
Missouri. On the Sth of January, with a force of 2,500 or 3,000
men and three pieces of artillery, Gen. J. 8. Marmaduke attacked
Springfield, which was occupied by Federal troops under Gen.
E. B. Brown, commander of the Southwestern Department of
Missouri. The fighting continued from 1 o'clock P. M. until
after dark. Gen, Brown, having been severely wounded, the
command devolved upon Col. B. Crabb. The Confederates re-.
treated the following morning, going to Marshfield and Harts-

Pe aneiiatl


e

HISTORY OF RAX COUNTY.

On the 24th day of June, A. D. 1876, Richard Reeves and William
Witcher lost their lives at the hands of a dastardly assassin, named Brice,
who Stabbed them with a knife. (Brice was apprehended and hanged by
the outraged citizens the same night.) ee

_ William Dawson, in April, 1871, was killed by William Webster.
In 1871, Thomas P. Campbell severed the throat of James Smith, with
a knife. See

It should be stated that most of the affrays above recited, were between.

men of extremely low character. Many of them were transients—tie

choppers. Hardin is now a quiet, peaceable and progressive town.

OVERFLOWS OF THE MISSOURI RIVER,

* A memorable overflow of the Missouri river occurred in 1827. All the

bottom lands in Ray county were overflowed, forcing the people to
abandon their homes, and seek safety on the higher ground farther to in-
land. Several houses were washed away and considerable damage was
done to stock, fencing and farm lands. But on the 14th, 15th and 16th |
days of June, 1844, took place the greatest and most distressing overflow
of the Missouri river, known to the memory of any living man. Millions
of property was destroyed, human lives lost, and untold personal suffering
engendered. The bottom lands of this county were entirely inundated,
buildings of every kind were swept away, stock killed, and plantations
‘laid waste. ites se : fro ot te
_ The crops of that season were well advanced, and promised a glorious
harvest. Vast fields of wheat, oats, rye, and corn were submerged, and
the water receded to leave them a desolate waste. Great suffering neces-_—

roe FS

fad

sarily followed.. The corn in the bottoms was especially luxuriant, and
many persons were dependent upon the successful cultivation of that

.Staple for a living. When it was destroyed their only resource for the

necessities of life was the charity of the people. ts
No lives were lost in Ray county, but no other disaster, before nor
since, has been so destructive of property. eu
April, 1831, will long be remembered as the month of another great
_and devastating ‘overflow of the Missouri. The rise of 1581 was at an
unusual time, being about six weeks earlier than the annual June rise.
- In 1544 the tributaries to the Missouri were all greatly swollen, and, of
course, helped to swell the vast volume of water. This wWas.not the case —
in 1881, and accounts for the fact that in the latter year, above the mouth ©

~

_ of the Kansas river, the volume of water was considerably greater than

it was in 1844, and below that point much less.

_ Asin the case of the two former rises mentioned, the bottom lands
were ail under water, and a great deal of da: tage done, but crops had not
been planted. Very little preparation of the soil to receive the seed, had

wai ee


pee adie PecSa

: -

aa
ee

450 HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.

cealed, about his. person, with which he stabbe

Adams seventeen times,
inflicting ghastly wound

$ and causing his death almost lastantiy.
The deed. was committed in the presence of citizens, whom the homi-
cide kept at bay, flourishing his weapon and threatening violence to any
who should dare to approach him. He continued to stab the prostrate
and helpless Adams, till a gentieman from the crowd struck him on the

an infuriated demon, and demanded to know who struck him; no one
responded. Brandishing his bloody weapon in the air, and uttering oaths
and threats, he defied arrest, till the intrepid Alexander Harwood, who
carried a sword-cane, stepped in front of him, with weapon drawn, and
commanded him to surrender, or be. pierced through and through.
-Then, for the first time, White seemed to realize the enormity of what he
had done, and was seized by the passion of fear. Trembling in every
_ Muscle, the butcher-knife fell from his nerveless. hands, and he quietly
submitted to arrest.
White was a shoe maker and lived in Elk
residing in'thd neighborhood of that
a fight at Elkhorn, and in the br

horn; Adams was a farmer,
village. They had previously had
east of each rankled the spirit of revenge.

throughout the day. Adams, it is said, followed after W
that they should “fight it out,”
avoid further difficulty, but re

hite, insisting
while the latter, professing a desire to
ally, it was believed, watching an opportu-

did not wish to “ fight.”
execution in Ray county. ee

meee” James Robinson was killed in the streets of Richmond about the year

1844, by one William Balser. A quarrel arose in a crowd near where
the Wasson House now

| stands, in which a rough, named Tanner, was
-. the most conspicuous participant. He was, however, a notorious coward,
and upon his refusal to ight, when a braver man than he, at last, oftered
hirn battle, the crowd gathered around and began jecving him; he then
retreated, followed by the party, among whom were James Robinson and
William Balser, the former preceding the la

itter in the pursuit. Balser, for
what, or whether for any prévocation is unknown, struck Robinson about
~ the back of the head or neck,

either with his fist or open hand; whereupon
the latter turned upon his assailant, and, stabbing him but once in the

abdomen, with a pocket-knife, indicted &@ wound, which, in the course of
the ensuing night, proved fatal. For this act, Robinson was sent to the
penitentiary for tea years.

About the year 1855,a man named Wingo was a wagon-maker in

back of the neck with a large rock, at which he rose with all the rage of |

On the eveniny of. the homicide, both men had been in Richmond. ~

nity to gain an advantage, told his pursuer to keep away from him, as he ©

White was tried, condemned and hanged; and this was the last legal.


HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.

been made, and as the flood began to recede after about three days, the

land became dry in time to be plowed and cultivated in the usual way the
ensuing season. ;

The bottom lands of Ray county are very seldom overflowed, and, in
point of fertility and depth of soil cannot be excelled,

About twenty-seven years ago, Captain Thomas McGinnis forded the
Missouri river, horseback, without getting wet, .a short distance below
Lexingion and in sight of that town. The act was witnessed by about
thirty persons, standing on the river bank. The water was very low, of
course, lower perhaps than any person, now living, will remember to have
s¢en it at any other time. )

Captain McGinnis is doubtless the only man in this part of the state
who ever forded the Missouri river, so low down as Lexington. -

; PETRIFIED STUMP.

On the premises of 1. C. Nofiinger, of Tinney’s Grove, is a petrified
stump, found in 1858, northeast of Tinney’s Grove, in section one, town-
ship fifty-four, range twenty-six.

The stump is about two and a half feet in height, and perhaps three
feet in diameter. The roots are not yet entirely petrified, and will weigh
doubiless five hundred pounds. Every growth of the timber is plainly
visible, as also are the marks of the axe, made in severing the trunk; and
in places indications of the inside bark still remain. '

The petrifaction is of a Whitish gray color, very hard and flinty, and
will strike fire readily. :

There was also found in 1847, on section fourteen, same township and
range, portions of a petrified tree, in pieces from one foot to four feet in
length, and about one foot in diameter. They are of the same color as
the petrified stump, and are also very hard and flinty. |

HOMICIDES.

In March, 1841, a man named Martin Adams was killed on Main
Street, in Richmond, near Darneal’s Store, at the southwest corner of the
public square. He met his death at the hands of one Ben White. It was
late in the afternoon, and White stood in the street holding his horse, pre-
paratory to starting for his home at Elkhorn. Adams was hard by.
Gentlemen. remarked thé wild and infuriated visage of White, and told
the sheriff, Colonel Brown, who was standing near, that he had better
arrest him. Whereupon, hearing the caution, White begged to be
searched, declaring himself unarmed.

Some words of altercation then passed between White and Adams,
when the former threw a rock at the latter, and immediately ran toward
him, drawing, as he ran, a large butcher-knife from a scabbard, con-

ar i uk ets, Mis ¥ qs A pe * a

ile Tb O Leen tr

MF 5

e

Jasu s8py,y dre
Box 457
Headland, Ala. 363)5

2 December 1976

The Librarian,
The Suffalo or Dallas County Public Librery,
Buffalo, Missouri 65622.

Dear sir or madam:

Currently I am engaged in research on Capital Punishpant in the United States which I hope

to culminate with the publication of © work waich will contain a brief bio, raphical sketch of
each person to have been legally executed in our Country as well as a urief account of the
crimes of each,

According to records that I have recazived, no parson sentenced from Dallas County has been put
to death since the State of ‘iissouri began executing its condemned felons at the ‘tate Prison

in 1936.

