USA > Iowa > Boone County > History of Boone County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 24
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The first crime of theft amounting to an indictable offense com- mitted within the borders of Boone County occurred in 1854, the location of which was in Worth Township. At the date above named Richard Green owned and lived upon a farm in the south- west corner of section 35. This crime was committed on Sunday. On that day Mr. Green and his wife visited at the home of a neigh- bor in the vicinity, leaving three of their children at home to take care of the things about the house, two of whom were half grown. Some time in the afternoon the parents returned home and upon entering the house it occurred to Mr. Green that he had better look and see if his money was safe and untouched. The money in amount was $180, which was in a satchel which hung upon the wall of the
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house. Hle first noticed that the satchel was in place, but upon look- ing inside of it found that the money was gone. This was a very improper place to leave money for safe keeping, but in that day a crime of theft by one of the pioneer settlers was a thing unknown and unlooked for. However, in most all things there is an excep- tion to the general rule and this was one of them. Mr. Green called the children before him and asked them if any of them had taken the satchel from the wall during the day. They all denied having so much as thought of such a thing. Mr. Green then asked if any- body had been about the house during his absence. They answered that a man named George Redmon had been there and had remained over an hour, but he did not touch the satchel which contained the money during his stay. This they were certain of, but he had asked them what their father had done with the money recently paid him for an interest in a certain mill he had sold. Although the children could not furnish any proof that Redmon had taken the money, yet Mr. Green believed he had returned to the house while the children were out playing and had stolen the money. So he called in about six of his neighbors and laid the case before them. After thinking the matter over they all came to the conclusion that Redmon had taken the money. This man Redmon was single and he was stopping for the winter with a relative who then lived in the neighborhood. One of the men called in was quite witty as well as resourceful in planning for the execution of difficult things. To this man was assigned the plan of procedure for the recovery of the money. He was well acquainted with Redmon and knew that he would take a sip of intoxicating liquor with a relish when an opportunity pre- sented itself.
On the southeast corner of the farm lived a man in a small log cabin who kept a small stock of intoxicating liquors for sale. So this manager of affairs ordered the other six men to mask and secrete themselves in some underbrush along a by-road leading west from the log cabin just referred to, "and when I pass along that road in company with Redmon," said he, "you must jump from your hiding places and capture him, and to keep him from knowing that I led him into the trap we are now preparing for him, you must make a little effort to catch me also." This they understood and agreed to do.
Then leaving the residence of Richard Green, the man from whom the money was stolen, the manager proceeded to the place at which Redmon was stopping while the other six men prepared and
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adjusted their masks and made ready to take their position at the place he had assigned them. Redmon was found at his usual stop- ping place, but he seemed to be rather suspicious and at first refused to take a walk with the manager, who was always kind and friendly to him. But he was told that it was Christmas time and that it would be a nice thing as well as an apt time to take something to brace up on. To this persuasion Redmon finally yielded and in a short time the two were on their way across a field and then across a belt of timber that lay between it and the log cabin. Redmon ap- proached it very cautiously, looking in all directions as if he expected there was trouble in store for him. They found the occupant of the log cabin, the custodian of the "stuff," at home and at his post. The manager soon made their business known and in a short time the two men were taking a few swallows of the "stuff," which soon began to raise their spirits. After a short stay it was decided to purchase a pint of the "stuff" and take it along with them to keep their spirits aroused. They went west from the log cabin along the by-road already referred to. By this time Redmon had lost all his fears and suspicions and declared that he would like to fight a whole band of Indians just to show them how quick he could send as many as a dozen of them to the happy hunting grounds. Just as he reached the full height of his boasting, the place of concealment was reached and the six masked men sprang from their hiding places and in an instant he was in their grasp. The manager ran as fast as he could, with one of the masked men in pursuit, commanding him to stop, but he soon was out of sight and the chase after him discontinued.
