USA > Iowa > Chickasaw County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 32
USA > Iowa > Howard County > History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa > Part 32
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
·
358
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
the court records, as before stated, were saved. The loss of these latter will cause great inconvenience and perhaps litigation, but it is probable that the means may be found to effect a restoration of most of them. * * * *
"The property was insured for $3,500, as follows: $1,000 in the Etna, on the building, for the benefit of the court house association; $1,000 in the same company on the records, and $1,500 in the Home, of New York, on the furniture, fixtures, etc.
"The cause of the fire is unknown, some attributing it to accident, and others to incendiarism. Some seem to have almost positive convictions, that it was the work of an incendiary, and give reasons for their opinion, which it would not be advisable to publish. It seems to be the general opinion, however, that the careless habit of throwing cigar stumps on the floor, is responsible for the fire. A lighted cigar would light a fire that would smoulder for hours in the thick matting, with which a part of the court room was spread. A strip of this matting was immediately over the place where the fire was first discovered."
In the light of later developments many people, who are cognizant of the affairs of the county, connect the fire with the defalcation and absconding of the county treasurer, and claim that there is an evident connection between the two, that to cover up his tracks he fired the building. This has never been proven, and may be a misconstruction, human nature ever being prone to condemn a man for all the wrongs he might do if he only com- mits one-kick a man when he is down, so to speak.
For the facts in regard to the above mentioned embezzlement of the funds by the county treasurer, Frank Kyte, and his move- ments, at the time, we are indebted to the kindness of L. E. Smith, of the Cresco Times, who with rare courtesy; extended to us all help in compiling the records of Howard county, and who placed at our disposal all the papers in regard to the matter in point.
On Monday, July 12, 1877, the community of Cresco was startled by the receipt of a telegram from McGregor, stating that Frank Kyte, the county treasurer, had been drowned in the Mississippi river, on Sunday afternoon, while bathing at a point near the pictured rocks, some two miles below town. Telegrams were sent to the different members of his family, notifying them
1
..
359
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
of his death, and John G. Stradley, S. A. and Frank Sutton started for McGregor on the first train, meaning to assist in recovering his body. On their arrival they were informed that he went in swimming in company with Frank Tryan, the son of the proprietor of the Mondell house, at Prairie du Chien, where he was stopping. Kyte persisted in the assertion (according to his story), that he could swim to the island, nearly a third of a mile, and return, which feat he accordingly tried. Tryan, whilst dress- ing, heard Kyte's scream and saw him go down. Being under the impulse of fear, he immediately started for Prairie du Chien to give the alarm, and on arriving there told his pitiful tale. John Lawler, with his usual promptitude and generosity, at once ordered out the ferry boat to search for the body. Quite a number of row- boats, also, went to the place pointed out, and assisted in the search.
On Monday, the body not being yet recovered, the cannon be- longing to the artillery battery at McGregor, was taken on board the ferry boat, and served by volunteers, commenced firing, to raise the body to the surface, the merchants of Mc- Gregor, having contributed liberally to the fund to buy powder, etc. All day the bluffs re-echoed to the booming of the artillery, and the whole city was on tip-toe of excitement, and every means was taken for the recovery of the corpse. All efforts were in vain. H. W. Babcock, of Cresco, who was on business in McGregor at the time, offered fifty dollars for the recovery of the body, and Mr. Stradley, on his arrival, at once offered one hundred dollars. All day the search continued, under the able direction of Amos Pearsall, of McGregor, and Peter Velie, of Prairie du Chien. Toward evening, however, a rumor, started on the streets, that Kyte had purchased a new suit of clothes on Saturday, in Mc- Gregor. This rumor and others, that were floating around, were diligently followed up, by the gentlemen from Cresco. On Tues- day morning they learned, that, a man, answering the description of the supposed dead man, had been seen, walking on the track near Clayton, and later at the town of Guttenburg. Immediately Messrs. Pearsall, Stradley, and Sutton proceeded to the latter place, and tracked the man to a point about opposite to the town of Cassville, Wisconsin. They found evidence strong enough to force conviction on their minds, that the man they were following
360
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
was indeed the absconding treasurer, Kyte, and that he, in the words of the immortal Webster, still lived. He had shaved off his moustache and at Clayton and Guttenburg, was noticed, from the liberality with which he threw around his money, treating to drinks, etc. It was also found that he had crossed the river, at Turkey river station. The party did not pursue any further, but returned to. McGregor, and took legal advice, as what was best to be done under the circumstances. They learned, much to their surprise, no doubt, that there existed no authority, in them, to arrest him as there was no charge against him, or evidence that he had committed any crime. Meanwhile P. N. Glathart, one of the Cresco delegation, was watching the movements of young Tryan, to prevent his escape or flight, and upon the return of the pursuing party, and the narration of the facts learned by them, Tryan was interviewed. He was told, in pretty strong language, that it was now ascertained, beyond all question, that Frank Kyte was not drowned-that he (Tryan) had lied about it, and must own up, and more to the same effect. The threats and menaces of his interrogators produced the effect, and he admitted the fact, Kyte had skipped out, and that the report of his drowning, was a fabrication. The true story now came out, partly extorted from the young man, and partly from other sources.