However, prior to then, those sentenced to die in Missouri were hanged locally by the Sheriffs
in the Counties of their corvictions and no State Department o1 agency maintains a list of
those earlier, local executions, +f you hav2 any record of any legal. hangings in buffalo or
Dallas County, then I snall certainly appreciate ary information vhat you might NOLL provide.
Just the names and the dates of executicns would, at least, Vive me something on which to base
further research, but adcitional information woula be veiy, very helpful. If pages or articles
from a local or County “istory (frequenti: these will wake mention of or carry accounts of
local executions and spectacular crimes), nevepaness, a or other publicztions are
copied in any way, then I choil gladly pay for tiie cost of the copies.

If there has never been = legal hanging in Dallas County and you can gonfim this fact for me,
please do so. A notation to this 2ffect on the bottom of this letier, returned to me, will
be sufficient notification.

If you cannot help me, please provide me with the names and addresses of your local “istorical
Society or Museum, 2 local historian, rour newspaper Op Some cbhuer organizations or individual
who might be of aspistance

gnclosed is thirteen cents (134) rostage for your coiivenisnce in replying and you will, of
course, be given credit in the work itself for any assistance rendered.
Thanking you for your: cooperation and with best wishes for the forthcoming
I am,

Christmas Season,

o

Qe mtav aa LD caw ee aA Chere A, Ltt
Lp law Csentey Dror Dhirdre Yow
tuk “tag Yectiona

tage, De
Shit Rt. 2, Box 90
-/Maysville, MO 64469
OVe 23;

Be io ite ra oo u
gay age fog Grae S rth i Editor t ‘ Pr : (2 sige (fy
{ ig i i f pai ‘Martha ih Co. Hist a # ‘ | & Kaz. LC _O if L 2 ,
4

niall als) acitioee |

198.

Capital ‘Punishment Research Project
Law Library=#-Box 6205 | :

_ University, AL 35486 |

RES ERIN

Dear Sir; ;

er RRS

egg

"" @s We-received your letter of Nov. 11, 1981 and have been Looking
_ “ “into the matter, We have been unable to find any records of
. Segevexecutions in DeKalb County prior to 1938,

- Seer There are-available in the courthouse vault several county court
and sheriff's docket books, We took as much time as we couldspare
glancing through these books: but as they contain mostly court costs,
. etc. that sheriff's have to collect, we did not find anything of a’
' esserious. nature such as executions, - ae ats :
Cr ieee Fax whch She by WaRe ¢ ie errant 5 ‘ ; . pas BE ES
pve You might want to come to the courthouse in Maysville and go through
_ geo these books yourself, As for the Historical Society, we would have |
oto request a $3.00 donation for each hour of time we spend researching.
Ps ~~ As there would be’ several hours involved going through these books,we
@@— did not want to incur this expense without your approval,
| Sy Bai) Sa 6s yea 3 id ;
Pus: Wechave never found anything, that would lead to believing that an.
tin execution ever took place in DeKalb County. As a society we have been

shat * Lae ha
ats Fy inde A ¥ ae

Zee an

|

| - working in research for 13 years, We have published books on the nine
| townships, a cemetery census and some reprints, as well as publish

“sw THE DEKALB COUNTY HERITAGE, a paper that is printed quarterly and sent
“to our members, With all of. this research, we believe that if there

‘. ~“had been an execution we would have discovered that fact,
Ree ee % ease! ian a de eae “irae i ata : ae i wy : ROS ee a
; Ls a oh inc erel V5 Po ER RRR ate GE as RA s ‘ ; ei! <3 ce CLAS yz ie Sey 3 a art

¢ eeeCe for Me, Piecie <> eo. A eote?:. %.. , th + nf Py ete
. .*® P8Martha Spiers, Sec.“of Historical Society :

; : 2 BES Sa \ eds - % rs
ie opel. Martha § ee :
Ee : Heritage, DeKalb Co hg gs a ema, iS “By
ae MST cet » Box 90 + a3 : aay : e te
Maysville, MO 64469 , & “a ak navling ‘s

| f $8.33) poataze for your convedgen: tylay and yo WAS SE dour,
x i @henking Sort for vour Findes: “i. a : at wks hehe vs 7

a tat 3 : F a ct A ok he Wie tae ae te Aaby a, SC Sebar cows.

te
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at


en Pr ete

saab ee eee eT ee

STATE OF MISSOURI. 281

The result of the trial in Washington County was that Hall was

sentenced to fifteen years in the penitentiary. The defense in his

case in both trials was insanity, and, after serving about two

years in the penitentiary, he was transferred to the asylum for

the insane at Fulton, Mo., where he remained about ten months,

and was discheg@ed as restored to reason. He returned to

Franklin County, and soon afterward went to St. Louis County,

and taught a term of school, after which he returned to Franklin

County, and boarded for a time at the Washington House, Wash-

ington, Mo. Soon after coming to Washington hgsvent out to his
father’s house, about ten miles west of Union, i father was
lying on his death bed, and, approaching the house, shot his sis-
ter, who was watching by her father’s bedside, through the open
window, killing her instantly, and the shock to his father was so
great that he died within six hours. After the commission of
this murder Hal went to his brother John’s house, within
about four miles of Washington, and called to him to come out
of doors, but the brother, prevailed upon by his wife not to
respond to the summons, thereby saved his own life, as it was
Hall’s intention, as he afterward said, to kill him also, and thus
become sole heir to his father’s estate. Hall then went on to
Washington, where he was arrested and brought back to Union.

Here he was placed in jail to await his preliminary examination,
and, while undergoing this examination before Squire Stover, in
the room in the court-house now occupied by William M. Terry,
county collector,he was seized by about fifty, quiet, determined,
silent, unmasked men, taken to a wagon standing at the north
court-house door, and, despite his protestations and appeals for
justice and a fair trial, to which no answer whatever was returned,
was taken to the southeast part of town, where a rope w. astened
about his neck, the other end thrown over the limb of a large
elm tree and fastened, and the wagon driven out from under
him, and he left to choke to death. The crowd of silent men all
returned to the court-house yard and dispersed. . Hall’s body
was left to hang about three hours, when it was cut down and
buried in the old graveyard about one-third of a mile northeast

of Union. There is no doubt in the minds of many of the best’

citizens that the victim of this lynching was insane.

18 Ps


282 HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

Perhaps the most atrocious murder ever committed in Frank-
lin County was that of Mrs. Mathilda Haase, by her husband,
Fritz W. Haase, and a young woman named Catharine Hoffert.
This murder was yé#petrated August 28, 1880, by cutting Mrs.
Haase’s throat, and beating her on the head with a thick stick.
Haase and the young woman, Catharine Hoffert, were improperly
intimate, and desired to put Mrs. Haase out of the way. They
were both indicted in November, 1880, and tried for murder in
the first degree, before the fetlowing jury: Horace Stewart,
Pleasant Bay, C. E. Frost, Gésrte Nicholson, David Smith, A.
M. Groff, W. H. H. Stanley, Livingston Gall, Frank Piontek,
James Dickinson, John S. White and John W. Dowdall. At the
close of the trial the jury rendered the following remarkable ver-
dict with reference to each of the accused: ‘We, the jury, find
the defendant guilty of*murder in the second degree, and assess
his (or her) punishment at twenty years’ imprisonment in the
penitentiary.” The judge, therefore, sentenced them both to
serve twenty years in the penitentiary, the term to commence
December 8, 1881. Fritz W. Hasse is still in the penitentiary,

~ but both Catharine Hoffert and her child are dead. The expla-

nation of the above remarkable verdict is that one of the jury
expressed doubts as to their guilt, as against the other eleven,
who were in favor of a verdict of murder in the first degree, of
which Haase and Miss Hoffert were certainly guilty if they were
not innocent, and held out until the eleven jurymen consented to
a verdict of guilty in the second degree, in order that a verdict
might be brought in.

The last murder trial in the county was that of Webster
Jackson, who was indicted November 20, 1886, for the killing of
Alexander McVickers, October 22, 1886. Jackson’s plea was
“not guilty,” made January 12, 1887. As he was in indigent
circumstances, the Court appointed as his attorneys J. C. Kis-
kaddon, James W. Owens and James Booth. The jury before
whom he was tried were M. 8. Payne, F. C. Fisher, John Cunio,
Thomas Evang, A. J. Gilcrease, James W. Jeffries, Luther Lack,
John Bruns, Hermann Wedepohl, Robert Buckner, George W.
Faughuder and Louis Gehlert. On September 24, 1887, the jury
brought in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree. Sen-

Ps


Len ee at
s

284 HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

contained the following clause with reference to merchants’
licenses: ‘No such license shall authorize any merchant to sell
vinous, fermented or spirituous liquors, in any quantity, to be
drank at his store, stand, &¥arehouse or other place of business,
nor in any quantity less than five gallons for any purpose what-
ever.” The penalty for the violation of this law is from $100 to
$500 for the first offense, and for the second offense the same
penalty and the revocation of his merchant’s license. This law
has very largely reduced the num#% of those who sold whisky
throughout the county, and r§cently higher fines have been im
flicted upon those who venture to sell without a license; the
result being a more healthy tone in the liquor trade.

