USA > Iowa > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Iowa; Volume I > Part 33
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At that time I was clerking in Mann & Banghart's store in Andrew, and on the IIth day of April, 1857, at about 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon, a large crowd of men marched into the town in double file. I had just returned from dinner and was seated alone in the rear of the store at the time, when the door opened and a crowd of men entered the store, and they kept on coming until all the space be- tween the counters was completely filled ; the leader of the crowd asked if I had any rope, and I answered in the affirmative and showed him the several different sizes of rope which we had on hand. He selected one which he said would answer the purpose, and one of the men taking the end of the rope, proceeded to the front of the store and out into the street, and when they concluded that they had enough. ordered me to cut the rope, which I did. All of the crowd then left the store, but in a few minutes several of them returned and asked for some black cloth. I showed them some black alpaca, which they said was all right, and I cut off what they desired (about a yard) and not waiting to have the goods wrapped up, left the store. They did not pay for the goods, and I was too modest to ask them to pay, under the circumstances.
I then went to the door to ascertain what was going on, as I had not seen any of the crowd before these men entered the store. Soon after I went to the door, I saw the crowd going from the jail toward a pile of lumber near where the Pres- byterian church now stands (I afterward learned that part of the mob had gone directly to the jail to secure Grifford, while the others had gone in search of a rope). When they came to the pile of lumber they halted and I then learned that they had broken down the jail door and had taken out the prisoner.
The crowd, or rather mob, remained a short time at the lumber pile, then pro- ceeded to a crooked oak tree, standing on a vacant lot near by. By this time nearly all the citizens of Andrew, including myself, had collected near the spot, anxious to learn what was going on. Arriving at the tree, the rope was adjusted about the prisoner's neck, and Grifford was given an opportunity to speak. He confessed that he had murdered Ingles, and said David McDonald and Henry Jar- rett wanted to have Ingles put out of the way, and had offered to pay him one hun- dred and fifty dollars if he would put him out of the way. He said McDonald and Jarrett were equally guilty of the crime as himself, and that if he had to suf- fer the penalty for the crime, they ought to suffer the same penalty.
After his confession, and after a prayer had been offered for the prisoner by Rev. Babcock, a Methodist minister, the piece of alpaca before mentioned, was tied over his eyes, his hands secured behind his back, the rope thrown over the limb of the tree, J. K. Landus, of Iron Hill, the leader of the mob, called his men to the rope, and the unfortunate man was drawn into the air, the rope secured and the body left hanging for about an hour, and was then taken down by the mob and buried. This was my first experience with mob law.
Barger, during all this time, was confined in the Clinton county jail at Dewitt, having previously had a trial in that county, at which trial a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree was returned by the jury, but subsequently, one of the jurors made affidavit that he had formed an opinion before he was selected as a juror, in consequence of which the verdict was set aside, and a new trial granted.
On the night of the 28th of May, 1857, a body of about sixty armed men, com- posed mostly of the men who composed the mob that had hanged Grifford, and with the same leader, proceeded by wagon and on horseback from this county to DeWitt, where they arrived early the next morning, and proceeded directly to the jail where they secured from the jailer the keys to the cells in which Barger and
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one Carroll, also of Jackson county, were confined. (Carroll was awaiting his trial for the murder of a German at La Motte.)
The cells were unlocked by the mob, and Barger and Carroll were taken out and placed in wagons and taken to Andrew, where they arrived between 10 and II o'clock in the forenoon of the same day.
Arriving at Andrew, the mob went immediately to the same tree on which Grifford had been hanged, with the prisoners. A large number of the citizens of Andrew and surrounding country, having heard of the mob going to DeWitt, had assembled at the place to witness what subsequently took place. Barger was asked whether he had anything to say why he should not be punished for the crime of which he was guilty, and as I remember, he said he had done nothing wrong, and did not know what they were going to punish him for. He then produced a letter addressed to his attorney, W. E. Leffingwell, which was read to the assembly, the contents of which I do not now remember. After the letter had been read a hand- kerchief was tied over the prisoner's eyes, his hands pinioned, the rope that was used in hanging Grifford was adjusted, and the unfortunate man was hanged on the same tree on which Grifford was hung, and in the same manner, until he was dead.
