USA > Iowa > Appanoose County > Past and present of Appanoose County, Iowa : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 25
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Another minister, a man of considerable repute, also a citizen of this county, went down into Missouri and brought back with him a fine dun team that he had not purchased, and it is believed that no one presented the horses to him. The horses belonged to a man named Lundy. He drove sixty miles the first night. He was soon after arrested but declared he could prove an alibi, and the examina- tion was postponed fifteen days to enable him to secure his witnesses. He was detected with a well known scamp in suborning the evidence to be produced in his favor at the preliminary examination, taxed with it and charged with being an unmitigated thief. Like Mr. Cockett's coon, he "came down," but being carelessly guarded, succeeded in making his escape.
THE MURPHY CASE
In the summer of 1857. J. C. Grimes, a resident of Sharon township, had his stable burned, together with two horses and mules. A man named Murphy was living in the vicinity, who bore an equivocal character. Suspicion fell upon him and he was arrested. He was conveyed to Centerville and preparations were made for his examination. There was no testimany at hand to secure his com- mitment for trial but the people of Sharon township undertook to see to that. Living with Murphy was a man named Gardner, who was believed to be a hard case, but the people were not sure about this, so they decided to ascertain. Ile was seized by a crowd and a stout rope having been produced, he was informed that he must confess that he knew about the origin of the fire. This frightened him thoroughly and he stated explicitly that Murphy had fired the stable. Gard- ner was then taken to Centerville and for an hour or two there was a strong probability that Murphy would be immediately lynched on the testimony of Gardner. Better counsels prevailed at last and the examination was allowed to go on, which resulted in Murphy being bound to appear at district court and in Gardner giving security to appear as principal witness.
Pending the interval before court. Gardner made a visit to Missouri, and there informed a lawyer named Moldridge that Murphy was innocent-that he
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himself had fired the stable. This word was brought to Murphy's attorneys. When Gardner returned he was induced to repeat this statement in the presence of Constable Curtis under a tree near where later Mr. Wentworth's house stood in Centerville, saying in substance that Murphy had nothing to do with the burn- ing and that he (Gardner ) was the perpetrator.
Murphy and his attorneys knew that he would not stand a ghost of a chance with an Appanoose county jury but an affidavit of three disinterested persons was required to obtain a change of venue. Application was made to several prominent citizens for the needed affidavits but all refused point-blank, until S. F. Wadlington was asked, who not only cheerfully complied, but used his influence to obtain two others. The venue was accordingly changed to Monroe county and when court came on, Gardner appeared at Albia, quite ready, as the prosecuting attorney supposed, to swear Murphy to the penitentiary. When the day of the trial arrived and just before Gardner was wanted, he appeared on the public square, apparently much intoxicated. He declared to several by-standers that Murphy was entirely innocent and in a few minutes after he disappeared, never to return to this part of Iowa. Ilis absconding, of course, broke down the case and Murphy was acquitted but he soon after removed from the county.
A HORRID CASE OF LYNCHING ;
About the middle of February. 1864. Salmon Howard, of Franklin township, had his barn burned, together with several head of stock and a considerable amount of grain, aggregating a loss, as stated by lloward, of about $2.500. The scoundrel after firing the barn had made off. Howard believed, on one of his horses.
Some years before John Seaman had stolen a horse in Howard's neighbor- hood and Howard had been active in tracing and arresting him. Howard visited his mother's house in the northern part of the county and inquired for John. but his mother denied any recent knowledge of his movements. The house was carefully searched and the culprit was at last found in a bulky bed in one corner of the cabin, his mother having artistically concealed him therein. Seaman was tried in due course, convicted and sent to Fort Madison and his attorney said he was doubtless guilty, although he said he came nearly getting him off. Seaman had been seen in the vicinity of Genoa, Wayne county, a day or two before the arson had been committed and he was suspected of the crime.