The last and one of the greatest of Franklin County horrors was
connected with the name of William Rowe, who with his family
lived in a tent near the Bourbeuse River, and about three-fourths
of a mile from Union. yo is generally believed that he was guilty
of improper intimacy with his own little twelve-year old daughter,
who, through grief, at such inhuman treatment, threw herself
into the Bourbeuse River in December, 1887, and was drowned:
Rowe was arrested and tried soon after for wife-beating, and was
serving out his sentence for this crime, when he escaped on
January 11, 1888, from the guard, but was pursued and shot by
a negro named Dave Osborn, by authority of M. W. Bauer, be.
cause he would not stop when ordered to doso. The wounded
man died a few days afterward.

Legal Fraternity.—The lawyers in Franklin County at the
present time are as follows: John R. Martin, who commenced
to practice in the county in 1866; Abraham J. Seay, who com-
menced in 1868; J. W. Booth, who commenced in 1869; John H.
Pugh, in 1865; T. A. Lowe, in 1866; T. W. V. Crews, in 1863;
Thomas Crowe, 1860, but who has not practiced since 1868; J.
C. Kiskaddon, 1868; Charles F. Gallenkamp, 1877; James W.
Owens, 1878; Jxcgs Booth, 1887; James S. McLean, 1887;
Stephen Frazee, 1876; E. H. Jeffries, 1871; Rudolph Hirzel,
1874; T. R. Webb, 1885, and A. W. Maupin, 1872.

The County, Court.—Early Proceedings.—The first entry
on the records of the county court is as follows:

“January term,1821. Ata county court, begun and held in

tal


STATE OF MISSOURI. 283

tence was declared October 8, 1887, that the condemned be hanged

November 25, 1887. An appeal to the supreme court was granted —

October 8, 188% and a stay of execution was ordered November
22, 1887. :

Besides the lynching of William L. Hall, above narrated,
there was one other lynching, in April, 1847. This was that of
Eli, a slave, who had made an attempt to commit an outrage upon
the person of a Mrs. Teaman, and had afterward killed her, and
had made an atte’, té*kill her young son, Henry. Eli was
indicted March 30,1 47, for murder, but before the trial could
be had he was taken from jail, in broad daylight, and hanged, a
little to the northeast of the present post-office building. The
above are all the hangings that have occured in Franklin County.

Other Violations of Law.—An examination of the records of
the cireuit®ourt seems to show _that the period from 1855 to
1861 was the most lawless one of the county’s history. The
passions of men then ran high because of the general disturb-
ance of the public mind throughout the country on the slavery
question, and especially in Missouri, over the unholy attempt of
the administration of Mr. Buchanan to introduce slavery into
Kansas. Fighting, shooting and stabbing, resulting too fre-
quently in the death of some one of the participants, were of
almost daily occurence; however, the final abolition of the
iniquitious system of slavery, as one of the beneficent results of
the War of the Rebellion, brought order out of chaos, and gave to
society a healthfulness of tone, which, without stich abolition, it
never could have known.

One other peculiar feature of the violation of law in Frank-
lin County was the strangely numerous indictments for selling
liquor asa dramshop keeper without having first taken out a
licengg,to sell intoxicants. This state of affairs lasted from long
before the war until about the year 1887, and, generally speaking,

was the result of the imposition of low fines by the courts upon >

viglators of the law, aided by the infrequency of indictments by
grdnd juries; thus making it cheaper to pay fines than to take
out licenses. The existence of the gallon law was also an

- element in producing this condition of things. But in March,

1887, an act was approved which repealed the’ gallon law, and

Bb; Teg gory
St ae 4
Tigi Bt,


mets

Nee EA RAN EE TE NE

te ap a eR OT meet

ee a eee
ee

720 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Then in the early fall of 1861 came Capt. Robt. Bailey’s company
of Krekel’s regiment of St. Charles German militia. They robbed
Copp’s and Webb Baker’s stores of what pleased them and plundered
the people of the neighborhood indiscriminately. They arrested
Wright, Smith and Job Price, and it was feared fora time they would
kill them, so fierce and brutal was their demeanor.

In the fall of 1864 Miles Price, the Confederate raider, with per-
haps 2 dozen men, captured the town one night and foraged upon it,
levying upon the stores and shops for certain articles of merchan-
dise. :

SHOOTING OF EDWARD M’CULLOM.

In July, 1863, Edward McCullom, a farmer, living four miles north
of town, was shot and killed by Thomas H. Hess, in Henry Godfrey’s
blacksmith shop, in Jonesburg. Some days before the shooting Mc-
Cullom’s house had been robbed, and he had stated to some persons
that he believed Hess was one of the robbers. McCullom came in
town armed, and Hess demanded a retraction, which McCullom
refused to make. MeCullom had a pistol in his hand, and intimated
to Hess when first accosted that he would use it. The two talked
anerily, and McCullom was backing into the shop when Hess shot
him. He fell and died in » few moments.

A coroner’s jury exonerated Hess, and ® military investigation by
the provost-marshal at Troy resulted in his discharge.’ He is now
the village postmaster.

sIncE 1865.

At the close of the Civil War Jonesburg was still a hamlet of but
a few houses. John Stubbs and H. H. Camp formed a partneship in

1863 and 1866 and built 15 or 20 houses in rarious portions of town,

for sale and rent. This gave the town a start in the right direction
and it has lost nothing since. The academy building was erected in

1 The following certificate from the provost marshal is appended, in justice to Mr.

Hess: —

This is to certify that in the year 1863, while on duty as assistant provost marshal
ef the Fourth Sub-District of Missouri, on duty at Troy, Lincoln county, Missouri,
and acting under orders of and by authority of the provost marshal general of the
State of Missouri, one Thos. H. Hess, of Montgomery county, Mo., was forwarded
to me, under arrest and for the alleged shooting of one McCullom, at or near Jones-
burg, Mo., with instructions to me to try the case and determine the guilt or inno-
cence of the aforesaid Thos. H. Hess. That upon a full and thorough investigation
of the circumstances connected with the same, the said Hess was fully and honorably
discharged by me from custody and exonerated from liability in the matter, having
acted in self-defense in the cause wherein complaint had been made.

A. C. MArsH,
Ex-Pro. Mar. 4th Sub.-Dist. Mo.

nee

tose

1 pen gteny

veel aah ooene eee ee

1866, and
the first |

Dr. Ha
lived nen
first fami
was the f

Althou-
never be
shops, t'
with an «
is nlso 2

The !
Leader,
in politi
In w yet

Thee
pany i
«+ Pion
but 13

Usin
the Jor
Novem
and wa
1882, t
and m:

tress, : |
seven-"
it, is °"J
torial
settins
good |
every
of the

M.
name
Deari

nnd v


i al hd aa alee cr ot Se thc tained lh

0 the town.

substantial,
er improve-
W. L. Gate-
‘ond streets,
bt the name,
‘ed, and the

as shot and
by another
he peniten-

t by a mob
tu nameless
‘day night,
lren in the
When the
Was Issued
re he was
k, the door
iminal rid-
Ma source

’ Slavens
. W. Shu-
was not a
y when in-
assaulted
Wv on the
‘as absent
ome is in

clerk in

proached
afterward
0 Crock-
ne in and
dat last

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Shumate shot Slavens in the ablomen. At the instant the shooting
was done Shumate was lying on the floor with Slavens upon
him.

Shumate was arrested on a ely ree of assault with intent to kill, and
released on hail. Slavens died three or four days afterward, leaving
besides a wife, several children. The case against Shumate is yet
undisposed of,

LEADING INSTITUTIONS OF MONTGOMERY CITY.