Then some of the more law abiding citizens of Andrew interceded in behalf of Carroll, showing that he had never been brought to trial for the crime for which he was charged, whereupon it was put to a vote whether he should be hung or handed over to the jailer at Andrew to await trial at the next term of the District Court ; the latter received a majority of the votes of the mob, and Carroll was lodged in the jail at Andrew, after which the body of Barger was taken down and buried by the mob.
At that time the county was infested with horse thieves and counterfeiters, and it was known that at least fifteen murders had been committed in the county up to that time, and only one murderer had been punished for his crime, and very few criminals had been apprehended and punished by the law ; the people had become exasperated and complained that the criminal law was poorly executed, that criminals in most instances went "scot free" This general sentiment prevailing in the community, I think was the main cause which led to the lynching of both Grifford and Barger ; a proper enforcement of the law during this time would undoubtedly have prevented both of these lynchings.
After the hanging of Grifford and Barger, the excitement caused by these events soon subsided and nothing more was heard of lynchings or mobs until the murder of Samuel S. Cronk, whose body was found near Cottonville on the morning of January 24, 1867, he having been murdered the night previous.
Soon after finding the body of Cronk, Samuel P. Watkins, who had been with Cronk on the night of the murder, was arrested but was soon released, there not being sufficient testimony to hold him. The horse which Cronk rode the night of the murder could not be found though diligent search was made, and nothing of much consequence was accomplished in ferreting out the guilty parties until the 6th day of the following April, when a neighbor found the carcass of Cronk's horse in a piece of timber, within a half mile of the scene of the murder. The horse having been tied to a sapling had starved to death.
Watkins was immediately rearrested charged with the murder of Cronk, and John B. Bucklin and Calvin Nelson were also arrested as accomplices, and taken to the courthouse in Andrew for preliminary examination before James Thomp- son, a justice of the peace. At the conclusion of the hearing the prisoners were held to the District Court to await the action of the grand jury, and were im- prisoned in the old stone jail in Andrew during the following night.
The failure to find Cronk's horse had led the people to believe that Cronk's slayer had taken the animal and made his escape, and when the carcass of the horse was found, indicating that local parties had been guilty of the crime, and when Watkins, Bucklin and Nelson were arrested charged with the murder, the excitement was intense and rapidly spread through the county. It was
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late in the afternoon when the preliminary examination was concluded. Dur- ing the day a large crowd had congregated about the courthouse in Andrew while the trial was in progress ; the feeling and excitement increased, and num- erous threats of lynching were heard, but no demonstration was made when the prisoners were taken from the courthouse to the jail.
That night after the prisoners were lodged in jail, a mob formed and not only watched to prevent the prisoners being taken away, but placed pickets about the town to prevent word from going out of the events transpiring. Sheriff Belden fearing for the safety of his prisoners, sought aid from the citi- zens of Andrew and the surrounding country, but was only able to secure five men to assist him, J. M. Fitzgerald, T. E. Blanchard and myself among the number, the names of the others I am unable to recall. The community at large seemed to be in sympathy with the mob, and refused to assist the sheriff.
Early the next morning, the sheriff and the five men above mentioned, formed in open order and marched the prisoners from the jail to the sheriff's office, which was in the second story of the courthouse, as the jail was such a weak affair that it was impossible to properly defend the prisoners there, especially with such a small force of men. The stairway to the second floor of the court- house came up through and opened on the floor of the second story, and securing boards we covered over this stairway, thus really flooring over the stairway, which made our position as strong as possible. We were all well armed with revolvers, and the sheriff's orders were not to fire until he gave the order, but when we did fire not to waste any ammunition.
By this time the mob began to arrive and soon numbered about one hundred and fifty men. They advanced up the stairway and demanded the prisoners. Sheriff Belden informed them that he was able to defend the prisoners and would not surrender them, and that the first man to show his head above the boards would get hurt. Possibly the position of the defending party at the head of the stairs with revolvers drawn, added some weight to the sheriff's statement, for after consulting among themselves, they asked to talk to Belden privately, promising to return him if they should fail to come to an agreement with him. They promised not to molest the prisoners if Belden would give his word that he would take Watkins to Dubuque and place him in jail at that place. This he promised to do and the mob began to disperse. We were in the courthouse with the prisoners about two hours before the mob began to leave.