In a short time he returned as completely masked as any of them. Near where Redmon was caught stood a large oak tree, the monarch of all the surrounding forest. He was taken to this tree and securely tied to it. A demand was then made that he should deliver the money he had taken from Mr. Green to the masked men or he would be most cruelly treated. Redmon vigorously denied that he had stolen any money from Mr. Green or any one else. Two of the masked men then plied some switches to his back, during which he cried and begged most piteously. The men then ceased whipping and told Redmon if he would restore the money his torture would cease.
Again he denied any knowledge of the money, but when the men commenced whipping him again he confessed that he had taken the money and if they would cease whipping him he would go and find it. They had not gone over a hundred yards from the tree when
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Redmon came to a halt and denied that he had taken the money or knew where it was. He was then taken back to the tree and the switches were applied more vigorously than ever. In a short time he confessed the second time and a second time agreed to find the money. Once more they left the tree and had gone about two hundred yards when Redmon again declared his innocence and refused to go further. One of the men said they would not whip him any more as his back was then bleeding, but that they would take him to the most convenient tree and hang him. Suiting his actions to the words uttered, he placed a rope around his neck, gave it a quick jerk and ordered Redmon to follow. Believing that his last day on earth had come, Redmon made a third confession of his guilt and promised a third time to return the money. After making his third confession he never faltered, but went directly to the place he had concealed the money and bending upon his knees dug up every dollar of the money - nine twenty dollar gold pieces.
The money was now recovered, but it had taken nearly all night to do it. The wounds on Redmon's person were more serious than any of the men had intended to give him, but this was the only treat- ment that would induce him to give up the stolen money. Having taken the law into their own hands, they now felt a little shaky over his bleeding wounds, although they knew that none of the wounds inflicted were dangerous. So after securing the money they told Redmon that seven men were witnesses of the fact that he had stolen $180, for which they could send him to the penitentiary, but if he would leave the country and never return they would let him go. To this proposition he readily consented and he left that morning and was never seen by any of them again. It was reported that Redmon was compelled to stop at the Twenty-Mile House, ten miles from the scene of his crime, and have his wounds dressed. The place where the money was buried was in a corner of a rail fence, about forty rods south of the Saunders home in Worth Township.
The next crime committed within the bounds of section 35 was the first robbery or attempted robbery ever committed in Central Jowa. This attempted robbery took place in the summer of 1856. Clarke Luther, who for many years enjoyed the distinction of being the richest man in Boone County, lived on this historical section of land. He owned a large farm and devoted his time to farming, his chosen occupation. He raised and sold both grain and stock and from time to time handled large amounts of money, which soon attracted attention.
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In December, 1855, he was united in marriage to Miss Laura A. Long and commenced housekeeping on Mr. Luther's farm. At the date of their marriage Mrs. Luther was quite young, being only seventeen years old. Mr. Luther had a number of work hands employed and along with them he also worked on the farm. One day in the latter part of June, 1856, while Mr. Luther and his men were at work at some distance from the house, and while Mrs. Luther was alone, a large, strange looking man came to the door of the little log house and spoke in a very abrupt manner. She did not know he was about until she heard the sound of his voice. The house was a log cabin which had but one door, which was on the south side, and as the robber stood in it Mrs. Luther had no means of escape and so she was for the time being a prisoner in her own home. The robber had a revolver in one pocket, with a good part of it visible, while in his right hand he held a bowie knife. One can well imagine what must have been the feelings of Mrs. Luther when she was thus confronted by this horrible looking and well armed robber. "Madam," said he, "I have not come here to hurt you, but I have come for your money and I want you to give it to me at once, as I have no time to waste." At first she tried to make a noise so that Mr. Luther or some one else might hear and come to her assistance. The robber very resolutely told her that if she made a noise loud enough to bring her husband to the house he would shoot him as soon as he arrived and at the same time brandished his revolver.