Lobacco Factory. —In the spring of 1880 J. H. Lacy and Paul
Brown determined to remove their tobacco factory from Wentzville to
Montgomery City. The citizens here gave them considerable encour-
agement, financially and otherwise, and early in the spring they began
the erection of their building. In May they moved in and began
work. January 1, 1881, the Lacy & Brown Tobacco Company was
incorporated and took charge of the institution. The capital stock
was 330,000; Paul Brown has been president of the company since
its existence, and L. W. English, secretary, treasurer and shipping
clerk. Mr. Lacy retired in 1884, but the style of the company is un-
changed. ‘The institution manufactures chewing and smoking tobacco,
and readily disposes of its products. It buys by far the greater por-
tion of its leaf tobacco in this county, with much in Callaway,
Audrain and adjoining counties. Its manufacture is about 500,000
pounds of tobacco annually.

Tow Mills. —The tow mills at Montgomery City, located in the
northern part of town, were built in August, 1881, by Vestal, Harris
& Co., of Indiana. The citizens gave a bonus of $500 to the propri-
etors. In 1882 the firm became Vestal, Stewart & Co. The mills
are run by steam, and the engine is of 60-horse power. They mianu-
facture annually about $20,000 worth of upholstery and paper tow,
and ship to various markets in the United States, including San Fran-
cisco. The raw material is chiefly purchased from Montgomery county
farmers.

NEWSPAPERS.

The first newspaper in Montgomery City, as well as the first in
Montgomery county, was established in the fall of 1857, and the first
copy issued November 1 of that year. It was called the Montgomery
City Journal, and its editor and proprietor was James M. Robinson,
who built the log house before referred to. Mr. Robinson moved the
press and material for his office here from Louisiana, Mo. The office
was on Allen street, north of the railroad track, and one door west

47

ARE OOUPaaat te cee 4

ot Ani Aedes lading ore nennape me! gi

* rene nsuereny,

+ Nt aterm t
AWE He CATES NG ROO eel AST. ov.

panes HES AB tn

ORL PIM NS ROT My oe


Aone mee

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Thos. Miller was a young man, single, aged about 22 or 23, and was
tending bar in the village saloon, During the war he served in both
the Federal and Confederate armies, aud was looked upon as a dan-
serous enemy. Wilson accused Miller of having gone about the
country robbing people. Thereupon Miller wrote Wilson some
threatening letters, warning him that unless he left the country he
would surely be killed.

Karly one morning Miller, while feeding his horse, descended on the
outside of the building from the hay loft, when he was fired on by
Wilson who was lying in wait, and fell to the ground and expired
almost instantly.

Wilson was arrested and committed to jail without bail. He was
indicted and tried for murder in the first degree, but being defended
by Hon. John B. Henderson and some of the best local lawyers, was
acquitted on the ground of self-defense.

KILLING OF JOEL JAMES.

In January, 1871, Andrew Sisk killed Joel James in W. P. Diggs’
drug store, in High Hill. Both men were middle-aged. On the
evening of the tragedy James, while going down town from the depot
in company with a friend, and passing the store, saw Sisk through the
open door, as he was sitting there. He entered and was soon engaged
in a scuffle with Sisk, during which Sisk either fell or was thrown to
the floor. James raised up and started, as some say, for a weapon,
and Sisk rose up from the floor on one knee and fired at him with a
pistol. The ball struck James in the back of the head, killing him
instantly.

Sisk was afterward indicted and tried for manslaughter in the
second degree, but was acquitted, and is now a reputable citizen of
the village.

TRAGIC DEATH OF JOHN HENCHEL.

On the evening of March 14, 1879, John Henchel shot himself with
a pistol at his house in High Hill. He was at the time of the shoot-
ing preparing for a trip to California. Mr. Henchel was a very quiet,
industrious gentleman, and there was no apparent motive for suicide.

HIGH HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This congregation being somewhat small, Worship in a frame build-
ing built by the Methodists and Presbyterians in 1855, at a cost of
$1,500, the former denomination also occupying the house. The orgun-

~ se Rete

ye

oe

822 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

The mill did its full share in attracting patronage to the town.
Curd was always liberal to new-comers in the sale of lots.

The progress of the town has since been healthy and substantial.
Buildings have gone up as they were needed, and proper improve-
ments have been made from time to time as demanded. W. L. Gate-
wood’s hall, on the south-east corner of Sturgeon and Second streets,
was the first public hall of the kind in the place worthy of the name.
The public park is inclosed, an artesian well is being bored, and the
ground will be well cared for hereafter.

LEADING TRAGEDIES IN MONTGOMERY CITY.

In the year 1876 or 1877 « negro named Bob Harris was shot and
killed at or near the colored church in Montgomery City by another
negro named Trimble. The latter was tried and sent to the peniten-
tiary for 10 years.

June 8, 1879, occurred, at Montgomery City, the murder by a mob
of a negro named George Richards, who was accused of a nameless
crime against a respectable white lady of the place. Saturday night,
June 1, 1879, Mrs. Hamlin, who. resited with her children in the
western part of town, was assaulted by George Richards. When the
facts becume known on Sunday, a warrant for his arrest was issued
and served and Richards was placed in the calaboose, where he was
identified by Mrs. Hamlin. Sunday night, about 11 o’clock, the door
of the calaboose was broken open and the body of the criminal rid-
dled with bullets, thus ending the life of one who had been a source
of fear to all respectable citizens.

About the lst of October, 1884, a man known as ‘* Pack’’ Slavens
was shot and mortally wounded by a young man named J. W. Shu-
mate, in Crockett’s restaurant, on Allen street. Slavens was nota
man of good reputation regarding his disposition, especially when in-
toxicated, as was frequently the case. On one occasion he assaulted
an old man, James L. Pegram, and gave him a terrible blow on the
head with a fence-picket. For this he left the county und was absent
some time. Shumate is about 19 years of age, and his home is in
Lincoln county. At the time of the shooting he was a clerk in
Hance’s store.

On the day of the shooting Slavens was intoxicated, and approached
young Shumate in a rude and boisterous way. Some time afterward
Slavens and a drunken companion, named Sayers, went into Crock-
ett’s restaurant for dinner, and in a few minutes Shumate came in and
a quarrel, a fight,-and a struggle resulted between them, and at last

On


ARIS COOUNTY, .MISSOURI,

a e . an

From THE EARLIEST TIME TO THE PRESEN NT; TOGETHER with SUNDRY PERSONAL

BUSINESS AND: PROFESSIONAL SKETCHES AND NUMEROUS FAMILY 4 pane

RECORDS; BESIDES A VALUABLE ‘ FuNDOF Notes, ls :

pee OBSERVATIONS, Ero, ET, ie
e
1
uw Giaeds far.
NS ge “GHICAGO: fe

THE ‘eoopsPEED PUBLISHING CO.


bree

GOODSPEED'$

} ISTORY

i. :

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

ee

EMBRACING AN HiIsTORICAL AccouNT OF

—

Tar Countigs oF STE. GENEVIEVE, ST. Francois, PERRY, Cape GIRARDEAT.

BoLLINGER, MADISON, New Maprip, PEMISCOT, DUNELIN,
Scort, MussissiPPl, SropDARD, BUTLER,
WaxneE anv ERon,

IXCLUDING A DEPARTMENT DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF PERSONAL,

PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE RECORDS.

ILLUSTRATED

A Reprint Edition
1955

~—seems Ee™ § tO ON OW


TJ ; | r

866 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

_. Official Directory.—The officers of Mississippi County since
its organization have been as follows:

Judges of the County Courl.—William Sayres, 1845-46; -Ab- 4

salom McElmurry, 1845-47; James M. Overton, 1845-47; Sol-
omon W. Henson, 1846-50; Noah Handy, 1847-54; W. G. Cooley,
1847-50; H. W. Molder, 1850-54; J. B. S. Hays, 1850-54;
William B. Bush, 1854-58; Felix G. Harrison, 1854-58; Thomas
§. McElmurry, 1858-62; J. L. Shelby, 1858-60; John A. Gard-
ner, 1860-62; William Stratton, 1862-63; William A. Rice, 1862-
65; 8S. BR. Allen, 1862-65; A. E. Simpson, 1863-65; William F.
Lee, 1865-66; Barnard Banke, 1865-68; Benjamin M. Dukes,
1865-66; Thomas. S. McElmurry, 1866-70; James H. Naive,
1866-72; A. E. Simpson, 1868-69; B. M. Dukes, 1869-70;
James M. Brown, 1870-78; A. M. Holloway, 1870-78; William
L. Shelby, 1872-77; J. M. Ringo, 1877-80; Silas S. Smith,
1878-80; W. T. Marshall, 1878-86; Jacob S. Goodin, 1880 (he
is one of the present judges); Frank A. J ordan, 1880-84; George

W. Hudson, 1884-85; M. V. Rodney, 1885-86; W. H. Lusk, 1886; |

F. J. Hess, 1886.

Clerks of the County Court.—George L. Cravens, 1845-48;
~ George Whitcomb, 1847-67; J. H. Bethune, 1867-82; William
A. Bush, 1882-86; John Heggie, 1886. Up to 1886 the offices
of clerk of the county court, clerk of the circuit court and re-
corder were combined. In 1886 I. T. Clarkson was elected clerk
of the circuit court and recorder.