Shortly after this time, about thirty horsemen arrived from Maquoketa, Belden having succeeded in sending word to his deputy, to send him aid at once. Belden soon started to Dubuque with Watkins, and placed him in the jail at that place as he had promised to do. The other two prisoners furnished bonds and were released.
This was the last demonstration of a mob in Jackson county so far as I am informed, and was also my last experience with a mob.
THE IRON HILLS VIGILANTES.
An Application of Tar and Feathers and Good Advice.
There was one episode in connection with the Iron Hills Vigilance Commit- tee which I believe has never been published. Away back in the early '50s there lived in the vicinity of Iron Hills a man by the name of Wilcox, who was a gay Lothario. His attention to some of his neighbors' wives were the talk of the neighborhood, and his conduct became so flagrant and outrageously indecent, that the neighbors were prompted to resort to harsh measures, and while the lesson or punishment was quite severe, it had the desired effect.
Our informant, who was an eye witness to the punishment of Wilcox, was a boy at the time, and lived on the banks of the North Fork, between Fulton and Iron Hills. He says that a neighbor came to him one evening and wanted to
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know if his folks had any loose feathers. Upon making inquiries at the house, he ascertained that his mother had some chicken feathers. The neighbor said they would do-in fact, were just what he wanted. He made arrangements with the boy to take the feathers in a sack across the river, which was spanned by a foot bridge, and conceal them at a certain place near where John Hute's house now stands.
The boy carried the feathers to the place agreed upon, and his curiosity be- ing excited he was determined to satisfy it; so concealed himself and awaited events. Some time after dark men whom he recognized as neighbors began to arrive in twos and threes, and engaged in conversation, carried on in low tones. Finally a party of five or six arrived with a prisoner, in whom the boy recognized the gay and seductive old Wilcox. After some parleying and pleading on the part of the prisoner, he was stripped naked and covered from head to feet with tar; after which the various colored chicken feathers were applied, making one of the most grotesque figures ever seen.
When the crowd had sufficiently enjoyed the discomfiture of their victim, they warned him to leave the country within a given time, and went their way, leaving him alone in his agony. Our friend says Wilcox gave a groan of such bitter agony that he shall remember to the last day. "My God," he said, "I am ruined, body and soul." He put his hands against his body and began pushing off the horrible, clinging substance, removing great flakes, which, our friend says, could be seen there six months afterward. The terrible punished man lost no time in shaking the dust of Iron Hills from his feet forever.
Although more than forty years have passed since the Wilcox episode, there are several people living in this locality who recollect the incident, and some who participated in it.
In the month of April, 1885, David Seeley, a dwarf, residing in South Fork township, and whose home was in Maquoketa, was driving stage between Maquoteka and Bellevue. On the evening of the 25th of that month Seeley was in Anna Scheidler's saloon in Bellevue, and engaged in a game of cards with one William Horan, who had come to Bellevue as a tramp and found employ- ment in Mrs. Scheidler's. Seeley won the first game, but Horan was dissatisfied, and told Seeley that he must have cheated or he would not have been out so soon. Seeley said that he had counted fair, if he ever did, and applied an insult- ing epithet to Horan. Hard words passed and Mrs. Scheidler ordered them out of the house. Horan went out, telling Seeley that he dare not come outside, and repeat what he had said. Seeley sat still a few moments and then got up and said, "I will go out;" as he passed out through the door, he was seen to put his hand in his hip pocket. As he stepped out, Horan started for him. Seeley said, "No you don't," and presented a pistol ; Horan said, "You wouldn't shoot," and just then the gun went off, the ball passing through both his lungs and his heart. After firing the fatal shot, Seeley ran down the street, and his victim staggered toward the building and sank down and died within a few seconds. Seeley made his way through woods and fields to Maquoketa, and gave himself up to the officers. He was indicted by the grand jury for murder, and was tried at the June term of the District Court, 1886. Hon. M. V. Gannon was the district attor- eny, and, if I remember right, L. A. Ellis, Keck and House and D. A. Wynkoop defended Seeley. After a long and hard fought legal battle, the case was given to the jury, who brought in a verdict of manslaughter. The defendant waived time and was sentenced to six months in the penitentiary at Anamosa. He served the time, and some years after was killed while riding a race horse.
