USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 32
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Another suicide in 1883 was that of Frederick Limping, a farmer living south of Williams. He loaded a gun and leaving the ramrod in the barrel, dis- charged it into the pit of his stomach. He was about thirty-five years of age and financial difficulties caused the deed.
Early in April, 1884. Richard Stevens, a hotel keeper at Jewell, was struck by an early morning train and killed. No one knew how the accident occurred. He left the house in the morning, saying he was going to the 3 o'clock train. When he did not come back at once, his wife thought he had gone to the depot to wait for the express. The conductor of the morning train found the body with the head severed.
Milo Tuttle, a prominent farmer of Liberty township died the 14th of April. 1884. He went to the barn about 4 o'clock in the morning to look after some horses that were fighting. In attempting to separate them, he was kicked in the abdomen and his death came about two days later. Ile was about fifty-five years of age, was well to do and prominent.
October 3. 1886, occurred a sad accident in Clear Lake township, resulting in the almost instant death of Mrs. Lewis Carey. The hired man had taken the gun out to shoot a hawk, but hearing a noise at the barn, set the gun down by the wood pile, while he went to see what caused the noise. Just at this time Mrs. Carey and her little son came out to get some wood and in some unaccount-
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able manner. the little fellow tipped the gun over. As it fell it discharged. striking Mrs. Carey in the side and breast. She lived but a very short time after the accident.
In December. 1886, a tragedy occurred in Lyon township. Frank Cockran and some neighbors were butchering hogs and Frank was handling the sticking knife. He had caught a hog and was about to use the knife when his feet slipped and he fell, the knife penetrating his abdomen. The wound killed him almost instantly.
.A family feud between Hloovers and Dutchers, farmers near Homer, resulted in a shooting scrape in June, 1887. Hoover went over to Dutchers to complain about the latter's chickens and did so in such an abusive manner that Dutcher became furious and seizing his revolver, shot Hoover in the side. He was arrested and held under bond of $1.000 which was promptly signed by his neighbors.
In the latter part of January, 1888, Rev. W. W. Nutting, a Universalist minister. at Webster City, attempted to commit suicide by taking poison. Mr. Nutting had been at Storm Lake to preach the previous Sunday and on his re- turn found that his wife had taken her child and left home, leaving word that she did not care to live with him any longer. He also found the town was alive with stories of cruelty. This alarming condition drove Nutting to desperation and resulted in the rash act. Prompt medical assistance saved his life. He was a strong preacher and had been particularily effective in his sermons on domestic problems. Nutting retained his position as minister, and about a month later, after a few days absence, he returned bringing Mrs. Nut- ting with him.
In May. 1888, Robert Glasgow was suddenly killed by a falling derrick at East Bridge in Webster City. He was a workman on the bridge at the time of the accident.
THE MURDER OF JAMES RICHARDSON
June 23. 1888. Ringling Brothers, then conducting a one-ring wagon show. visited Webster City and this visit was the occasion of a terrible tragedy. Thomas Basket, a local character, who was partly intoxicated, shot and killed James W. Richardson, an attache of the circus. The following account of the murder appeared in the Graphic :
Murder-A shooting affray occurred at the show ground last Saturday evening at about nine o'clock, resulting in the death of James Richardson, a man of about twenty-five years of age and a resident of Providence, Rhode Island.
From the many conflicting stories afloat, we gather the following facts :
In the evening Roll Brewer who was partially drunk threw a handful of peanut shells into Tom Basket's window and made an insulting remark to Tom. Tom followed him to the show grounds, knocked him down, kicked him in the face in a most brutal manner. Mr. Brewer's daughter was present and she to protect her father took a hand in the fight. Tom knocked her down and was giving her rather rough usage, when some of the showmen interfered. Tom went down town again. He either had his revolver with him, or went after it
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and in a short time returned to the grounds, threatening to "do up" the show generally.
When he returned to the grounds, one of the showmen told him to leave, as they had lost enough by his disturbance already. Tom refused to go and a fight occurred. the showman knocking him down. Several others took a hand and Tom was being roughly handled. Just then Marshal Hathway and Deputy Sheriff Atkinson arrested Basket, and Mr. Richardson coming up from the tent, threw himself between the officers and the showmen, to stop the row, remark- ing to the officers: "You take care of him. and I'll take care of these fellows." The officers had removed Tom until they were separated from the crowd twelve or fifteen feet. when Tom, who was resisting, whipped out his gun and fired- Atkinson says twice, but most of the others say once-shooting Mr. Richard- son in the abdomen. He died at about 7 o'clock Sunday evening. Tom was placed in jail.