“Treasurers.—Arthur R. Newman, 1845-48; William Sayres,
1848-51; John Sheppard, 1851-60; C. C. Kalfus, 1860-63: W.
F. Lee, 1863-65; Thomas 8. McElmurry, 1865-67; C. P. Cum-
ley, 1867-70; Franklin Howlett, 1870-71; James L. Moore,
1871-80; Joseph M. Ringo, 1880-84; Ek. W. Ogilvie, 1884.

Assessors.—David McElmurry, 1845-46; Charles F. Keesee,
1846-47; George Whitcomb, 1817-49: John R. Roberts, 1849-
51; H. G. Cummings, 1851-53; James W. Lee, 1853-54; William
F. Myrick, 1854-56; Thomas P. Chambers, 1856-57. From
1857 to 1860 the county was assessed by districts. James H.
Bridges, 1860-62; George M. Keyser, 1862-65; James H. Naive,
1865-66; James H. Bridges, 1866-70; James M. Brown, 1870-72;
J. W. Parks, 1872-86; George H. Bridges, 1886.

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. 867

Sheriffs.—Joseph Dyson, 1845-47; J. D. R. James, 1847-52;
Jonathan Mills, 1852-56; William F. Myrick, 1856-62; Charles
Atcher, 1862-65; L. W. Pritchett, 1865-67; Jacob L. Shelby,
1867-68; George W. Jackson, 1868-71; William P. Swank,
1871-76; Bird Fugate, 1876-78; Samuel Ogilvie, 1878-82;
William M. Harris, 1882-84; Benjamin Huff, 1884.

Collectors.—The office of collector was combined with that of
sheriff until 1872, and from 1878 to 1886. L. W. Danforth,
1872-74; Samuel Ogilvie, 1872-78; Miles T. Lee, 1886.

Representatives to the Legislature.— William Sayres, 1846-50;
Dr. Hardin M. Ward, 1850-54; Dr. B. J. Moore, 1854-56; Dr.
Hardin M. Ward, 1856-58; William A. Keyser, 1858-60; Robert
White, 1860-62; Dr. B. J. Moore, 1862-64; Dr. A. E. Simpson,
1864-66; Robert Waide, 1866-70; D. A. Edens, 1870-72; J. H.
Guthrie, 1872-76; H. J. Deal, 1876-80; William P. Swank,
1880-82; L. W. Danforth, 1882-86; J. J. Russell, 1886.

Dunklin County Formed.—Dunklin County was organized by
an act of the Legislature of 1845 from the portion of Stoddard
County south of the parallel of 36° 30’. To this territory, in
1858, was added astrip nine miles wide on the north. The
county occupies a portion of part of the State which apparently
belongs to the State of Arkansas. In 1804 Congress divided
Louisiana into two Territories by a line running with the thirty-
third parallel of north latitude. In 1812 the Territory of Mis-
souri was organized from a portion of Upper Louisiana, and in
1819 Arkansas Territory was established. When, at this time, it
was proposed to organize the State of Missouri, and the parallel
of 36° 30’ was chosen as its southern boundary, there were
inany hardy pioneers on the Mississippi below that line, whose
interests were linked with the settlements of the north, by ties
both commercial and social, and they felt that by reason of their
position, so far in advance of other portions of Arkansas Terri-
tory, they were entitled to all the privileges and immunities of-
fered by a State governmeut. Several of the leading citizens of
this portion of the State, among whom were Col. John H.
Walker and Godfrey Lesieur, by exerting their influence suc-
ceeded in having the line from the Mississippi to the St. Franco's
lowered to the parallel of 36°.


- Pas

868 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

As the records of Dunklin County were entirely destroyed by =
fire in 1872, but little could be ascertained concerning the trans-.
action of the courts prior to that date. The first county coum is ~
said to have been composed of Moses Farrar, Edward Spencer and ~
Alexander Campbell. James S. Huston was the first clerk and |
Lewis Holcomb the first sheriff. Huston was succeeded by John ~
H. Marsh, who continued in the office until 1861. The first 4
courthouse was a log building erected in the middle of the pub-
lic square in 1847. It was destroyed during or just after the
war, and in 1870 the erection of a large frame building was be-
gun. It was completed in 1872, and had been occupied but a
short time when it was burned to the ground. Since that time
the county has been without a courthouse. A log jail was built
at about the same time as the first courthouse. It was subse-
quently replaced by a second structure of the same character,
and in 1882 the present jail was erected.
The amount of crime committed in Dunklin County is no —
greater than that of other counties of Southeast Missouri, but
the marked failure in the administration of justice by the courts,
in one or two cases, has led to the administration of lynch law,
which three persons have met their deaths. In September, 1874
George Koons was taken from the jail, and hung for the murder ~
of Bart. Reynolds. Koons was a worthless character, and had ~
killed Reynolds while the latter was lying in a drunken stupor
in front of Shelton’s store in Kennett. About six months later
a stranger was hung on the charge of horse stealing, and on
September 10, 1886, Bowman Paxton was taken from the sheriff,
while on his way with him from Kennett to Malden, about three
miles south of the former place, and hanged to a tree by the
roadside. For some trivial offense, he had shot and killed John
McGilvrey, a blacksmith of Malden.
The most flagrant case of the failure of justice occurred at
the December term of the circuit court, in 1883, when D. A.
Smith, W. T. Barham and one Nash were tried for the murder of
John C. Crawford, Smith having been indicted as principal and
Barham and Nash as accessories. Barham was found guilty of
murder in the first degree, and Nash pleaded guilty, and was sen-
tenced to ten years in the penitentiary, but Smith, the principal,
was acquitted.

HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. 369

Officials.—No list of the county officers could be prepared in
the absence of all records prior to 1882. The sheriffs since 1864
have been Elam G. Rathbun, 1864; James H. Barrett, 1870; W.
P. Nicholas, 1874; J. F. Donaldson, 1882; J. R. Allgood, 1886.
Leonard T. Bragg, William G. Bragg, Sr., R. R. Roberts, T. E.
Baldwin and William G. Bragg, Jr., have been clerks of the cir-
cuit court and recorders; C. R. Mills, 1882, and D. B. Pankey,
1884, have been the clerks of the county court. G. T. Sloan,
W. F. Shelton, N. F. Kelly, T. E. Baldwin and F. J. Rice have
filled the office of county treasurer. J. M. Waltrip, James M.
Douglass, W. J. Davis, G. T. Smith, Virgil McKay, have been
assessors. The present county court is composed of J. M. Wal-
trip, president, J. W. Baker and J. M. Douglas.

Representatives.—The county has been represented in the
Legislature by H. D. Flowers, 1846; Russell Horner, 1848; John
S. Huston, 1850; C. T. Jones, 1852; T. J. Mott, 1854; C. T. Jones,
1856; H. A. Applegate, 1866; J. H. Barrett, 1874; Jesse Long,
1878; William M. Harkey, 1880; John P. Taylor, 1882; J. T.
Wilson, 1884; T. R. R. Ely, 1886.

Organization of Pemiscot County.—*Pemiscot County was or-
ganized by an act of the Legislature approved February 19, 1851,
and included all of New Madrid County south of the following
line: “Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mis-
sissippi immediately opposite Major’s mill race, and running
thence along said mill race to the Cushion Lake Bayou, thence
along said bayou to the Cushion Lakes; thence along the middle
of said Cushion Lake to a point opposite to the head of Collins
Lake or Portage Bay; thence to the head of Collins Lake, or Por-
tage Bay; thence along said lakes or bay to the junction with
Little River, and thence due west to the eastern boundary of
Dunklin County.”