It seems that Kyte had been in ill-health for some time past, and had been at the sanitarium, at Prairie du Chien, taking baths, or as he jocularly termed it "taking a scald." While there, he got on very friendly terms with this young Tryan, getting on the "right side of himn," as the slang expression is by liberally treating, and making a companion of him. He told Tryan a pitiful tale, to raise his compassion, telling him, that he had a scrape in Cresco, in which a woman was concerned, and that it would soon become public and that he had better be dead, at least to his friends-for it would be hell on earth to him, to have it come out, and live among it. The two inseperables, after purchasing the suit of clothes, went to the pictured rocks, and they, according to previous agreement, went in swimming. After sporting in the water some time Tryan climbed out and while dressing saw Kyte sink and turned his back, so. that he might not see him emerge. Kyte now having been drowned put out for more con- genial climes, and Tryan hastened to Prairie du Chien, to carry
1
.
363
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
out his part of the comedy. Kyte bungled his part of the job sadly, but so it seems "The best laid plans of men and mice oft gang agley." Kyte left a wife and child, a son only two months old, to "suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," and bear the brand of the felon shame of his erring father. No man had a larger circle of acquaintance and friends than he, and he was trusted and beloved by all.
The following resolution, of the board of supervisors in special session assembled, July, 1877 explains itself:
"Whereas, Frank Kyte, late treasurer of Howard county, has absconded, and has not been seen at the treasurer's office in the said county for the past twelve days, and is nowhere to be found, and his present whereabouts is to us unknown, and that it is be- lieved that he has ceased to be a resident of said county, there- fore;
Resolved, By the board of supervisors of Howard county, that the facts recited above have caused a vacancy in the office of county treasurer, and the office of county treasurer is now vacant, and we hereby so declare.
"Resolved, Further that James F. Borthwick be and is hereby appointed county treasurer, of Howard county to fill the vacancy now existing in said office.
"Resolved, That the incoming treasurer be required to give bonds in the sum of forty thousand dollars, and this appointment shall take effect upon the approval of the same, by this board."
Upon the receipt of the intelligence the board ordered the safe. to be opened, but the arrival of J. W. Norris , the vice-president of the safe company with Cyrus Wellington, the matter for a while came to a halt. It would seem as if the safe belonged to the Diebold safe company. It was locked with a Sargent time lock, but the latter had been tampered with, and would not open. After Mr. Norris arrived, he served a notice upon the board of supervisors of the couny, that they must not open the safe, until they had purchased the same, and the price was affixed as being $1500. The board however would not be "bull dozed," and after much discussion a contract was entered into by and between the said board and Norris, the latter to open the safe, for the sum of two hundred dollars, if it could be done without breaking it, and four hundred dollars if it had to be forced, if the latter, he was to
364
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
repair and put in as good shape as before. He tried for a long time to open it, using all his skill, but in vain, he then returned to Chicago, and brought with him after the absence of several days, a skilled workman with tools, who proceeded to force the safe. On July 20th the door yielding to the effort stood wide open and the eyes of the board on investigation, beheld an empty, or nearly so, money drawer. A rigid examination of the books of the treasurer revealed the extent of the defalcation to be $18500.66. The board immediately took measures to' attach the property of Kyte, both real and personal. This amounted to the sum of about $6000. leaving the bondsmen to pay the difference of $12000, and the attorney of the county was directed to bring suit against them to recover that amount. On a search being institu-' ted for the bond it was found to be missing and the parties, whose names were supposed to have been affixed thereon, set up a claim, that they had signed no such bond. So the matter rested for a short time, but the search for the missing document was diligently prosecuted and at last was crowned with success. The paper was found and was immediately placed in the hands of the legal lights, who represented the county, for them to commence suit. Dire was the dismay of the disgusted bondsigners for it meant financial ruin to many of them. The board, at an adjourned meeting June 24th, 1878 (the matter having run along until then,) were. pre- sented with a petition, signed by 1445 voters of the county, re- questing the honorable board of supervisors of Howard county, "to compromise the matter between the county and the bondsmen of Kyte and to withdraw the suits now pending between the county and them, and settle the matter between the parties on such terms as may be just to the county without involving the financial ruin of said bondsmen." As two-thirds of the said petitioners seemed to think that $5000 was the proper sum at which to adjust and settle the same, the board resolved, that they would accept the sum of $500 in cash to defray expenses the county had been put to, and $5000 in equal installments, payable in one, two and three years after date, the bondsmen to give their notes for the same, for the benefit of the defalcation fund of the county. This seemed - to the board, as more nearly to approximate to the wishes of the most of the petitioners, and
"Whereas the following named bondsmen of Frank Kyte, J. F.
