USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 54
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calaboose in a precarious condition, where he exhibited signs of insanity, and induced a belief that he was suffering with a mind diseased when he took upon himself the crime of murder. He died in jail.
Davey Murder .- On Wednesday morning, February 25, 1874, Michael Davey, a citizen of Prairie Creek Township, left his home, and, accompanied by some of his neighbors, visited Fillmore, about four miles distant, to trade horses. This was the last seen of Davey by his family until about 7 o'clock in the evening of the same day, when James Peters, a neighbor's son, brought him home in an insensible condition. Though attended by a physician, he remained in this coma state until Friday morning, when he expired, from, as was stated by Dr. Finley, of Garry Owen, concussion of the brain. An inquest was held by the coroner of Dubuque County, at which evidence was elicited going to show that deceased became involved in a dispute with one Thomas Connors, during which the latter struck Davey twice with a piece of wood, which felled him to the earth, and produced wounds which caused his death as above stated. The jury, which was composed of Daniel Calahan, William Caro and Michael Rea, rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts, and a warrant for the arrest of Connors was immediately issued. He was doubtless arrested, but further the records are silent.
The Rhomberg Murder .- On Wednesday evening, October 28, 1874, the community of Dubuque was startled by the announcement that Frank Rhom- berg had been shot dead in his saloon, at the corner of Eighth and Clay streets, by Charles Wagner. Almost simultaneously with the death of his victim, Wagner presented himself at the residence of Sheriff Liddy, announcing that he had killed Rhomberg and was present to surrender himself until the coroner's inquisition had passed upon his crime.
The causes which led to the commission of the crime were to be found in the jealousy of the accused and the alleged inconstancy of his wife with deceased. It was claimed that Mrs. Wagner had confessed her guilt, her criminality having been discovered by a Mrs. Crosner, the knowledge of which prompted the husband to institute an action for divorce, a short time previous to the date of the homicide. On the night of the tragedy, Wagner borrowed a shotgun from Charles Duttle, brother-in-law of his victim, repaired to the corner of Eighth and Clay streets, and, watching his opportunity, put an end to the life of a man who had destroyed the peace and happiness of his home. The time came when Rhomberg stepped behind his counter and engaged in conversation with John Henny, Squire Welsh and Edward Barner. Being thus occupied and unmindful of the critical danger to which he was being subjected, Wagner fired through the lower pane of glass in the window, the slug from his weapon lodging in the brain of Rhomberg, who fell to the floor, and, after a few spasmodic twitches, yielded up the ghost.
These were the facts adduced at the coroner's inquest, and the jury, after brief deliberations, rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts. The accused was born in Hersia, Germany, and landed at Castle Garden when but nine years of age. He was educated at Rochester, whence he removed to Dubuque a few years previous to the commission of the crime, where he mar- ried, and pursued his trade, that of a designer and carver. His victim was a man respected by his acquaintances as an honorable man, and entitled to the confidence of the public. Universal regret was expressed at his death, and the sympathies of their many friends were extended to the two families thus afflicted.
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Wagner was indicted, and his trial commenced on February 21, 1875, before his Honor T. S. Wilson, District Attorney Powers, assisted by Cady & Longue- ville, prosecuting, with Fouke & Lyon on behalf of the defendant. Two weeks were consumed by the trial, concluding with a verdict of acquittal, the accused being considered insane when he committed the fatal act. He was consigned to the lunatic asylum, near Independence, wherefrom, after a sojourn of four months, he was released, cured and returned to Dubuque.
The Daniel Duggan Murder .- On November 15, 1876, Daniel Duggan, an aged man, residing alone in his house near Table Mound, was found lying on the floor, insensible and dying. The wounded man lingered on for a few days, when he died, and James Welsh, his son-in-law, was arrested, charged with the crime of murder.
The evidence showed that Duggan had been mysteriously shot, while sitting opposite his window ; that Welsh had been seen in the vicinity of his victim's house, about the time the shooting is reported to have occurred, with a gun, and acting in a suspicious manner. These facts, coupled with the circumstance that some feeling existed between the accused and his father-in-law, resulted in his being held to await the action of the grand jury.