Court Proceedings.—The county court was organized at the
house of James Eastwood, with James Eastwood as presiding jus-
tice, and Martin L. Stancil and Jonathan Scott, associates. Rob-
ert Stewart was the sheriff, and Theodore Case clerk of the court.
The question of building county levees came up in 1853, and

*The data for the matter concerning Pemiscot County was obtained, princi, from Maj.
G. W. Carleton and the files of his paper. . 7 P pally,


wnt md magpa ads

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See hk Se Se


a ifos ee


COUNTY HANGINGS *

weal Mxeeution Tiere in Pebru-
ty, Lovs—Len in liastory ¢
vot County. isi

iy seine old papers
ree ane Wo Wart
CWS, Mee
SAC RECHT LT
| ONLI RL
tyes Wowas Uae
HELTO, Wiltitin  MeCoy +
(Ub ae Negro: woul >
Stouk place on i eoruitey’
Pourap being sprung, py t
Who) Was: Lien. SHOrplt. |
ron page tou!
the event, anu},
en legal execus |
x winei have pluee in the
very ef the eounty, as follows. 9/2)
Spend ‘Tromiy, hanged: Apr
m Wilh on ase, vue”
Ryland wits

just Amos
iey yp dames Ploveber, she
Brurrdedi alborney yor defense. +)

ao Mary Auudrews, .
#Y ‘f Sve bergy fined A peal, 0, Ise

” vi : a s Toi : ; kul fer antint child, Sarah roar yy
re ae sale : , ae tn CS : berg; Jdonn i, Ryland, judge; Janes

my aN aN ay, ; Mletcher, sheriil; Amos Kees, prosceus
; ortling- attorney; Alex. W. Doniphan and +

ltenderson .oung, attorneys for des
dense i Re ee yn SEE
Joseph Ralph Savilia, a Spun-

\
\
ie! i
iard, Jor killing 38> peddle, an un- |

known man, on the Sni, Wits hanged |

Fanuary 28, 1842; Join i ity and, \3

i

'

|

\

4

judge; Daniel Meowell, sherii’; Hen:
derson Youny,- proseenting starney;
ded, M. Ryland, ds Wo Smiatiscood,
James LL. ‘Phoma: and. Joli Sy son,
‘attorneys for delense. Sata oe
od. | Joel Miliott and umes, Gilles:
pie were tried in 1802 Cor the arden
‘of William Smith in Cass County. Gils!
Hespie Was sent to the penileniiny tor
{duo years and IJiliett was hanged Sep-
{{ tember 40, 1852. Henderson Young

‘
‘
t
{
{
|
>
4
{

was judge; MM. W, Withers, esheriil; |
sarc) Ls Sawyer, proseeuling. ie
2 Jienry, dave, belonging to
Mr. Yeager, was brense July, £¢, Looe, |
oe Killing John Winsiows. Witham fa
vod was the judge; Mn W, Withers:
writ; Jobn W,.. bryant, prosecuting |

Village, alrorncys for the defepses. -
6 and 7. John and Sparrel, saves
of Robert Ue Mariy, hanged decem- *
Jber S41, 1895, for the murder of one |
tfenry Nance, the overseer Jor theis)
fhiacter, — Russell Hicks, judge; Jou,
P. Bowman, sheriit; Join W.D
prosccutinys atturney, and Jude
fy Byiand and bee J, Sharpe,
efor the defendants, | Laon
on, Franklin’ - Wilson
Pete LOR, LAE: nrurdesiot his mi
pry Jennie Sant ford, colored, - WHS |
harmed deity, April 2, 1886. olny
Pie Wey beard Webs the judjte; dose re
bownn, sherds Frans "baie
jdaba S, Bhiekweig prescciiliig a ‘
[ney William Young, “As de Lhaaid ctic
Pa AL iiekiin, attorneys For de ready
‘ | ye Cris, Young, a Gevinaiien renen

attorney; William Field and Henry ©. | Bes
\

orn, sor killings Stephen Wevjsurseny at
eo Copies, December 10, LdSsT, Ww Nit
Syed Coursey, Aust 25, Lait. Jou)
i, yland, guage y Charies S.oMiteheti
aheriity Cocke: Hing, clerks Willian,
i}. Wilson, prosecuting attorney; and ee
Ajoba a. dlackwell, defendant's ations dy:
Wey. Se renal renee ent inet:
id, Willkim MeCoy, “pero, for
killiagg bis iniskress, Mollie Magruder
a onesies, HL Keensits City, oSund
Apriy 4, Esai, was hanged ‘Choc
etruary 1, a8 John ol. ay bud:
juinige; Zatel W, Wright, sieviit; Geb,
Wenge heads; William: Aull, proseeu:
Wing attorney, sind Ps Dee Meyerss: vl.
Kansas City, Hubert aA. Huckila ind
Join Welborn, of Lexington, deteud-

peck athurneys. 90

et
oe


,

Lp hae S70 A) only, J) ss0VUk)

October 12, 1981

Our research into the history of capital punishment in our country is the
first time that a serious effort has been made to chronicle all of the legal
executions to have occurred in the United States from the earliest Colonial
days down to and including the present. At this time, we have confirmed,
with various degrees of documentation, approximately 12,750 legal executions
and, in the not too distant future, we hope to have the manuscript for the
first volume, containing listings of the executions in the Southern States,
with certain background and data, as available, concerning those executed
and their crimes, ready for publication.

The appropriate state department or agency in your. state has provided us with
a list of those executions which have occurred since 1938 when the state
took over the function of executing condemned felons at the state prison.
Prior to that year, persons executed there were put to death locally, in the
county of their conviction, generally with the sheriff acting as executioner.

At this time, the following executions prior to 1938 have been confirmed

in Livingston rina ele , antl Local
blo Oho Bahay hes a patel

Zi (936 '
a crm trad Quver prolorcel Soret

If your organization has any record of any other legal executions (we are not
interested in lynchings for the purpose of this work) that might have occurred

in your county prior to 1938 , we would certainly appreciate it if you would
provide us with the names, dates of executions and crimes. Additional information
such as the races of those executed, their ages, occupations and any other
pertinent data would also be appreciated.

We are enclosing a prepaid, addressed envelope for your convenience in replying
and you will, of course, be given credit in the work for your assistance.

If you cannot be of assistance to us, we would appreciate it if you could
provide us with the names and addresses of any local historians, officials
or other organizations or individuals who might be of assistance.

Naturally, we hope to provide as complete, comprehensive and accurate a listing
as is possible. Even though crime and executions are a somewhat sordid part

of our history, they are, nonetheless, an ingredient, and we feel that as much
data as possible should be collected and preserved for the benefit of future
historians of the social structure of our society and country.

Thanking you for your cooperation and kindness, I am,

Capital Punishment Research Project
Law Library - Box 6205
University, AL 35486


le a ai lat RE cies ny Oa ORION RF UR AE OI Poe ET PMR 7 AIRE TBE. ERE ECU:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MISSOURI.

HISTORY.

OF

ST. CHARLES, MONTGOMERY AND WARREN

oe: COUNTIES, MISSOURI,

WRITTEN AND COMPILED

FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE SOURCES,

INCLUDING A HISTORY OF THEIR

TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS AND VILLAGES,

TOGETHER WITH

A. CONDENSED HISTORY OF MISSOURI; A RELIABLE AND DETAILED HISTORY OF
ST. CHARLES, MONTGOMERY AND WARREN COUNTIES—THEIR PIONEER
RECORD, RESOURCES, BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT
CITIZENS; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS OF GREAT
VALUE; INCIDENTS AND REMINISCENCES.


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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY. OTT

and jail were erected, both of which were of logs. The court-house
was not only built of logs, but it was fleored with puncheons. The
roof was of elap-boards, held on by weight poles. It is said that in
the intervals between sessions of the courts, the court house was
often used by Mr. Kibbe as a sheep stable. Care was always taken,
however, to drive out the sheep and sweep the house clean before

the commencement of each session of the court. The court-room

was only 16 feet square.

The jail was of the same size as the court-house, 18 feet square.
It was composed of two walls, with hewn timber set on end before
them. It was built by Chas. Allen. The materials for both jail and
court house were furnished by different persons, who were paid off in
county warrants, with which some of them liquidated their taxes for
the next 10 years.

Mr. Kibbe laid off and sold lots in Lewiston, and a small town soon
came into existence, George Bast and Wm. Knox opened the first
store, hauling their goods from St. Louis in an ox wagon, ‘They
sold principally for skins and furs, which they bartered in St. Louis
for new goods. Hides and furs were about the same as legal tenders
inthose days. Bast & Knox did a flourishing business of the kind
as long as they were engaged in trade, but not long after they
began business they met with a serious misfortune, which ruined
them financially, and they were forced to suspend. They had been
to St. Louis with a load of furs and started home with a stock of
new goods in their wagon. When they drove on board of the old
flat-boat or scow, used as a ferry at St. Charles, it sank, and their
team, wagon, and goods were all lost. This misfortune left them
without means to carry on their business and they suspended. It
may well be conjectured that neither their capital or their stock was
very large, if the loss of one wagon load of goods was sufficient to
swamp them.