As soon as Mr. Richardson was dead. Coroner MeCannon was summoned and arrived in the city yesterday morning.
A jury consisting of C. T. Fenton. J. M. Funk and S. S. Doak was im- paneled and an inquest held. and a verdict as above indicated was rendered.
The whole affair is a most disgraceful and unfortunate one. The showmen are, so far as we can see, blameless in the matter. Indeed, we have never seen a more peaceable and gentlemanly set of men together than they appeared to be. and their interference to protect the woman and to keep order upon their ground. was nothing more than they were bound, in duty to the public who attended their entertainment. to do.
The murdered man was the magician, fire eater, and man who lifted the heavy weights in the circus. He was a man of splendid physical development.
As we go to press, the funeral services are being held from the Willson House. conducted by Rev. Norris.
The preliminary examination of Mr. Basket is set for July 5th. D. C. Chase will appear for him. N. B. Hyatt will assist County Attorney Tucker in the prosecution.
Tom Basket had a fight in his saloon Saturday, in which he threw one Mr. llouse through the glass door, and for which he ought to have been arrested. He fought. Roll Brewer and his daughter late in the day. If the officers, whose duty it is to keep the peace and arrest law breakers, had done their duty. Basket would have been in jail and the blood of an innocent man would not now be upon his hands.
THE BASKET TRIM.
The trial of Tom Basket for the murder of Richardson was held at the February term, 1889. The jury finally selected consisted of Peter Leksell, of Marion township : Lars L. Hendrickson, of Hamilton : P. A. Swanson, of Lyon ; J. H. Sweeney, of Lyon; O. N. Silvernail, of Williams; Geo. W. Kroskup. of Marion : David Hook, of Marion ; H. E. Dally, of Webster : Alex Thompson. of Lyon: E. B. Miller, of Independence: Fred Lente, of Liberty: Joe Evans. of Marion.
A graphic description of the trial appeared in the Freeman of March 6th and we reproduce it here :
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MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE
Such is the verdict in the Basket trial. The case was given to the jury at 5 o'clock p. m. last Thursday, and at II o'clock the same evening they returned with the verdict : "We, the jury. find the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree."
Last week we published a summary of the greater part of the evidence. Noth- ing substantially favorable to the accused was evinced from any subsequent testimony.
The judgment of the court will be pronounced upon the verdict on Friday of this week, after which Thomas Basket will become one of the wards, so to speak, of the state of Iowa. This case has been on trial for eight consecutive days, and every inch of the ground was stubbornly contested. The state was represented by County Attorney Tucker, assisted by Hon. J. L. Kamrar, of this city, and Hon. M. D. McConnell, of Fort Dodge ; the defense by D. C. Chase. At the outset it became manifest that on the part of counsel for the defense it was a daring, skillful, tactician leading a forlorn hope. Technically and legally, the trial was a battle of giants in which the accused struggled against the inevitable.
The facts in this case are still fresh in the minds of the Freeman readers. It will be remembered that Tom Basket was on trial for shooting James Rich- ardson on the 23d day of June last-the crime being committed under such circumstances of atrocity that he was promptly indicted for murder in the first degree. It will also be recalled that the coroner's jury impaneled to sit upon the case the day following the commission of the crime-composed of C. T. Fen- ton, J. M. Funk and S. S. Doak-declared that "the deceased came to his death by a pistol shot in the hands of Thomas Basket, and that the shooting was wilful, malicious and premeditated."
The sole reliance of the defendant upon the trial was in the plea of self- defense; and never was such plea urged with more persistence, ingenuity and legal ability, than upon this occasion by D. C. Chase. The summing up of the case. which occupied nearly a day and a half, was a forensic treat- barring its criminal association-and the court room was filled as it never was filled before. Hundreds were unable to get within hearing, after the court room and its avenues had been crammed to suffocation. During this ordeal the de- fendant, to all appearances, was an indifferent spectator to the drama in which he played so conspicuous a part, except for a few moments his eyes moistened' as his counsel drew a vivid picture of Basket and his three young children- making a most touching appeal to the jury "that justice might be tempered with mercy." It may be added, to the credit of human sympathy, that there were but few dry eyes in all that vast audience under this stirring and eloquent appeal. The picture as a whole was one seldom seen in a life time. There sat the father accused of murder, literally buried under the evidence-surrounded by his three children, the youngest of whom is a motherless baby, too young to lisp "Father": the next but a year older, and the oldest, a bright girl, too young to comprehend the enormity of her father's crime. Seldom has depravity been so closely blended with helpless innocence. This picture was really the only defense, and the defendant's counsel handled it with signal ability. D. C. Chase's argument, which occupied the entire forenoon Thursday, was followed by M.