-
-
365
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
Donahugh, Sardis Sutton, W. E. Roche, C. Genshaw, T. J. De Lange, P. Meighan, John Miltz, P. Peterson, Patrick Brady, Thomas Sullivan and William Burke, have signified their assent to settle on the basis above;
' Resolved, That the board of supervisors of Howard county, accept and settle as above, taking security for the faithful perfor- mance thereof," and ordering that all suits against the gentlemen be withdrawn, except as against A. D. Wright, against whom judgment had already been obtained .. The matter was settled upon this basis and here the affair closed, and although the county was the loser still it was better to compromise than by a strict construction of the law to plunge into despair so many innocent families. Further whereabouts of the absconding treasurer is totally unknown, and let us draw around his act the same charitable mantle of oblivion; we know not the temptation that beset him -that led to the fatal action that blasted a life full of promise- that broke up a happy home. Let us not apologize for the crime, but pity and regard with charity, the criminal.
The court house association having rebuilt the building, used for county purposes, in what is known as court-house square, in the year 1880. Again tendered, to the board of supervisors, the use of the same for the use of Howard county officials and as a court room, free of any charge for as long a term as the said county would continue to use it for such purpose. This new building was erected in 1879, but was not finished until the early part of 1880. The board accepting the offer moved the records, books, etc. of the county, together with the furniture and fixtures of the various officers of the county from the house of A. D. Wright, which they had occupied as a temporary expedient, to the new court house, where they now remain.
By resolution of the board, bids were asked for attendence on the sick poor of the county, an jon receipt of the same. 1880, the contract was awarded to Dr. O. N. Hoyt for the yearly stipend of $125.
By a report of the county treasurer, made January 1st, 1881, we find the funds of the county in the following condition.
General county fund on hand. $ 351 39
State
66 1137 47
War-defense bond "
51 85
.
366
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
County school
1050 17
Bridge
66 66
179 19
Insane 66
66
1024 62
Bond
66 66
2076 96
Permanent school "
1402 93
Temporary “ 66
1857 99
Apportionment
192 09
Total $9324 66
At the June session of the board of supervisors, in and for Howard county, instructed the auditor to advertise for bids for the erection and equipment of a county jail, and also for a place of residence, for the sheriff of the county, to be attached thereto. and appropriated some $4500 for the same. The auditor obeyed the order, but on opening the bids, the board decided, that none of them were satisfactory. They therefore undertook to build the said jail and residence themselves. A. G. Hubbard being ap- pointed commissioner to superintend the work thereon and carry out the instructions of the board in relation to them. For a description of these building refer to chapter six devoted county buildings.
1 1
367
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
CHAPTER III.
RETURNS OF EVERY ELECTION HELD IN THE COUNTY FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO THE PRESENT TIME; VOTE CAST FOR EACH CANDIDATE; NAMES, ETC.
The election returns for some of the earlier years are entirely wanting, and for many others are very imperfect but we give below all that seemed to be authentic. The first election, after the or- ganization of the county, was in
1855,
and was held on the first Monday of August, James G. Upton, being elected county judge; Edmund Gillett, clerk; William Wood- ward, recorder and treasurer; John Harlow, Sheriff; M. V. Burdick prosecuting attorney.
1856.
James G. Upton, was elected county judge; E. Gillett, clerk of courts, F. N. Jewett, treasurer and recorder; John Harlow, Sheriff; John F. Mitchell, coroner; John C. Miles, county surveyor.
1857.
Edward Gillett,seems to have been acting as county judge, during the spring of this year, and James G. Upton the balance, with Gillett as clerk; John Harlow, as sheriff, and William Woodward, recorder; no records exist of any election, but these are taken from some legal papers of this date, which bear the signatures as above.
.
368
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
1858.