An indictment was found, and the case came on for trial at the February term of the District Court, in and for Dubuque County, the Hon. Judge Wil- son presiding. Prosecuting Attorney Powers, assisted by T. S. Wilson and W. J. Knight, appeared on behalf of the State, while the defense was represented by Fockler & Longueville, and, after a trial extending over several days, the jury rendered a verdict of acquittal.
The Lawton Parricide .- About half-past 4 o'clock on Wednesday after- noon, July 19, 1876, Thomas Lawton, Postmaster at Kings Post Office, was shot by his son Samuel, and received wounds from the effects of which he died the following day, at 7 o'clock in the evening. The circumstances under which this most horrible crime was committed seem to be substantially these: The deceased came to the city on Wednesday, to attend the funeral of Miss Carrie Moser, being accompanied by his wife and son Samuel-the parricide-who remained at Mr. Moser's house during the absence of those who had proceeded to Linwood Cemetery with the corpse. After the burial, and return of the mourners to the city, Mr. Lawton and Samuel visited Mehlin's confectionery, for the purpose of procuring some articles, meantime conversing upon the death of Miss Moser, during which Samuel exhibited the most poignant grief; when their errand to Mehlin's had been completed, both again made their appearance in the street, the father slightly in advance of the son. This position was maintained until the gate to Mr. Moser's building. corner of Main and Eleventh streets, was reached, when, as the father was in the act of wiping the perspira- tion from his forehead, Samuel produced a revolver, held the muzzle to Mr. Law- ton's left shoulder and fired, the ball passing through the victim's body and lodging in his breast. Before any hand was able to interpose, the murderous son cocked the pistol and fired again, the ball entering the old gentleman's back and prostrating him to the ground. Without heeding the supplicating voice raised by his dying father, to " shoot no more," the maniacal son fired two more shots, both of which took effect, the latter in the abdomen, producing a fatal wound.
By this time the crowd which had been attracted to the scene, captured the assassin, while the wounded and dying victim was borne into the house, and physicians summoned, who pronounced his survival a question of chance rather than certainty. This prediction was soon after verified. In the morning, he revived
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sufficiently to recognize his wife and exonerate his son, when he sank off into a stupor, which continued until death stepped in and announced its presence.
Deceased was fifty-six years of age, and a resident of Dubuque County for twenty years. The event cast a gloom of sadness over the community, and its horrible and unnatural concomitants were the themes of conversation among all classes of people. The funeral occurred on Friday morning, and an immense train followed the remains to Linwood, where they were interred.
After his capture, the author of crime almost without a parallel in history, was conveyed to jail and locked up, after an attempt at escape and suicide. He was thirty-one years of age, and no apparent cause existed to prompt his unnatural action. Whether afflicted with an idiosyncrasy, craziness or hypo- chondria, he had no sympathy from the public. If their inclinations had been consulted, the accused would have been lynched without the benefit of a short prayer. Upon being interrogated with regard to the act and his reasons for its commission, he said that he had no motive; he only wanted to " shoot some- thing."
In accordance with the verdict of the coroner's jury, he was held to await the action of the grand jury, charged with murder in the first degree.
An indictment was duly found and is still pending, but upon a certificate and the verdict of a jury, deciding the prisoner insane, he was committed to the asylum near Independence, where he now is.
Attempted Murder .- On the afternoon of Wednesday, October 22, 1879, while Mr. James Mullin, an old and well-known citizen of West Dubuque, was sitting in a wagon in front of the town-clock building, he was approached by Joshua Oglesby, who presented a large revolver of thirty-two caliber at him, and began to fire. The first bullet took effect, and caused Mr. Mullin to utter a loud cry of pain. As quick as the revolver could be made to operate, another shot was fired at Mullin, and the work of death was continued until four shots had been fired, three of which took effect in Mullin's body.