Patrick Cook, or Patsy, as he was familiarly called, and who was a witness in both the Town and Seeley cases, also met a violent death in Bellevue. Patsy had a great penchant for beer and whiskey. On one occasion, while on a spree, he went into Shorty Arnes' saloon, where Herman Ellinghouse was tending bar, bought three beers and went away without settling for them. Some time later, he came back and wanted more beer; the bartender refused to set up more until
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the fifteen cents was paid. Patsy was angry and called hard names. Ellinghouse, who was a powerful man, seized a beer glass and leaped over the bar, striking poor drunken Patsy on the head with the glass, kicked him with all his strength in the bowels, and threw him out of the house. Patsy dragged himself across the street and lay groaning for some time before any one went to his relief. It was finally ascertained that he was seriously injured, and he was carried home on a litter and a doctor called, but the kick in the bowels proved fatal. Patsy lingered a couple of days and died of peritonitis, leaving a wife and two small children in almost destitute circumstances.
Ellinghouse was indicted by the grand jury and tried in the District Court in Maquoketa, Judge Hayes on the bench. The defendant was found guilty of assault and fined fifty dollars and we remember that there was a petition presented to the board to have that remitted or canceled.
HANGING OF HORSE THIEVES. The Wapsie Rangers are Called Down in Their Work.
We have previously recorded the work of the Iron Hills' Vigilance Commit- tee of 1857. During that same year there was one formed from Cedar, Clinton, and Jones counties, which numbered more than two hundred men, who took the law into their own hands and sent several unhappy wretches into eternity on suspicion of having passed counterfeit money, or stolen horses. There was some show of justice in the work of Jackson county vigilantes, for the two men hanged by them were cold blooded murderers, while the victims of the Clinton county vigilantes had never been accused of anything more serious than horse stealing. The first victim in Clinton county was an old man by the name of Bennett Warren, who lived on a farm in section 36, Liberty township. Warren kept a kind of country tavern, and was suspected by some of his neighbors of helping to run off stolen horses. There was no evidence that would convict him of any crime. He had been indicted once for stealing traps from a trapper from the east, but was acquitted at the trial; but he was generally looked upon with suspicion.
On the 24th of June, 1857, the vigilantes, about two hundred strong, left their rendezvous at Big Rock, having two prisoners taken from Cedar county and came up into Clinton county. They went to Warren's place and finding him plow- ing, arrested him and took him to a grove near by, where a jury of twelve men were empaneled, and witnesses sworn and examined, the captain acting as chair- man or judge. The jury, after due deliberation, returned a verdict that Warren was guilty of harboring horse thieves, knowing them to be such; of keeping and concealing stolen horses, knowing them to be such; of habitually passing counterfeit money, knowing it to be such. The jury passed no sentence, but upon rendering the verdict, the captain called for an expression on the question whether Warren should be punished or not. Those voting in favor of punish- ment were to step across the road which ran through the grove; those voting in the negative, to remain on the side they were. The vote was unanimous for punishing the old man. The next question was, Shall the punishment be whip- ping or hanging? and the vote was taken same as before. At first there was a strong feeling in favor of the lightest punishment, but some argued that it would be poor satisfaction to whip an old gray headed man like the prisoner, and claimed that they should make an example of him. After prolonged argument and speech making, a majority crossed the road, which meant hanging.