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D). McConnell, who closed the argument for the state. This distinguished ad- vocate lost no time in bringing the jury and the audience down from the height in which Mr. Chase had left them. He did it, as was expected, with the elo- quence of a Wirt-the logic of a Berkeley. He regretted that human institu- tions and necessities made it unsafe to try the crime of murder from the side of sympathy. Society had discerned that to stay the uplifted hand of the assassin, his crime must be followed by an adequate penalty. After laying this founda- tion. Mr. McConnell occupied three hours in a summary of the evidence in which he closed every avenue of escape, and seemed to leave the defendant in sight of the gallows.
The verdict gives general satisfaction, not only as a protection to society. but as being in the best interests of Basket's motherless children.
Thus ends one of the most awful crimes that ever stirred the hearts of this community.
November 2, 1889. Edwin L. Kimball, a baggage and freight man at the Illi- nois Central depot in Webster City, while loading a crate of crockery, slipped and fell, the crate striking him on the head, killing him instantly. He was thirty-six years of age, well known and highly respected.
The tragic drowning of Charlie Fisher, oklest son of C. E. Fisher, occurred June 28. 1890, while he was bathing in Boone river about eighty rods below the Chase mill near Webster City. He got beyond his depth and, as he could not swim, was overcome before help could arrive. The body sank and, though every effort was made to recover it. they were unsuccessful. The alarm was given and a large crowd of men searched the river until nightfall. When dark came on, efforts were suspended until morning. Sunday morning several hundred men resumed the search, using every device that could be thought of. About 12: 30 p. m. the remains were discovered nearly two miles down the river, and they were recovered. Charlie Fisher was about eighteen years of age and was a general favorite. His death was the cause of general sadness throughout the community.
Robert Bain, a brakeman, fell between the cars and was killed near Kamrar October 21. 1890. He was the son of R. Bain. of Webster City, and was twenty- six years of age.
November 21. 1800. Anthony Kearn. a man from Hayworth, McLean county. Illinois, committed suicide in Webster City and was found unconscious on the sidewalk about 5: 30 p. m. Ile had taken whiskey containing carbolic acid. He had been having trouble with a man by the name of Kerr in Illinois, and a few days before he came here, he and his enemy had met and several pistol shots were exchanged. Supposing that he had mortally wounded his antagonist, he took the train for lowa, and to avoid arrest, which seemed sure to follow, he took his own life. He was about thirty years of age and a farm renter by occupation.
March 14th occurred the suicide of Marion Latta. Ile was living alone in a small house on a farm in Fremont township. He took his life by hanging himself. He was regarded as a good-hearted, inoffensive man. but had become addicted to the excessive use of intoxicating liquors. He left a wife and two sons who were not living with him at the time of the tragedy.
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A man by the name of LeRoy Tucker was struck by a northwestern train and instantly killed July 15, 1892. It is supposed that he sat down on the track to rest and went to sleep and the train came upon him in that condition. The tragedy occurred in Cass township.
Gilbert J. Kringlin committed suicide in February, 1892, by taking strych- nine. The deed was done at the Biggs hotel in Webster City and domestic trouble was assigned as the cause. He was a Norwegian, fairly well to do and about sixty years of age.
On July 6th occurred a tragedy that shocked the entire state. A terrible cyclone visited Pomeroy, about fifty miles west of Webster City, and destroyed the town and killed and wounded nearly two hundred people. Among these were the O'Briens, who only a short time before had moved from Williams, Iowa. The following account from the Fort Dodge Post tells of the story :
TRAGIC DEATII OF THE O'BRIENS
One of the saddest of these events probably was the fateful and tragic ex- perience of the O'Brien family. There were two brothers and their families, J. E. O'Brien, a postal clerk on the Illinois Central, D. L. O'Brien, an attorney, and their father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. O'Brien. They removed to Pomeroy, from Williams only about three weeks ago, and were just settled in their new homes. Both houses were completely destroyed. J. M. O'Brien and Mrs. D. L. O'Brien and infant were killed. J. E. O'Brien was on his way home from Dubuque when the cyclone occurred. He arrived at that desolate town about three in the morning, while lanterns were flitting like ghosts and search- ers were dragging dead bodies from beneath the debris. He hurried to the Moody house. where he found his father in a chair. The old man rose trem- blingly as he entered, stretched forth his hand, clasped that of his son and falter- ingly said: "Good-by, Jim, I've waited for you but I can not wait for your mother." Then he fell back dead.