A crowd of about twenty men stood by, and a hundred more came rushing to the spot, attracted thither by the firing, but not one in all the number had the courage to grasp Oglesby, who stood on the curbstone, firing at Mullin with all the precision and coolness possible. Oglesby leaned over the wagon box and placed the revolver close to Mullin's body, as though he meant to do deadly work. It was not until Capt. Ryder came up that hands were laid on Oglesby. By this time, every chamber in the revolver was empty. Had there been another cartridge in the revolver, Oglesby would, no doubt, have fired at Officer Ryder. But Capt. Ryder did not stop in the performance of his duty for fear of death. He marched Oglesby away to jail as quickly as possible.
During the firing, there was not a word spoken by either Oglesby or his victim. It was the coolest and most deliberate attempt at murder that has ever been known in the history of Dubuque. Mullin clung to the horses, but when the last shot was fired, he fell backward off the wagon's seat. He was at once taken to Dr. Horr's office, where a diagnosis of his case was made. It was found that three bullets had entered his body. One entered the right side just below the nipple, followed the ribs around and passed out by the spine. Another entered the shoulder, breaking the left arm, and the other entered the right arm, breaking that also. The balls were very large, the revolver being of thirty-two inches caliber. It was found that none of the bullets had entered a vital part.
Oglesby, the would-be murderer, is well known in Dubuque, also. He has a widowed mother living on Clay strcet, between Tenth and Eleventh. He has
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been once in the insane asylum, and, although released from that institution, was never cured of his insanity. Since his boyhood, he has been demented, and, although never considered dangerous, was always avoided as much as possible.
At present, there is nothing definite known as to the motives which impelled Oglesby to commit the dastardly act. Some say there is an old feud existing between Mullin and Oglesby, while others think that Oglesby fired the shots in a moment of insane excitement. The most reasonable supposition, however, is that Oglesby was angry at Mullin, and, although he may be insane, still there was method enough in his insanity to aid him in placing several bullets in the body of a man he did not like. But we have no desire to express opin- ions upon that point, and are content to await the developments of time. It may not be amiss, however, to say that there should be some means devised to place the responsibility upon some one, of allowing a man like Oglesby to run at large.
When taken in charge by Capt. Ryder, he walked off without the least resist- ance-and laughed over what he had done, as though he was pleased with the job. At the Sheriff's office his pockets were searched, and a large pocket-knife found. When asked if he had anything else about his pockets, he said: "No, that is all I have, and you had better take good care of that," at the same time laughing very openly. He was placed in the department assigned for insane persons at the jail.
It seems this was not the first time Oglesby attempted to take Mullin's life. It is said that another effort was made the same morning at the market, and that Oglesby had been following Mullin around all the forenoon endeavoring to kill him. It appears that Oglesby was possessed of natural hatred toward Mr. Mullin, as he had threatened him with death on several different occasions. A year or so ago, as Mr. Mullin, in company with Rev. Father Coyle, was driving up Julien avenue, he met Oglesby, who then warned him and Father Coyle that he would kill them both. Recently, as Mr. Mullin was driving along one of the streets, he was surprised to find himself attacked with rocks. Upon looking around, he discovered Oglesby in the act of throwing at him.
While being taken to jail, Oglesby informed his captor, Capt. Ryder, that he intended to kill Mr. Mullin, that morning at the market, but could not get a good chance.
Oglesby was arraigned, and, upon evidence of his insanity being produced, committed to the asylum at Independence, where he still remains.
MINING.
The Northwestern lead region is an area of about thirty-six hundred square miles : the larger space being in Wisconsin, the remainder in adjoining portions of Illinois and Iowa.
The Iowa lead district is mainly in Dubuque County, a few miles west, and a greater distance north and south from the city. The larger number of the most profitable mines, considered in reference to the limited area, have been worked near the city, some of them within the present corporate limits.
The presence of lead ore, as also its being easily mined in this section, was first made known by French explorers, in the year 1700. The first discovery was made on Fevre River, near Galena, but the first mining for the purposes of trade was on the west side of the Mississippi, in 1788, by Julien Dubuque, on the bluffs and ravines adjoining the present city. During the twenty-two years Dubuque occupied the " Mines of Spain," he worked the " leads " scientifically and successfully. This was the conclusion of those who came to the mines in
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1830, 1832 and 1833. They found that the excavations had been made by men to a large extent conversant with the requirements in that connection ; the Spanish miners had constructed substantial roads for the transportation of their product, and there were other evidences of superior intelligence displayed. As has been stated, Dubuque carried on a trade with the Sac and Fox Indians, under a special permit from their chiefs, which was in the nature of a life estate in mining and trading privileges. He sold his lead and procured his goods in St. Louis, making two trips a year to that city, in a pirogue, managed and pro- pelled by his subordinates. The sites of some of his furnaces were visible for many years near Eagle Point avenue, above Heeb's brewery, but they have long since disappeared before the progress of improvement. Others were between Main street and the river, and still others below the city and near the place of his last residence.