Mrs. Luther then told him the money was in the smokehouse and that if he would let her out she would go and get it for him. This she said in hopes she might get out and make her escape. But as she passed out at the door the robber took her by the arm and walked along with her, thus preventing every chance of escape. After looking around in the smokehouse for a while she told the robber that the money had the previous week been deposited in a Des Moines bank by her husband, which fact she did not call to mind when she told him it was in the smokehouse.
The robber at once ordered her to return to the house and then told her not to make any noise on penalty of death. He then charged her with telling a falsehood about the money and at the same time seized her by the throat and choked her almost into a state of insen- sibility. The brutal robber then thrust her into a corner of the house and ordered her to remain there and not to make the slightest movement. The robber then commenced looking for the money him-
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self. Every trunk and box in the house was broken open and every crevice looked into. The clothing upon the beds was taken off and piled upon the floor, but not so much as a dollar was found to reward him for his trouble. This greatly exasperated him, for he expected to make a good haul. After telling Mrs. Luther that he did not believe they ever had any money the disappointed thief took his departure, going into the thick timber along the Des Moines River. Just a short time after the robber left, Mr. Luther came to the house for some drinking water and there found Mrs. Luther in a condition that greatly alarmed him, for she could hardly speak so as to be understood. It so happened that a man named Hoffman came to the house about that time. The neighborhood was aroused and all of the settlers went in search of the robber, but after a two days' hunt failed to capture him. If this robber had come a week sooner he would have found $2,000 in the house and without doubt would have secured the whole sum. The week prior to the robbery Mr. Luther had deposited it in a Des Moines bank for safe keeping and this defeated the plans of the robber and his confederates. At that time a man named Edward Clark lived in the vicinity and the suspicion of the citizens pointed to him as the man who had planned the robbery and brought this strange man into the country to do the job. It was also thought that after the attempt had been made Clark had assisted the robber in making his escape. The reasons for the sus- picions against Clark were based upon the fact that a strange man which suited the description of the robber as given by Mrs. Luther was seen in company with Clark at Swede Point (Madrid ) the day before the robbery and the further fact that he took no part in try- ing to find the robber when the search was in progress. Accordingly a warrant was issued, based upon the information charging Clark with being an accessory in this attempted robbery and he was placed under arrest and taken before Joseph Saunders, justice of the peace, who bound him over for his appearance at the next session of the grand jury. Clark gave bail, then left the country and was never seen in those parts again. The grand jury failed to find a bill of indictment against him at the following session because there was no direct testimony against him, and this exonerated his bondsmen. There were very few citizens in all the country around who did not believe that Clark was guilty of all that was charged against him but believing a thing and proving it are two very different things.
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This brought to a close the first case of attempted robbery in Boone County and so far as the writer is informed, the first in the upper Des Moines Valley.
It was a number of weeks before Mrs. Luther recovered from the shock of the attack of this brutal robber. The imprint of his fingers upon her throat did not disappear for some months afterward. The main part of the above sketch was given at the request of the writer by Mrs. Luther, who now resides at the Town of Luther, about a mile east of where the attempted robbery took place fifty-one years ago.
ANOTHER ROBBERY THIRTEEN YEARS LATER
After the lapse of thirteen years the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarke Luther became the scene of another crime of theft and robbery. By this time the family was domiciled in a two-story brick residence, and the old log house in which the first robbery took place had been converted into a tool house.
Some time in the summer of 1869 Mr. Luther missed $1,000 which was stolen from a stand table drawer that stood in one of the rooms of his residence. There were no less than a dozen men at work on the farm at the time of this theft and at least half of them boarded at the residence.
There seemed to be no doubt but that some of the men had stolen the money, but to ascertain which one was a difficult thing. After making strict inquiry among the men and after questioning them carefully about the matter, suspicion pointed to two young men named John Curry and Oliver World, who came from Illinois and who had been in Mr. Luther's employ but a short time. When informed that they were suspected of being the perpetrators of the crime they vigorously denied any knowledge of the money and at the same time declared themselves innocent of taking it; but they still continued to work on the farm. Mr. Luther kept a strict watch over them and all of their movements, not venturing to leave home for fear they would get away with the money, which he felt sure they were seeking an opportunity to do.