Officers were put upon Seaman's trail at Genoa, and he was traced without special difficulty to his mother's house, on Soap creek, where he was arrested. He was taken before E. O. Smith, of Franklin township, the next day for pre- liminary examination and, having asked for a day's adjournment for the pur- pose of procuring counsel, he was placed in the hands of Constable John S. Trescott for safe keeping. This was on Friday. About eleven o'clock that even- ing about a dozen masked men appeared at Trescott's house, according to his statement, and forced him to give up his prisoner in their keeping. They imme- diately started southward with Seaman and were followed by Trescott for about a half mile, when he was met, as he says, by Howard, who advised him to return and notify Mr. Smith that the prisoner had been seized by a mob and to ask that officer what should be done. Trescott then went to Mr. Smith and
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related what had happened. Believing that two men could accomplish nothing with a dozen, and knowing that it would serve nothing to rouse the neighbors, for the mob could accomplish any purpose it sought long before they could be found, Mr. Smith allowed the matter to rest.
The next morning about sunrise Seaman crawled to the house of Mr. Fyffe. who lived about four miles southwest of Livingston, just over the state line. The man's clothing was saturated with blood, which had flowed from several bullet wounds. He had according to his own statement, been riddled with balls and had been left for dead by the mob. His condition was truly pitiable, and Mr. Fyffe and family entered upon the task of caring for him, believing that he must soon die, which was probably the case. The neighborhood soon became acquainted with the fact of the uncompleted lynching which had been done on Fyffe's farm, and, as ugly news travels fast, the intelligence during the day reached come of those concerned in the attempt on his life. That night ( Satur- day ) a party of disguised men went to Fyffe's house and removed the prisoner. The sun on Sunday morning rose bright and clear. Mr. Fyffe went out to see the result of the firing he had heard soon after Seaman had been taken from his house. He found the man lying dead in a little grove a quarter of a mile from his house. This news spread rapidly. Mr. Smith and Trescott heard of the awful death of Seaman and reached the spot an hour or two before noon. At that time the hogs had torn half the clothing off the body and at Mr. Smith's request a pen was built about the corpse to keep the brutes away. The coroner of Putnam county, Missouri, had been notified of the awful tragedy and appeared that day or the next to conduct the inquest. The verdict of the jury was that Seaman had been murdered by unknown persons.
The judgment of the surrounding neighborhood was that this was an atrocious and barbarous murder, for which there was no extenuating circumstance. The killing of Seaman was absolutely unjustifiable. He had not committed any mur- der himself and even if he were guilty of the arson and theft as alleged there is no reason to believe that the law could not have been enforced in his case. The punishment inflicted on the Friday night ought to have been considered ample in its terrible severity, but when to that was superadded the vindictive and blood- thirsty feeling that prompted those men to drag a dying man from a bed of charity to complete their barbarous and bloody work, this case is made to stand out almost alone as a monument among the headboards erected by Judge Lynch's sexton.
There are many estimable citizens of Appanonse who have grave doubts that Seaman was in any way connected with the firing of Howard's barn. Further, it was conjectured that the fire was accidentally set by a party of young men who had met to play cards in the barn. Be that as it may, Seaman was not allowed to have his hearing in the courts but his guilt was assumed by the crowd and he was shot like a dog by "civilized and enlightened" AAmericans. No effort was ever made to institute legal proceedings against the men concerned in this tragedy. Seaman appeared to have had few friends and none who were willing or able to stir in his behalf. The war was in progress and people living near the border were in a constant state of uneasiness regarding what might transpire. Many citizens living near the boundary had been bitter partisans in the great political contest that had led up to the war, and those who would, under ordinary
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circumstances have caused an investigation, judged it best to let the matter pass, It may be added that most of the supposed participants in this cruel tragedy are no longer residents of Appanoose county and it is probable that some who sau Seaman dying and dead never lived in Iowa.
The only approach to a mob act that afterward transpired in the county was the "brigade case" in 1874, when a large number of the neighbors of Henry Sanders assembled at his house and invited him to leave the country. They had grown weary of his presence among them on account of several irregularities. It is understood that this was a case of "bounce" and that violence was intended. However, he concluded to migrate.