The Indian title to lands in Illinois and for most of Wisconsin was extinguished before that of the Indians to any part of Iowa. Those who lived on the west side of the river carried on a small trade with smelters on the opposite shore, in 1827, but refused to permit the whites to mine here. .
At the conclusion of the Black Hawk war in 1832, the country was par- tially explored, and efforts made to establish settlements. But it was not until 1833 that explorations and mining operations were carried on vigorously.
The early settlers of Galena gave that town the name of one of the princi- pal ores found in the vicinity, and the ore in the Dubuque mines was found entirely in what is known as Galena limestone. This rock is about two hun- dred and fifty feet thick in the vicinity of Dubuque, and rests upon the Trenton limestone. The first striking feature of the location of the mines was that the ore was and is mostly found in crevices from a few inches to a few feet wide, often expanded into caves, and mostly in an east and west direction. This sys- tem of fissures prevailed throughout the whole region. There was also a sys- tem of north and south crevices, with a few in other directions, but these generally proved smaller and less productive. The next remarkable fact was, that, when the slate or even a few feet of the clay remained over the limestone, the pro- ductive crevices referred to seldom extended upward to the top of the rock, or downward more than fifty feet, often through not more than five or ten feet of profitable mining. Even above and below some of the caves that were from ten to a hundred feet long, and ten feet or more in width and height, the crevices narrowed down to mere seams, sometimes so small as to be scarcely traced in the hard rock. The wider crevices and caves were often irregular, and a series of caves were connected by small horizontal spaces or perpendicular openings. These caves varied from emptiness to being filled with clay and ore; sometimes containing nothing but ore.
One of Dubuque's prominent citizens, who to-day is at the head of munic- ipal affairs, was in early times largely interested in mineral crevices and caves, in the working of which he laid the foundation for his present fortune. One day he concluded to explore his mines, for the purpose of ascertaining the results which were attending his season's labors, and if the hands employed were discharging their duties faithfully. He accordingly attired himself in a miner's suit, descended the shaft and began exploring the drifts and crevices in every direction. Having crawled a long distance in one of them, he finally became so firmly wedged in the rocks, that he was unable to move either way. When he realized his precarious position, Mr. Bush concluded to lie still, and inadvertently expressed his thoughts aloud, somewhat after
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the following fashion : "John, you are a pretty fool to leave a good-pay- ing, safe business in Baltimore City and come way out here to get caught in a drift. A pretty pass it is for the former Postmaster of Baltimore to get in here and starve to death, away from friends and home, with no one to ever know where you lie. But, John Bush, you must n't get scared; if you do, you 'll swell up like a toad, and never get out - no, never." While thus engaged, Al Martin, a miner in the drift, at this time heard his soliloquies, and, after the exercise of strength and ingenuity, succeeded in releasing the imprisoned ex- Baltimore Postmaster before he attained dimensions that would forbid his escape.
Ore was often found in the narrow seams, attached only to one side, lining a cave, in loose masses mingling with the clay at the bottom, lying on top of the clay, etc. It was also found extending to the water line of the locality, which was often less than fifty feet from the surface. The average water line is over a hundred feet above the level of the river. The reason why the nat- ural drainage does not leave all the ore above the water line, is because the fissures become filled with clay so tightly as to hold the water, in the form of small underground lakes, in many of the caves.
Except in surface mining, the practice was to sink a shaft until mineral indications were found, when the vein was worked, and, in many instances, proved of the most profitable character.