The leader ordered a rope, which was soon placed around the old man's neck, and he was told that his time was short; that if he had anything to say, he would be given an opportunity. The old fellow was as brave as a lion. His only reply was, "I am an old man, you can't cheat me out of many years." The rope was thrown over the limb of a tree and many hands grasped it. At a signal from the
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leader, the rope was drawn tight, and the spirit of old Bennett Warren was launched into eternity. After death, the body was taken back to the house and prepared for burial by some of the men who had taken his life. The wife of Warren, who was his second wife, had been the wife of one of the Thayers, hanged for the murder of a peddler. So she was twice bereaved by means of a rope.
In July of the same year, two men living near Tipton, named Gleason and Soper, had been arrested, charged with horse stealing, and were held in Tipton in custody of the sheriff and guarded by about twenty men. One night about forty vigilantes came at midnight and overpowered the guard and secured the prisoners, taking them out near Lowden, where they were given a kind of trial. It is said they were allowed the right to challenge jurors and cross examine wit- nesses. The culprits made a full confession of their guilt. The question of punishment was voted upon, and out of two hundred men all but four voted death. A wagon was placed under the limb of a tree, the doomed men placed in the wagon, and ropes adjusted around their necks and fastened to the limb. Gleason did not wait for the wagon to be drawn from under him, but, with an oath, leaped from the wagon into the great beyond. The bodies of the two men were buried near where they were hanged, without shroud or coffin.
In the fall of 1847, one Hi. Roberts, of Jones county, who was suspected of passing counterfeit money, had heard that the vigilantes had threatened him, and sent word to them to come and take him. He was stopping at the time near Tipton. They took him at his word, and went and got him. He was taken over the line into Jones county to a barn, and tried and hanged. Warrants were issued for the arrest of the participants in the tragedy, but those arrested were per- mitted to bail and one hundred prominent men went on their bond. Two hun- dred men accompanied them to their place of trial, and, no one appearing against them, the cases were dismissed.
At this time the Wapsie Rangers had become such a terror to good people, as well as bad, that an organization, called the Anti-Horse-Thief and Protective Society, was formed. Its object was to bring to justice all counterfeiters and horse thieves, and press their conviction before the regular courts; and also to prosecute all unlawful acts of violence. Word was sent to the vigilance com- mittee that their work would no longer be tolerated, and there was a cessation of hanging by organized mobs. The last man to meet death at the hands of a mob was old Jim Hiner, in 1865. Hiner was a notorious horse thief, and it was said no jail could hold him longer than he cared to stay. Many stories are told of his little escapades. On one occasion he was riding along a road in Whiteside county, Illinois, when he came to where a Dutchman was plowing with a very fine team. He admired the team and talked about buying it, but the Dutchman wouldn't sell. The next morning the team was missing. The sheriff was notified, and soon a posse was in search of the horses. The Dutchman and sheriff struck the trail, and pushed forward so rapidly that they overhauled Hiner with the stolen property. The sheriff ordered Hiner to surrender, to which he expressed a perfect willingness, dismounting from the horse he was riding. The sheriff and Dutchman also dismounted. As they approached Hiner, he looked so harm- less that they were completely thrown off their guard, and when they got within reach of him, he seized them and bumped their heads together and thrashed them around until they were powerless and senseless. He left them in that condition and went on with his game.
Hiner was arrested at one time for horse stealing and confined in the Dewitt jail, from which he escaped by the aid of his daughter. He was afterward located in Wisconsin. Armed with a requsition from the governor of Wisconsin, Sheriff Griswold and Deputy Hogle went to Mount Hope and through strategy, surprised and captured him and brought him back to the Dewitt jail. On the 18th of October, 1865, the sheriff was awakened about midnight by some one
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knocking at his door. On going to the door to ascertain the cause, he was seized by about a dozen men, the keys taken from him and informed by the men that they wanted Hiner. While some of the men guarded the sheriff, others took Hiner from his cell and put him in a wagon at the door, and after locking up and leaving everything about the jail secure, they drove off.
It was an open question for a long time whether Hiner had been rescued by his friends or hanged by the vigilantes, but the problem was solved next April, when the partly decomposed body of Hiner was found in a pool in Silver Creek four or five miles north of Dewitt by a couple of school children while fishing. There was a rope around his neck, to which a stone was attached. The verdict of the coroner's jury was that he was strangled by persons unknown.
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