THE CASE OF FOSTER
John Foster had several times figured on the court record of Appanoose county prior to 1860, but had almost invariably succeeded in getting clear, either on examination or at trial. He was conceded by all who knew him to be a hard case but he was ingenious and evasive in all his criminal acts. However, his principal crimes appear to have been committed in surrounding counties, doubt- less with the intention of securing immunity at home. Ilis residence was in Sharon township.
In .April or May. 1866, John had been arrested for the theft of a saddle, but the evidence was too slight to hold him and he was discharged by the magis- trate. Soon after, two horses were stolen from a widow named Blatchly, in Van Buren county, which were traced by the woman's neighbors to the castern line of this county. For some time before this, so frequent had been the loss of horses and other property by theft that the farmers had organized protective associations in this and other counties. The local club in Sharon township was notified by the Van Buren men of the theft and invited to cooperate in dis- covering the thief. Foster, it was ascertained, had been absent a few days before, and it was determined to try an experiment or two with him. Accord- ingly, one evening about June 1. 1866, as it was growing dusk, six residents of Sharon township appeared at Foster's house. That worthy, as soon as he dis- covered them, attempted to secure his arms but was not quick enough, for he was covered with a weapon in the hands of a returned soldier and ordered to hold up his hands. Ile was then taken in charge and escorted to Orleans, to be held for the further movements. Foster's wife, as soon as the party left, sent to Centerville to an attorney to endeavor to obtain her husband's release, but without success. The next morning about a hundred members of the association in Appanoose county gathered at Orleans and proceeded to the vicinity of Unionville, where they were met by about a hundred members of the Monroe county society, A scuffle ensued between the two bands and Foster was cap- tured by the Monroe men and started northward by them, followed by the Appa- noose crowd. The march was continued to a small grove about five miles south- cast of Albia, where the two forces found at least three hundred more "vigi- lantes" awaiting them. It was now nearly sunset and Foster was badly frightened but had asseverated his innocence of anything criminal all day long.
Only a week or two before, a resident of Van Buren county named Thomp- son, a thoroughly hard case, guilty of both horse stealing and murder, had been
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seized by a Monroe county crowd, at the request of citizens of Van Buren county, had been taken to this very spot, and after having been stretched by the neck to a tree three times, in the vain effort to obtain a confession of his crimes. had been finally swung and allowed to hang all night. He was found by some neighbors next day and buried three or four miles off. The rope was still hanging to the tree and Foster was led thereunder. It was shown him, an account of Thompson's unhappy fate was related to him, and John was then informed he could have till daylight the next morning to arrange and give his confession, or he would be hanged by the same rope. lle was then carefully guarded. pickets were placed to prevent the approach of either officers or citizens and the remainder of the crowd laid down to rest.
About daylight next morning. Foster broke down and asked that two of his neighbors be sent for. This was done and he gave a list of all his crimes. together with ample details regarding them. This was written out by one of them. In this document John admitted the theft of the horses and gave the name of the party who had bought them. He also admitted having been con- . cerned in the theft and sale of the flock of sheep mentioned above, as well as numerous other thefts in the surrounding region.
This was regarded as highly satisfactory to the crowd, most of whom dis- persed but John was detained by the rest till his statements in regard to stealing the widow's horses and their subsequent sale were fully verified, when he was regularly apprehended and taken to Van Buren county to jail. Had not the crowd detained him till they had verified his statements, it is possible that Foster might have escaped punishment, for he soon after repudiated the confession. but it was of no avail, for a solid case had been made against him and he was transferred in due time to Fort Madison. It is stated that this confession of Foster's practically ended horse stealing as a business in Appanoose county. The gang seem to have avoided the manners and customs of this part of the "Ilairy Nation" ever since, believing that their business would prove more lucrative in other localities.
The protective associations soon after disbanded. These societies were com- posed of estimable citizens, many being prominent church members. Their object was to protect the property of themselves and neighbors, peaceably if they could, but forcibly if they must.