Lewiston continued te be the capital of the county until after
Warren county was struck off, in 1833, when the following year the
county seat was removed to Danville. The town — Lewiston — was
never a place of any considerable size or importance, and is now
wholly extinct. Indeed there are disputes among those who knew it
once as to where it stood.

FIRST MURDER CASE AND FIRST LEGAL EXECUTION IN TILE COUNTY.

In the summer of 1828 occurred the first murder in Montgomery
county. This was the killing of John Tanner, by his negro slave


602 STATE OF MISSOURI.

The Agricultural Wheel was organized as a county society in

July, 1888, at Bloomington, Marios County, with the following
officers: Hon. O. A. Glanville, president; Lee Love, secretary,
and George Lindner, treasurer. These officers, with D. J. Loop,
vice-president, have been retained. The society at its organiza-
tion had four wheels and the number has since increased to
about twenty-five, with a membership of over 1,200 persons,
They have contracts with the two stores in the county—George
Lindner, of Bloomington, and P. A. Fenn, of Vienna.

STATUTORY PROCEEDINGS.

Maries’ legal history has been comparatively uneventful. She
has, since her organization, been in various circuits and under
the following judges, whose names are in chronological order:
G. W. Miller, of Jefferson City; D. M. Leet, of Steelville; P. H.
Edwards, of Marshfield; G. W. Miller; James W. Owen and D.
Q. Gale, both of Washington; P. B. McCord, of Osage County,
who qualified only a few hours before his death ; A. J. Seay
(appointed and elected), and the present incumbent, Rudolph
Hirzel.

Harly Courts.—Judge Miller held the first court on the day
and at the place (Thomas Anderson’s) ordered by the act organ-
izing the county. His first grand jurors were: D. L. Dodds,
E. H. Kenner, Davis Woody, H. Huffman, P. H. Ammerman,.
Robert Rowden and others. The only cases had were two appeals
and one indictment found, which will be mentioned elsewhere.
The next regular term was held at the Roysden Robinson
farm, where no trials were had and the defendant in the first
indictment was discharged. The next regular term was held at Vi-
enna in the temporary court-house on the site of the Masonic Hall,
and among the lawyers in attendance were: J udge J. W. Morrow,
Gen. J. B. Gardenhire, Gen. M. M. Parsons, Gen. E. L. Edwards,
Judge W. G. Pomeroy, Gen. J. L. Thomas, Gen. H. Clay Ewing
and Judge P. B. McCord. A few cases—none criminal—were
had. The next term was held in the new court-house, and among
the first cases tried was that of Ed. Moss vs. Ezekiel Branton,
for slander, Moss, a Bantist minister hawin~ han 7 8

J ce

HISTORY OF MARIES COUNTY. 608

stealing Branton’s hogs. Gen. Parsons was for Moss and Gen.
Gardenhire for Branton. The jury (among whom were John
Hoops, C. Hance, M. Miller and W. Martin) disagreed.

Important Cases.—The county has had comparatively few
trials that could be called important, either probate, civil or
criminal, There has never been an execution in the county and
but few have been committed to the penitentiary. Among notice-
able cases are the following:

The State vs. F. M. Johnson was the first indictment found
in Maries County at its first term of the circuit court. It was
for felonious assault, and at the following November term the
indictment was quashed. |

The State vs. Cohorn, about 1856, was next in time and im-
portance. Cohorn, a decrepit and nearly blind individual, kept a
whisky shop on Pea Ridge, in the south part of the county. A
crowd of reckless roughs had gathered there and a drunken row
ensued, in which Cohorn shot one of them. He was fined $100.

About 1857 the State vs. Shirley was a murder case tried.
Shirley became involved in a quarrel with a neighbor at an assem-
blage on Spring Creek and the two agreed to fight it out in a
“fair fist-fight.” They stripped in pugilistic fashion and entered
the ring, but when they clinched Shirley drew a concealed knife
and so gashed his victim that death ensued. Shirley was con-
victed of murder in the second degree and received the first pen-
itentiary sentence given in the county. It was for ten years.

The State vs. Newberry and Conner, for horse stealing,
occurred the same year. Newberry was a native of the county,
and Conner, a professional horse thief, had inveigled him into a
gang. Newberry was urged to take advantage of State’s evidence
clemency, and he plead guilty; both were sentenced to the peni-
tentiary, however, but a large petition was sent to Governor Polk
asking for Newberry’s pardon, which was granted. This cured
horse-stealing until during the war.

About 1858 The State vs. W. ©. Price was tried. Price had
given a Mr. Branson a mortgage (with power of sale) on two fine
horses, to secure a loan. The mortgagee found it necessary to
take the property, whereupon Price secured them one night and

604 STATE OF MISSOURI.

and had him tried for grand larceny. The sympathies of the
jury, however, led them to acquit him. The cases of the 60’s
largely grew out of the exigencies of the war.

Probably the most sensational murder case ever tried in the
county was about 1874, the State vs. Isaac Roland and Fannie
Roland. Roland had three children by his first wife, and while
working as a carpenter and living with his second wife rumors
became rife of the latter’s abuse of the children. One morning
one of the children died, but by the time the neighbors arrived
to help lay out the child Roland and his wife had laid it out.
When the coffin came some one noticed something peculiar about
the feet of the child and uncovered them, whereupon one of the
feet fellover. This aroused suspicion. After the burial rumors
grew so fast that an indictment for murder was made. A post-
mortem examination by Drs. J. Bumpass and A. L. McGregor
‘showed several recently broken bones, one very recent. Lynching
was freely talked of. A constable and a young teacher at Vienna
-made affidavit to secure change of venue to Crawford, for which
public feeling compelled them to leave the county. Mrs. Roland
«died of fever in Crawford and Roland was acquitted.

About the same time was tried the State vs. Maggie Bowler,
for the killing of Mary Brown. The parties lived in adjoining
premises, using water from the same spring. Trouble grew up
which finally involved the deceased’s stepfather (as peacemaker )
and the defendant’s mother and sister besides themselves. The
deceased and the defendant’s sister quarreled at the spring,
whereupon the mother rushed out, and the stepfather also, to
quiet them; at this juncture Maggie Bowler rushed out at Mary
Brown and stabbed her in the back with an old shoe-knife. She
was convicted of murder in the second degree and given ten
years in the penitentiary. One of the jurors, L. M. Russell,
afterward became deranged and died from brooding over the
commitment of a woman to the penitentiary, the first in the
county.

During the 70’s also was tried the State case against
Alton Burns for killing John Wallace. The two were, respect-
ively, engineer and carpenter in a steam mill; the former timid
and fearful, and the latter pleasant when sober but a threatening

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HISTORY OF MARIES COUNTY. 605

braggart when drunk. On the day of the killing Wallace was
drinking, and on account of some ill feeling between him and
Burns, would sharpen his knife on the grindstone, and, at inter-
vals, threaten Burns, who, in fear of his life, shot Wallace in the
back. Burns was acquitted. -

The State vs. Bishop will be found in the Osage division of
this work.

The State vs. Ready and Parker was a very complicated case
of details and circumstantial evidence that attracted considerable
attention and aroused much ill feeling, but the grand jury failed
to indict. A man named Bathreck was found murdered and it
was known that he, Ready and Parker had gone home from Vienna
about the same time and by the same route. This, in connection
with the fact of Ready and Bathreck’s relationship, such that
Bathreck’s death would make Ready’s wife heir to some property,
caused the accusation tobe made. The defense, however, showed
that Bathreck had enemies in the county whose words and actions
in connection with the whole course of the case threw suspicion
on them; also the length of the roads, time of departure, etc.,
were shown to make Ready’s guilt improbable.

The State vs. Diggs is described in the pages devoted to
Vienna.

Circuit Court Records.—The proceedings of the circuit court
previous to the court-house fire of November 6, 1868, are for-
ever lost, at least as far as the records are concerned. The first
record in existence is the following:

At a regular term of the Maries County Circuit Court began and held in the
court-house in Vienna in said county on the second Monday after the fourth
Monday in April, 1868, being the 11th day of May, 1868, were present Hon. James
W. Owens, Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit; D. Q. Gale, circuit attorney;
William Crismon, sheriff and A. E. Rowden, clerk. Amongst other proceed-
ings had were the following:

And now comes William Crismon, sheriff of said county, and returns the
court here the following list as grand jurors to serve at the present term of the
court, to wit: M. Williams, who was selected as foreman, M. W. Kinsey, Phillip
Johnson, Augustus Pinnell, N. P. Martin, G. W. Shinkle, Jacob Moreland,
Flower Light, James T. Prewett, Jared Branson, Pleasant Copeland, Edward
Moss, William M. Copeland, Thomas Ready, Joseph Wilson and Nicholas
Daniels, sixteen good and lawful men duly sworn as jurors, and also having
taken the oath of loyalty prescribed by the constitution of the State of Missouri,
and after having been charged by the court as to their duties retire to their
room to consider their presentments.