Mrs. J. M. O'Brien had left the day before on a visit to Williams, and yester- day afternoon the dead body of her husband followed her back to the old home in a pine box.
J. E. O'Brien lost everything he possessed in the world. llis wife and child escaped in their flight to a neighbor's, where they took refuge in the cellar and were saved but their home was as utterly destroyed as if it had been dropped in the ocean. D. L. O'Brien and wife and child started across the street to take refuge in Ezra Davey's residence. Mr. O'Brien returned to close the windows of his house when the storm struck them, and his wife and child were instantly killed while he was uninjured. Strangely enough he found both bodies himself, although they were many hundred feet apart. The body of his little child he picked up in Main street and carried it into a house before it was recognized as his own. Ile found his wife dead and mangled in a pasture several hundred feet in a different direction. The bodies were all taken back to their old home for interment. But this is only one of many cases of desolation and despair.
April 28 occurred a tragedy that resulted in the death of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. H. Hanson at Ellsworth. A correspondent of the Freeman tells of the accident :
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An accident occurred three miles east of Ellsworth on Sunday evening about 4 o'clock, during the severe wind and rain storm at that time, resulting in the death of Geo. H. Hanson and wife. It appears from the evidence taken before the coroner's jury yesterday, that the parties above named were driving north on the Cragwick road three miles east of Ellsworth during the severe rain storm, and in the act of crossing the railroad track at the Cragwick schoolhouse their buggy was struck by the engine of a westbound special freight train. The horse was not injured, while the buggy, with its occupants, was caught upon the pilot of the engine. Evidently both were killed instantly. Mr. Hanson was carried about nine rods and dropped on the north side of the track. Mrs. Hanson was car- ried on the pilot of the engine until it was stopped three-quarters of a mile farther west. The body of Mrs. Ilanson was brought to the depot here and an engine and way-car sent back to bring in the body of Mr. Hanson. The remains are lying now in their residence here; funeral services will be held Wednesday at 1 o'clock. Nothing has ever occurred in this vicinity to cast so great gloom and sadness over the entire community.
Friday morning, June 8. 1894. occurred the tragic death of W. E. Foval. Foval was a harness dealer in Webster City, and a good business man, but he' was addicted to the excessive use of liquor. About midnight of the 7th, he was found drunk on the streets and was locked up in the city jail, a frame building then located on the market square. During the night he set fire to his bed clothes and the fire burned down the jail. When the fire was discovered, the alarm was given, but not before the jail door could be opened. Foval had been burned to death. He was about thirty-five years of age.
Mrs. Chas. Williams committed suicide March 2d by taking strychnine. The tragedy took place at Kamrar.
On June 7. 1896, E. W. Durey was murdered on the platform of a baggage car while the train was between Duncombe and Webster City. The platform was crowded with men who were beating their way. Some of them were drunk and quarrelsome. Two of the men with the gang were arrested and examined. but all they could tell was that it was dark and a shot was fired just before the train pulled into Webster City. Durey was killed instantly. His murderer was never discovered.
THE SUSPECTED MURDER OF MRS. DULIN
July 27. 1896, Maria Dulin, familiarly known as Grandma Dulin, died sud- denly at her home near Homer. ller last illness showed symptoms of poisoning and her grandson, Jim Paul, was charged with the murder of the old lady. l'aul's wife had died about three weeks previous and but a few weeks after his wife's death, he married again. His haste to remarry together with other cir- cumstances aroused the indignation of the neighborhood and resulted in his being suspected of the murder of both his wife and her grandmother. Ilis arrest was made about the middle of August.
The body of Mrs. Dulin was exhumed and the stomach sent to Des Moines for examination. The chemist who examined it. Prof. O. R. Macy, reported strong symptoms of strychnine poisoning and at the preliminary examination Paul was held to appear before the grand jury. County Attorney Olmstead
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prosecuted the case and Wambach and Richard defended. Paul was indicted by the grand jury.