Foster served his sentence and soon after settled in Van Buren county, near Des Moines river, where he bought forty acres of land and married again. 11. 11. Wright, who was sheriff of this county for several years, had a talk with him while visiting that vicinity several years afterward. The neighbors spoke well of him as a neighbor and citizen but had an impression that there was some mystery about him. Soon afterward he abandoned his wife and home and it is believed settled in Missouri, fearing possibly that Wright had informed his neighbors regarding his past record.
ROBERT LOW AND MARION WRIGHT
Early in November, 1866, while a singing school was in progress one even- ing, a little way south of where Moulton now stands, two horses which had been
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ridden to the school, were stolen. One was owned by Elder Jordan, of Orleans, and the other by Mr. Adams.
As soon as the loss was discovered, Elder Jordan and James Pulliam started in pursuit. It was a warm trail, but as "a stern chase is a long one," these gentle- men rode to the vicinity of Kirksville, Missouri, where they stayed all night, and their host being a resolute, determined fellow, decided in the morning to accompany them. The thieves, who were known as Robert Low and Marion Wright, were overtaken about eleven miles south of Kirksville but had no inten- tion of giving up either the horses or themselves. An affray occurred, in which a ball struck Jordan sidewise in the stomach. Pulliam was struck by a ball near the temple, which raked along his skull for several inches, leaving a bad gash in the scalp, and their Missouri companion was badly wounded in the cheek and mouth. Low made his escape but Wright was captured. The latter was taken care of by a Missouri crowd who did not consider it worth while to trouble the courts with his case. It is certain that he never stole any more horses.
THE STAGE ROBBERY
The most audacious piece of scoundrelism ever perpetrated in the county was the robbery of two stage coaches on the Corydon road, near where it crosses Big Walnut creek in John's township, in the summer of 1865. . As stated by George Pratt, who was keeping hotel in Centerville and also acting as state agent at the time, this daring robbery was substantially as follows :
Mr. Mckeever, who was a resident of Centerville, had made a trip to Decatur county and perhaps further west, with the intention of buying horses. lle had borrowed a considerable sum of money at Corydon, but had decided not to buy any stock and made his preparations to return home. He got into the stage at Leon, Decatur county, eastward bound, with E. Johnson as driver. Three strangers in Leon also got on, paying their fare to Corydon, and it is now believed that these men expected to rob Mckeever. This gentleman, how- ever, got off at Corydon and remained for the purpose of paying back the money he had borrowed. Johnson's three other passengers decided to come on to Cen- terville and paid their fare accordingly. They were a very sociable load and more than once Johnson was supplied by them with cigars and sup out of their flasks. Arriving near the bridge across Walnut, they took possession of John- son's outfit. One of them conducted him to a fallen tree and told him to sit quiet. The others unhitched his horses, took off the harness and tied them near by, intending to rifle the mail bags. About the time this was accomplished. a neighboring farmer drove along, who was also stopped, robbed, and his team unharnessed.
The stage moving west, which should have left Centerville in the morning, had not started till about four o'clock. now appeared on the east side of the river, it then being nearly sundown. The passengers were a returned soldier and two ladies. This stage was stopped on the bridge, the mail sacks taken and the soldier robbed, but the ladies were not molested. The best horses were unharnessed, when the three dashing brigands selected the three best horses from the whole lot, gathered up the mail bags, mounted the horses, and after warning their prisoners not to follow them for a specified time, the jolly stage passengers
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rode off like fox hunters, probably having secured six or seven hundred dollars booty. They rode west about three miles, when they met a man driving a flock of sheep, whom they robbed of three or four hundred dollars and then rode southwest to Promise City. In the neighborhood of that village they "drafted" the services of a boy to guide then several miles. They then let him go and fol- lowed down the Locust about twenty-five miles.
Of course the stage driver and the farmer did not care to lose three valuable horses and as soon as they dared they started in pursuit, rousing the country as they went. The horses were found in the western part of Putnam county, Missouri, a day or two after, badly used up, but the dashing trio escaped with- out leaving their cards or postoffice address behind them.
This whole affair smacks of the daring style and brilliant successes of the Jameses and Youngers, together with the peculiar courtesy and bland demeanor of those daring highwaymen of Hounslow lleath, Claude Duval and Jack Kann. It is but one in the long list of western stage robberies and train stoppages, but fortunately there was no bloodshed, for the show of weapons by the party was prudently respected. But it is probable that these dashing highwaymen have years ago been exterminated or gone west to "grow up with the country."