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712 HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

on which Jonesburg now is situated, and built the western portion of
the old house on the eastern border of town, which is still standing.
In about 1833 Jones began keeping a stage station at his house, which
was here until the building of the railroad. In about 1838 the post-
office called High Hill was established at Jones’, and he was made
postmaster. After many years the office was removed to Ferguson’s,
west of Jones’, and thence on west, until it finally lodged at High
Hill.

Berry Sublett was another old settler in this township, locating in
1825, some miles north of High Hill.

Lemuel Price, of North Canolina, settled near where the Boone’s
Lick road crosses Camp branch (in what is now Warren county) in
October, 1815,, building the first cabin on the branch. [lis grandson,
bearing the same name, now resides on Loutre Island. It is related
that Lemuel Price’s cabin was the first built on the prairie in what is
now Montgomery county. Maj. Isanc Van Bibber, Patrick Ewing,
Boone Hays and Lewis Jones assisted in ‘uising the cabin.

Camp branch took its name from the circumstance of its being a
popular camping ground for immigrants coming westward over the
Boone’s Lick road. Price’s branch was named for the family that
settled upon it at an early date.

LYNCHING OF WILLIAM LOOKER.

In the spring of 1861 a young man uimed William Looker, whose
family lived north of Jonesburg, or in the vicinity of Price’s branch,
was lynched by a party of * regulators,’” composed chiefly of citizens
of this township. The young man wis accused of poisoning some
cattle belonging to a farmer of this vicinity. Nothing but a gencral
statement can be made regarding this incident. Some of the men
who composed the lynching party yet live in the township, but the
compiler’s efforts to learn the particulars were in vain.

Looker was seized by the regulators one night and carried off on
horseback towards the Missouri river. It is currently believed that
he was thrown into Loutre slough or into the Missouri river, — cither
that he was first hung from the bridge across Loutre slough and then
the body was cut loose and let fall into the slough, or that he was
taken to the river, bound hand and foot, and then by two strong men
hurled into the tawny current of the Missouri.

That night Fred Dryden rode to the residence of the sheriff, T. J.
Powell, near New Florence, to get him to interfere and stop the mut-
der, but Powell was away from home, and could have done nothing

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

ANDERSON’S RAID.

A month later, or October 15, when Bill Anderson and his terrible
band eame in, the people were greatly frightened. Perhaps Emil
Rosenberger, then a saddler, was the worst treated. Him the guer-
rillas robbed of $130 in cash and nearly that amount of saddles,
bridles, whips, etc., and whipped him unmercifully with his own
whips.

Jesse Diggs, who lived a little cast of town and was well known as
a «* Southern sympathizer,’’ was treated in a like manner. Thomas
Hogge, another citizen east of town, was robbed of $25.

Other incidents of Anderson’s raid on High Fill ave narrated in the
general history in another chapter in this volume.

AVTER TILE WAR.

In the fall of the year 1866 the academy building was burned to the
ground. The following year steps were taken to rebuild the institu-
tion, and in the fall the new building, an exact duplicate of the old
one and occupying the same site, was completed, and is now stand-
ing.

Only a few houses have been added to High Hill since the war. In
1878 it contained three general stores, one hardware store,
one drug store, one family grocery store, one hotel, two
blacksmith and wagon shops, one saddle and harness shop, one steam

mill, a millinery establishment and two practicing physicians. With
but few alterations in the foregoing directory, the town is the same

to-day.

Tn nih year 1880 Emil Rosenberger, L. P. Miller and Wm. Clark
built a public hall, which stood on the south side of the Boone’s Lick
road, opposite Clark’s store, in the western part of town. The build-
ing cost $1,600. It was dedicated September 16. 1880. At 10
o’clock Saturday morning, September 16, 1882, exactly two years
after its dedication, this building suddenly burst out in flames and
was totally consumed. The origin of the fire was a mystery. .

TRAGEDIES.

Since the war High Hill has been the scene of three or four suicides,
and two homicides. Of the latter the killing of Thomas Miller in
August, 1865, by Wm. F. Wilson, was a notable affair. Wm. Wilson
was the head of a family, and at the time was operating the mill.

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680 WISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

township 49, range 3 and has there lived continuously. Although
aged 88 years at this time, it is said that in the summer of 1884 he
plowed corn nearly all season.

Samuel Crutcher, living two miles east of Middletown, Thos.
Crouch, three miles north, in Pike county, and Richard Cox (colored),
a mile and a half north, are among the old settlers of the township
now living.

THE MURDER OF TURNER GOOCH.

On the night of October 7, 1848, a mysterious assassination was
perpetrated near Middletown. Turner Gooch, a prominent citizen and
farmer, living north-west of Middletown, was the victim, but who the
perpetrator was has never been definitely ascertained.

Mr. Gooch was riding on horseback, on his way home from Middle-
town, when, at a point a mile or more north-west of town, he was
ambushed and fired upon. It seemed that after he was shot and had
fallen his assassin or assassins placed him on his horse and conveyed
the body some distance from the path through the woods, until a
grape vine was encountered stretched across the route. Over this vine
the horse probably stumbled, pitching the body to the ground, where
it was found. When he left town Mr. Gooch was bearing his rifle
gun, but this was not foundatthe time. The murderers took Gooch’s
horse a mile away and hid him ina dense thicket, tying him fast. A
week later the poor brute, half famished and emaciated, wore: his
halter in two and came home, and the place where he was tied was
discovered afterward. The body of Gooch was found the next even-
ing after his murder, but what is believed to have been his gun was not
found until a year or so since, when some fragments of a gun were dis-
covered a mile north of the scene of the tragedy.

Charles Angell, a neighbor of Turner Gooch’s, was accused of the
murder and arrested. On a preliminary examination he was bound
over, but was discharged on a writ of habeas corpus. Not long after-
ward he left the country. Gooch’s family live in the same neighbor-
hood where their head was killed.

DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

When the Civil War came on Prairie township was well represented
on both sides. In the early fall of 1861 a number of Union men from
Middletown and vicinity went to Louisiana and joined Capt. McElroy’s

company (H) of Col. Fagg’s regiment of six months’ militia, In 1862

some men enlisted in Capt. Hardin’s company (B), Thirty-second

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

that night. The war came on soon after and the matter was never

investigated.
A TRAGEDY OF THE CIVIL WAR.

During the Civil War only one murder was perpetrated. The vic-
tim was 2 young man, named Wm. Henry Finney, aged 20 years and
six months, and a son of William Finney, a farmer, living a mile and
awhalf east of Jonesburg.

The brothers of young Finney were in the Confederate army at the
time, but he had never taken up arms on either side, and had done no
overt act that could possibly be construed into an act of hostility
against the government. At the time of his death, September 13,
1862, he was enrolled as a student at the High Hill Academy.

A detachment of the newly enrolled militia from St. Charles, or
Warren county, said to belong to Capt. J. E. Ball’s company of the
Thirty-seventh enrolled Missouri tnilitia, were up through the country
‘scouting,’ and approached Mr. Finney’s residence on a gallop,
yelling and hooting and brandishing their guns. The family was of
course frightened, and Mrs. Finney called to her son to hide himself.
The boy ran out of the back door and was entering the apple orchard
when he was overtaken by the militia and shot down at once and
without mercy. Then his murderers rode away somewhat appeased
by the sight of innocent. blood.

KILLING OF FRED HENZI2 AND SON BY TILE CARS.

On the 6th of October, 1874, a fatal railroad accident occurred
near Jonesburg, by which Fred Henze and his son, a lad about six
years of age, were killed. Mr. Henze was returning home from Jones-
burg, with his little son, and in passing over the railroad at Holland’s
crossing, the wagon, a two horse vehicle, was struck by the engine of
& passenger train running west, and both father and son were
killed.

Mrs. Lena Henze, widow of Fred Henze and mother of the boy,
brought suit against the railroad company for the killing of her hus-
band and son, and upon a trial cf the case in Audrain county she
was awarded a verdict of $10,000. The railroad company appealed
the case to the Supreme Court, and in April, 1880, the judgment
was reversed and the case remanded.’ The case was finally com-

promised.

1See 71 Mo., p. 636.

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