Geo. Paul, father of Jim, was also indicted with his son for the murder of Mrs. Dulin. The trial of Jim Paul was set for the November term. D. C. Chase was employed to assist County Attorney Olmstead in the prosecution.
The Paul trial commenced on November 24th. The jury empaneled and ac- cepted was constituted as follows: Frank Patterson, James Carroon, Thos. Gil- bert, Ed Miller, E. Ackley, Il. W. Peterson, M. B. Gordon, M. F. Ferguson, II. E. Shultz. J. C. Snell, J. W. Henry, James Caruth.
The evidence of the state showed that Mrs. Dulin lived in Homer and Dr. Geo. P'aul lived on the same street a few hundred feet away. Jim Paul had married a granddaughter of Mrs. Dulin and was with her a great deal of the time. Jim Paul's wife died suddenly about two weeks before Mrs. Dulin's death and about one week after Mlrs. Dulin's death, Paul married again.
When Mrs. Dulin was sick, Dr. Paul was sent for and treated hier and during her last illness Jim Paul took care of her and gave her her medicine. After her death the medicine could not be found. Mrs. Dulin had a small amount of money and owned a house and lot in Homer. Jim Paul told one R. E. Pierce, that Mrs. Dulin had made a deed of this property to his ( Paul's) wife, and after Mrs. Dulin's death the deed could not be found and Paul accused his wife's father of stealing it. After Mrs. Dulin's death, the money was missing. During Mrs. Dulin's last illness she had had convulsions. Dr. Paul's treatment seemed to relieve her at first. After her death the stomach was examined by an expert and traces of strychnine were found. A bottle which had contained strych- nine was found about fifty feet from Mrs. Dulin's home.
The testimony of Dr. George Paul was very important because it tended strongly to explain the cause of the death of Mrs. Dulin and had strong influence in bringing about the aquittal of his son.
Jas. Paul was placed on the stand and denied that he had administered strych- nine to Mrs. Dulin or that he had ever had any strychnine. Medical experts were introduced by the defense to show that presence of strychnine in the brain and stomach did not necessarily show that death had resulted from strychnine poisoning.
The arguments were long and exhaustive, the instructions of the court were complete and comprehensive. The jury after deliberating for fourteen hours re- turned the verdict of not guilty. The case against Geo. Paul was then dismissed and the Pauls immediately left the country.
Isaac Rooker committed suicide October 15, 1896, by shooting himself in the head with a shot gun. There seemed to be no reason for the act and some thought his death was accidental, but the coroner's jury after investigating the case, pro- nounced it a case of suicide. The tragedy occurred near Kamrar.
January 29, 1897. John H. Warburton was killed by the Chicago and North- Western train near Ellsworth. The Freeman gives the following account of the accident :
John H. Warburton was one of the leading and influential citizens and busi- ness men of Jewell, a member of Warburton Brothers, dealers in farm implements and live stock, and no man in the county stood higher in the esteem of the people
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than he. He was a splendid business man, and came to Jewell when the town was first started and has wielded a wide influence in the affairs of his community. He was born and raised in Independence. Iowa, and married his wife there.
He was just leaving Ellsworth and had passed two or three teams going in the same direction, south. before reaching the track where the accident occurred- the first crossing west of the depot. It is almost impossible to see a train coming from the east, until nearly to the track. Mr. Warburton was in the top buggy, but the top was not up, as first reported. He wore a fur coat, however, with the big collar turned up so that his view would be limited to the road straight in front of him. When about twenty or thirty feet from the track he noticed the swiftly approaching train, and struck his team with the whip. in an effort to cross the track ahead of the engine. The team got safely across, and another fraction of a second of time would have saved Mr. Warburton's life, but the engine struck his buggy squarely between the wheels, tearing it to pieces. The unfortunate man was of course thrown violently downward, being caught on the pilot of the engine, and carried there nearly to the bridge east of Ellsworth, about half a mile from the crossing where the accident occurred. The engineer got the tram stopped there and backed up to the depot in Ellsworth. The post mortem examination made by Coroner Eberle showed that Mr. Warburton's neck was broken, the skull crushed and both arms broken, probably by the force with which the pilot struck him. but the body was not mangled or otherwise badly disfigured. The train which caused the accident was the second section of No. 25, a westbound freight train in charge of Conductor Edward Nichols, of Lake City, and Engineer Harry Harrison, Fireman Calvin Mann and Brakeman Harry Shultz and Henry Herrick.
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