Hon. G. W. Crooks was then sheriff of Boone County and had been very successful in ferreting out the guilty parties to a number of crimes. For this reason he was looked upon as a fairly good detective. Mr. Crooks was sent for and on his arrival he took the two suspected men in charge, giving them to understand at the same
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time that he was in possession of sufficient evidence to convict them of the crime. This and the prestige of his official position had a telling effect upon them. After taking them through a scathing examination they confessed to him the crime and went to the hiding place of the money, delivering every dollar of it to the sheriff. This was the first crime or theft ever committed by these young men and, of course, they were not skilled in the management of their crime like older ones in that business would have been.
The money was hid in a windmill in the barn. Mr. Luther and his family had looked in every part of the barn for the money except in this windmill, into which they did not think it necessary to look. Sheriff Crooks took the two young thieves with him to the county seat and lodged them in the county jail. They were afterwards bound over to await the action of the grand jury by a magistrate in a bail bond of $500. They then left the state and their bail bonds were paid by relatives in Illinois .;
In the spring of 1865 Mr. Luther sold $13,000 worth of fat cattle and deposited the money in the county safe. C. W. Hamilton was then county treasurer and was filling his fifth and Jast term in that office. At the close of this official term, January 1, 1866, to the surprise of nearly all of the county he proved to be a defaulter of county funds to the amount of nearly $7,000. Not only this but he had paid off and reissued county bonds to the amount of $1.000 and had used up the money which had been deposited in the county safe by various individuals. Mr. Luther lost the whole of $13,000 de- posited for safe keeping, as already stated. It is true that he received a deed for a few small tracts of inferior land, but as he was on his official bond the land received was worth but little more than it took to pay his part of the bond. These historic sketches show that Mr. and Mrs. Luther have had a varied experience with bold, bad and slippery men.
On the 24th of December, 1877, a fracas occurred between two young men named Henry Loafman and Polk Bonnett. This fracas took place at the old Pleasant Grove schoolhouse, in the ill fated section 35, where the robberies and thefts above mentioned occurred. On the evening of the day above mentioned, a Christmas tree enter- tainment was held at this schoolhouse and when it was over and about all the people who had gathered there had departed for their homes, a quarrel arose between the above named young men, in which they came to blows. During the encounter Bonnett stabbed Loafman with a knife, inflicting wounds upon him from which he died in about
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two weeks. Bonnett escaped the clutches of the law and was never heard of again in these parts.
About the year 1892 John Long, who lived on the southeast cor- ner of this same section 35, lost $1,000 from its place of concealment. He had placed the money in a tin can and had set the can in a cider mill in one of his granaries. This was a very unsafe place to keep money, though the granary was locked most of the time. A man named Ramsey who worked for Mr. Long ascertained the where- abouts of the money and one evening a little after dark he took it and went his way. After keeping it about a week he repented of his crime and turned the money over to the sheriff of the county, with the request that he restore it to Mr. Long. This the sheriff did, but Ramsey was indicted, tried and convicted and was sent to the peni- tentiary for a year and a half.
In the month of June, 1894, a midnight robbery was perpetrated at this same place. Three masked men broke through the door of the Long residence and rushing into the bedroom where Mr. and Mrs. Long slept, forced gags into their mouths and ordered them not to move on penalty of death. They searched the house for money but only found $350. The robbers appeared to be much disappointed because they did not get more money. When they departed they took Mr. Long's revolver as far as the woodpile and left it there. The next day a search was made for the robbers but none of them were ever found. Who they were and whence they came no one could find out. It is very remarkable that two robberies, three thefts and one murder were all committed on one section of land. The first thought will perhaps be that the citizens were a bad lot, but the fact that not one of the perpetrators of these crimes except Polk Bonnett ever lived in Worth Township dispenses with that idea. The reason the robberies and thefts were committed in this particular location was the well known fact that the families named were known to have large sums of money.