C. E. Brown,seems to have been county superintendent of schools- previous to this year, but no record exist, to show that such is a fact, except some records of payment to him, as salary in that capacity. At the election held this year. James G. Upton, was elected county judge; H. A. Cook, treasurer and recorder; H. Greer, surveyor; C. E. Brown, county superintendent of schools; James H. B. Harris, clerk of the courts, (this seems to be an error, but is so recorded).
1859.
James G. Upton, county judge; Edmund Gillett, clerk of the courts; H. A. Cook, treasurer and recorder; James Carpenter, sheriff.
1860
Darius Seeley, elected county judge; James H. B. Harris, clerk of the courts; A. M. Cowan, treasurer and recorder; C. E. Brown, superintendent of schools; P. T. Searles, sheriff; Laban Hassett, county surveyor.
Board of supervisors to serve for year 1861, J. W. Barrel, G. W. Ostrander, T. R. Perry, T. Griffin, S. W. Seeley, J. H. Boggess, S. Radford, M. Niles, C. M. Munson, W. Strother, C. A. Salmon and S. L. Cary.
1861.
At the election, held in the early spring, this year, the first record is made, of the amount of votes polled, which is 410.
D. W. Owen, was elected county judge; E. W. Allen, clerk of the courts; on the question of donating the swamp lands to the northern Iowa railroad 384 votes were cast in favor of it, and 24 against. Thos. Griffin, E. V. White, H. D. Noble, J. H. Boggess, W. D. Darrow, J. T. Mitchell, J. E. Bennett, were elected members of the board of supervisors; Adam Fussell, county superintendent and P. T. Searles, sheriff.
This year the time of holding the election was changed, and an election ordered in accordance with the new order of things; this was held
October 8, 1861.
Total number of votes cast, 567,Samuel J.Kirkwood receiving 285, and William H. Merritt 251, and scattering 31 for governor; Ralph P. Lowe 253, Ralph Lowe 67 and James M. Elwood 256, for
369
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
judge of supreme court; J. R. Needham 312 and Lawson Dewey 255, for lieutenant governor; D. G. Frisbee 283, S. L. Cary 247 and T. W. Sanders 9, for representative to the legislature.
C. E. Berry 296, Edmund Gillett 260, and 2 scattering, for county judge.
Austin M. Cowan 312, and A. M. Van Leuvan 241, for treasurer and recorder. ·
P. T. Searles, receiving all the votes, 566, for sheriff.
Laban Hassett, 327, and Joseph Knowlton, 233, for county sur- vey or.
Adam Fussell 233, J. W. Reed 214, and C. E. Brown 114, for · county superintendent.
J. W. Baird 302 and T. W. Sanders 265, for coroner.
C. F. Webster 323, Michael O'Donnell 195 for clerk of courts.
H. D. Noble, J. F. Webster, Gardner Howe, G. W. Ostrander, C. W. Fields and A. G. Hubbard, were also elected members of the board of supervisors.
October 13, 1863. ..
The total vote of the county this year was 647,of which William M. Stone received 403 and James M. Tuttle 244 for Governor; . Enoch W. Eastman 408 and James F. Duncomb 241 for Lieut. Governor.
James F. Dillon, 408 to Chas. Mason 242, for Judge of the Su- preme Court.
Thos. R. Perry 397 and T. M. Atherton 245 for Representative from 52d district.
J. G. Patterson 408 and N. M. Wilder 241 for state senator.
C. E. Berry 397 and H. A. Goodrich 250 for county judge.
A. W. Cowan 416 and Chas Brownell 220 for treasurer and recorder.
P. T. Searles 416 and P. G. Nichols 227, for sheriff; Laban Hassett 409 and Joseph Knowlton 236, for county surveyor.
J. J. Clemmer 406 and S. Herrick 240 for coroner.
Darius Seeley. 407 and W. S. Pettibone 239, for drainage com- missioner.
For donating the swamp lands to McGregor Western railroad 604, against, 18.
The members of the board of supervisors elected were W. D.
.
1
370
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
Darrow, A. M. Van Leuvan, Darius Seeley, H. A. Goodrich, Thos. Griffin and L. A. Russell.
October 8, 1864.
The whole vote cast numbered 639. The Iowa republican pres- idential electors receiving 419 and the democratic 220 votes.
J. C. Cole 421, his opponent 221, for the office of judge of the supreme court.
James Wright 421, and John H. Wallace 220, for secretary of state.
John A. Elliott 421, and E. O. Hendershott 220, for state auditor1 Wm. H. Holmes 421, and I. B. Lash 220, for state treasurer.