The mine of L. H. & J. L. Langworthy was opened, after a brief labor, in 1832, and realized most abundantly, while Tom Kelly's mine, begun about the same time, did not become paying until four years after. Such were the un- certainties attending mining, that, in some instances, leads which afterward became famous for the amount of their products, were for months, and, in some instances, years, continued at a loss.
For instance : David Slater discovered a mine on Whisky Hill in 1833, which realized at the start ; and, after Mr. Slater finished his explorations, he disposed of it to John McKenzie, who also made a fortune, while John Wharton worked a lead for nearly two years after its discovery, in 1836, before it could be made to pay. He sold to James L. Langworthy, who disposed of his inter- est to Richard Bonson.
Large amounts of ore were obtained, also, by "surface digging " and drainage by means of pumps. In 1833, an immense lead of surface mineral was obtained at the head of Langworthy Hollow. Benjamin Kilbourn pur- chased the discovery and worked it so successfully that after becoming enriched he sold the venture to Gen. G. W. Jones and George Ord Karrick, for a com- petency. These gentlemen commenced working their purchase with machin- ery, and continued for many years with satisfactory results.
About 1842, James Brophy and William Carter struck a paying vein about two miles from the city, and prospered in its working. In time, Brophy sold out his interest to C. H. Booth, who, with Carter, carried on the diggings for many years, with remarkable profit. Orrin Smith, now of Chicago, and Thomas Levens, still residing in Dubuque, discovered abundant deposits of mineral at the head of the Bee Branch.
By far the most valuable surface indications discovered in Dubuque County were on a strip of territory three or four miles long on the Maquoketa, known as the " Timber Diggings." Here Calvin Roberts worked for a lead which promised results for months without paying returns, and, becoming discouraged, finally sold to Edward and Solon Langworthy for $1,000. These latter soon realized large profits on their investment.
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Mineral was not unfrequently found in great quantities in caves, when the labor of collecting the same was by no means proportioned to the amounts its sale produced.
In 1835, a little Scotchman, called Jimmy Short, discovered a cave of mineral on the Chloe Fork of the Little Maquoketa, which, while not as exten- sive as many others, was one that at first sight revealed an apparently inex- haustible supply of the hidden treasure. No one deferred to Jimmy in their appreciation of this fine exhibition, and he was accustomed to tramp from saloon to saloon with the monotonous refrain, " A cave ye kna, is a guilt ye kna," until it became one of the by-words of miners, and would be applied to any " streak of good luck " that came unexpected or unheralded. But Jimmy worked his cave and his constitution out at the same time, and both expired together.
For some years after the settlement of Dubuque, the lead was classed in the returns of Government agents with that from the Fevre River mines, and the quantity from the whole region was immense, aggregating upward of 70,- 000,000 pounds from 1824 to 1835, inclusive. There was a very apparent falling off in the years immediately prior and subsequent to 1835. This was due to the fact that a majority of the smelters refused to make returns to the Government, on the ground that it was an oppressive policy to compel the pioneers to pay a tax for the privilege of settling up the country. The total amount of tax thus collected up to 1835, was on 5,900,250 pounds of lead. The average product to that date had been over 7,000,000 pounds per annum, one- tenth of which, after 1832, was obtained at Dubuque. The following figures indicate the product shipped, from 1835 to 1846, from the whole country :
1835, 11,000,000 pounds ; 1836, 13,000,000 ; 1837, 15,000,000 ; 1838, 14,000,000; 1839, 25,000,000; 1840, 22,000,000; 1841, 31,432,280; 1842, 31,407,530; 1843, 39,461,170; 1844, 43,722,970; 1845, 54,492,200; 1846, 51,268,200.
Notwithstanding the loss from imperfect and wasteful smelting and other causes, the golden age of lead mining in Dubuque was from 1835 to 1849. The old " bull's eye " furnace used up to 1836 occasioned immense loss, and was substituted in that year by the air furnace first introduced by P. A. Lorimier, who erected an experimental "oven " near the Catfish. About the same time the father of Richard Bonson, an English miner, built the first blast furnace ever operated in the lead regions, by which smelters succeeded in obtaining about 70 per cent of lead from the mineral. This style of furnace, which has been improved from time to time, is still used with results eminently satis- factory.
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