CHAPTER XIII
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD -- THE HOLBROOKS PROMINENT IN HELPING REN- AWAY L.WES-AARMSTRONG'S MOW FULL OF BLACK "CHATTELS"-MONEY RECEIVED FOR A SLAVE BUYS APPANOOSE LAND-MISSOURIANS THREATENED TO BURN CINCINNATI TO THE GROUND
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
For several years prior to the war, it was no unusual circumstance for negroes to pass through Appanoose county while fleeing from slavery in Missouri to freedom in Canada. Just what was done to help them on their way, and who were the people helping them, is not clearly understood, even in the vicinity of Cincinnati, which was a prominent station on the subterranean road, except by the persons who have furnished the facts upon which the following summary of incident- is based.
Thus, it is a commonly received tradition that Luther R. Holbrook and family. who reside at Cincinnati, used frequently to hide and care for fugitive slaves. sometimes disposing of them under their own bed for greater safety. This is denied point-blank by the family, who add the proviso that they never had a chance to do so.
Another story is told with considerable glee and is applied both to Solomon Holbrook and J. IT. B. Armstrong. As related of Mr. Holbrook, the story runs that during a very dry season, probably in 1860, a negro came to his mill at C'in- cinnati to have some grinding done. The negro lived in Missouri, and was a slave. There were several other grists ahead of the negro's load, but Mr. Hol- brook proposed to the darky that it he would run away to Canada, he would not only grind his wheat at once, but would furnish him some money for the trip. The negro was advised that he could convert the team and wagon, as well as the flour, into cash on his journey northward, and thus reach Canada with a little capital. The negro consented, started northward with his four, made a circuit around Centerville and got home sooner than his master expected, having Mr. Holbrook's donation for his own pocket money. Others apply the same story to Mr. Armstrong; but it is pure fiction in both cases a good story, but too romantic for history.
The following circumstances, however, are strictly authentic, having been communicated by the old officers of the Cincinnati station :
The first care happened in the winter of 1852 53. \ negro lad, about six- teen years old, came to the house of J. H. B. Armstrong, in Pleasant township, in the might, and applied for shelter. He was fed and lodged till the next night,
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when Mr. Armstrong took him to the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Calvert, near Centerville. On the way, after a silence of half an hour, the boy broke into a guffaw loud enough to startle the prairie chickens for a mile around. MIr. Armstrong asked him rather sharply what he was making so much noise for. The boy continued his laugh and exclaimed: "How mas'r will be disappointed when he goes to look for dis chile." The boy's statement was that his mother had reared fourteen or fifteen other children, who had all been sold as they grew up. He and another lad had pledged each other to run away at the first oppor- tunity. Their master lived in Clark county, Missouri, and his son lived sixty or seventy miles further south. The young man had come up to visit his father, and had ridden a valuable horse, which got out of the stable early the next morn- ing and started homeward. As soon as the loss was discovered, the lad was ordered to cat a "snack" at once, after dispatching which he was mounted on a fleet and valuable animal, and was ordered to ride hot foot in pursuit of the stray. He instantly resolved to make an attempt for his liberty while devour- ing his breakfast, and informed his mother of his design, who heartily encour- aged the plan. He had no time to notify his chum of his intention and con- cluded it best to take the chance when he had it. He rode south a few miles, turned into a by-road, and then made northwest as fast as he could push the horse. When he reached Armstrong's, he said he had ridden two hundred miles without stopping to sleep, and the appearance of the horse justified his statement, for the poor brute had been badly punished. The lad was anxious to take the horse with him, but Messrs. Armstrong and Calvert would not allow him to do that, and the animal was turned loose near the Missouri line. The horse was soon after taken up as an estray, appraised before Mr. Armstrong, who was justice of the peace at the time, and who, in his notice, stated that the animal had either been stolen or had stolen somebody. The horse was kept a year and sold for charges.
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