E. A. Allen 421, and Chas. W. Dunbar, 220 for attorney general.
Josiah A. Harvey received 421, B. D. Holbrook 220, for register of state land office.
For congressman, William B. Allison polled 421, to B. B. Rich- ards' 221.
Aaron Kimball had 458, and J. White 261, for clerk of the courts. S. W. Seeley 456, and G. W. Fall 265, for county recorder.
Smith W. Seeley 454, and G. W. Fall 262, for county judge.
W. D. Darrow, A. M. VanLeuvan, Darius Seeley, H. A. Good- rich, Thomas Griffin and L. A. Russell were also elected members of the board of county supervisors.
October 10, 1865.
At the election held this date there were 635 votes polled for governor, of which William M. Stone received 353, and Thomas H. Benton 282.
For lieutenant governor, B. F. Gue 362, and W. W. Hamilton received 276.
For judge of the supreme court, Geo. G. Wright 363, and H. H. Trimble 276.
For superintendent of public instruction, O. Faville had 365 to J. W. Sennett 270.
For representative, 54th district, D. W. Poindexter had 343 and C. E. Berry 245.
For county judge, D. O. Preston had 330 votes, A. D. Combs 294, scattering 3.
For treasurer, J. F. Webster 328, B. D. Everingham 305.
The other officers elected being, J. F. Powell, sheriff; J. J. Clem- mer, coroner; P. N. Glathart, surveyor, and T. W. Lee, county
371
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
superintendent of schools. For members of the board of super- visors, C. E. Ashley, C. T. Thurber, J. H. St. John, H. A. Good- rich, E. I. Isabell and L. A. Russell.
Special election, October, 1865.
On the question of extending the time in the contract with the McGregor Western railroad, total vote cast 232; "for extension," 212; "against extension," 20.
On the question of giving said railroad the entire benefit of the swamp lands of Howard county; "for," 149; "against," 70; blank, 13. Albion and Howard townships held no election.
October 9, 1866.
At this election there were 656 votes polled, of which S. G. Van Anda received 221, and E. D. Wright, 435 for secretary of state; John A. Elliott, 435, and Robert W. Cross, 231 for state auditor; S. E. Rankin, 435, and George A. Stone, 221 for state treasurer; F. E. Bissell, 435, and W. Ballingall, 221 for state attorney; C. C. Car- penter, 435, and L. P. Mckinney, 222 for register of state land office; C. Linderman, 435, and Fred. Gottschalk, 222 for clerk of the supreme court.
For representative to congress William B. Allison received 439 votes, and Reuben Noble, 229; for district judge, Milo McGlathery received 654, there being no opposition, and for district attorney the vote stood L. O. Hatch, 341, John T. Clark, 305, W. R. Mead, 1, D. O. Preston, 1; for clerk of courts, Aaron Kimball received 507, T. W. Lee, 141, and William H. Patterson, 2; for county recorder, William H. Patterson had 507, C. W. Sawyer, 133, and Aaron Kimball, 2.
Members of the board of supervisors elected at the same time were: A. N. Harris, Truman Robinson, S. A. Stone, P. T. Searles, I. C. Chamberlain, Thos. Griffin, and Wm. Burleigh.
October 8, 1867.
Total number of votes polled, 953. Samuel Merrill receiving 618, and Chas. Mason, 339 for governor; John Scott, 616, and D. M. Harris, 279 for lieutenant governor; J. M. Beck, 516, and John H. Craig, 337 for judge of the supreme court; Henry O'Conner, 616, and W. F. Barker, 337 for attorney general; D. F. Wells, 616, and Maturin L. Fisher, 337 for superintendent of public instruc- tion, for the full term, and for the same to fill vacancy, D. F. Wells received 255 votes, and M. L. Fisher, 92.
372
HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY.
For state senator, 46th. district, J. G. Patterson received 576 votes, his opponent, A. G. Case, tallying but 332. For representa- tive, 56th district, J. H. Brown received 581, and G. W. Barker, 329 votes; for county treasurer M. M. Moon had 536, J. F. Webster, 422, and "scattering," 1.
For county judge, D. O. Preston received 552, C. F. Brecken- ridge, 382 votes, with a scattering of 2; J. F. Powell, 621, and G. W. Ostrander, 330 for, sheriff; T. W. Lee, 598, and H. W. Partch, 346 for superintendent of county schools; P. N. Glathart being elected surveyor with a vote of 557, while his opponent, Laban Hassett, received but 399; J. J. Clemmer was re-elected coroner by a vote of 480 to H. C. Price's 472.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.