According to the census of 1910 the population of Worth Town- ship was 655, including the Town of Luther. Luther has about one hundred and fifty people.
The following list of soldiers of the Civil war went from Worth Township : G. W. Barrett, Jordan Redmon, David Gilmore, M. T. Harlan, James R. Payne, W. K. Paxton, M. K. Ramsey, George Ramsey, S. P. Zenor, D. E. Myers, D. S. Bushnell, William Dyer, Wilford Torr, Caleb Green, Harrison Boone, Charles Bustrom, M. S. Cunningham, Oliver Gildea, Jefferson D. Gildea, George Hull,
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Martin Hull, Jackson Hull, John Huffman, Madison Long, Jacob Long, Thomas Myers, Joshua Rozell, Joshua Harlan, William Von- trees, M1. Pettibone, Edward Boone, Cyrus Davis, W. G. Grayson, J. B. Hulburt, J. B. Patterson, S. A. Paxton, James P. Williams, William R. Dyer, Thomas J. Gildea, John Nutt, R. N. Cartwright, Sylvanus Bennett, H. W. Hull, Tyler Boone, Jesse Boone, James A. Davis, S. S. Zenor and N. H. Schooler. Of this list of fifty-one sol- diers who went from Worth Township, only six are still living in the township. These are Jackson Hull, Jefferson D. Gildea, Tyler Boone, Jesse Boone, Cyrus Davis and W. G. Grayson.
The present officers of Worth Township are: Trustees, William Gildea, T. Burlingame, MI. Bixby; township clerk, Edward North- up; assessor, B. F. Hull.
CHAPTER XXI
PILOT MOUND TOWNSHIP
At the time of the organization of the three original townships of Boone County in August, 1849, the present Township of Pilot Mound was contained in Boone River Township. It continued to be a part of Boone River Township until March 8, 1852. At that . date Boone River Township was discontinued and Yell Township was organized. In this division, Yell Township contained all that part of Boone River Township which was situated west of the Des Moines River. At this date the present Township of Pilot Mound became a part of Yell. This division continued until September, 1858, when Pilot Mound Township was organized and named by County Judge S. B. McCall. It was named after the very promi- nent mound of that name situated near the central part of the town- ship. This mound is by far the largest and most interesting one in the borders of Boone County.
At the date of its organization Pilot Mound Township contained all of its present territory and all of the present Township of Grant. This division continued until 1871, at which time the complete organization of all of the townships of the county was effected by the board of county supervisors and at which time Pilot Mound Township was reduced to its present boundaries. It contains less than two-thirds of a congressional township. It is bounded on the east by the Des Moines River, on the north by Webster County, on the west by Grant Township and on the south by Yell Township. Douglas and Cass are the only townships in the county having less territory than Pilot Mound.
The first board of trustees elected in the township was as follows : Bethel Owen, A. Abercrombie, Peter Runyan, M. F. Schleight was the first clerk and J. M. Carson was the first assessor. The first official meeting of the township board was held at the house of A. Abercrombie.
The first settler in the township was Matthias White, who moved from the State of Indiana and settled in section 15 in 1847. Solo-
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mon Tomlinson moved from the State of Ohio and took up a claim in section to in 1847.
The first marriage was that of John Atkinson and Mary Peterson, the ceremony being performed by Judge S. B. McCall.
Rev. William Sparks preached the first sermon in the township at the house of J. M. Carson.
The first school in the township was taught by Sarah Scott, in a little log house on section 3, township 85, range 27. The first school- house was built on section 3, in 1850. It was a log building, roughly finished and crudely furnished. It cost, besides the volunteer work put upon it, fifty dollars.
The early settlers of Pilot Mound Township were subjected to many hardships. They had to go to Des Moines for all of their supplies and they had no road but the old Dragoon trail to travel on. They had to go to Oskaloosa to find a mill that manufactured bread- stuff. This was a distance of one hundred miles.
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