USA > Iowa > Jackson County > The history of Jackson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., biographical sketches of citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion history of the Northwest, history of Iowa miscellaneous matters, &c > Part 44
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From this point, the history of Bellevue outlawry increases in interest, and we take pleasure in giving it in Capt. Warren's exact words, believing in that way to meet the best wishes of our readers. The next in the order of events was the
KILLING OF JAMES THOMPSON.
Capt. Warren, in 1875, writes :
" The holidays were now at hand ; Christmas and New Year's were spent in debauch and dissipation. The scowling countenances of Brown's men in town deterred the better class of citizens from celebrating the holidays with music, dancing.and feasting, as was the usual custom in those days. There was a meeting held, and resolutions passed to celebrate the 8th of January in memory of the battle of New Orleans. Managers were selected, and among the number was J. C. Mitchell, who opposed the idea of any of the Brown clan being admitted to participate in the celebration, which was indorsed by all the other managers. Great preparations were made for the coming event, and, on the evening of the 8th of January, 1840, there assembled many jolly, pleasure-seeking people at the new hotel on Front street, now an old, dilapidated building, opposite Engleken's cabinet-shop, which our City Fathers have ordered removed as a nuisance and obstruction to the street. So this relic of old-time
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mirth and pleasure will soon be removed and known no more, as many other historical buildings in Bellevue have given way to larger and more gaudy structures, in accordance with the progress, spirit and demand of a broader civilization. On that memorable evening, the new hotel was crowded to its utmost capacity with brave men and fair women, and everything seemed auspi- cious for a night of music, dancing and joy. We do not propose to be dispar- aging to the young belles of our city when we say that, even in that day, Bellevue was noted for its beautiful and accomplished women, many of whom are now your mothers and grandmothers, who, in the long time ago, danced, flirted and were wooed as tenderly as their daughters and grand-daughters are now. The beautiful, clear-complexioned faces of that night have become pale and wrinkled, and the fine. luxuriant hair that hung in bewitching curls around them are silvered through and through by the relentless frosts of time, and the beauty of that hour, thirty-five years ago, is bequeathed, and well bequeathed, too, to the young generation among us, who are as attractive, but no more so than their mothers were in the 'beautiful days, long ago.' But there was another party, in secret consultation in the back room of a low saloon in town, plotting for the robbery of Mitchell's house. Thompson was the leader, and his associate in crime was Lyman Wells, who, upon hearing of their intentions, made some excuse to be absent, when he hastened to my room and informed me of the intended robbery. I was sick, and not able to attend the ball; so I immedi- ately wrote a note to Mitchell, who was at the ball, putting him on his guard. Wells was unable to convey the note to Mitchell in person, but went home and gave it to his wife, who would carry it to its destination. It occupied some time for her to prepare herself in suitable attire to appear in a ballroom ; so this delay gave Thompson and his friends time to plunder Mitchell's house of all its valuables and furniture, which were hastily placed on wagons and carried across the river. While the effects were being removed, Thompson was up- stairs, standing guard over Miss Hadley, the only person left in the house, Mr. Mitchell, his wife and daughter, having gone to the ball. After the house was plundered, Thompson undertook to violate the person of Miss Hadley. She resisted his devilish undertaking, and, escaping from his clutches, fled with nothing on but her night-clothes, and ran up town to the ballroom, which she entered almost in a state of nakedness. The fright and adventure, and the exhaustion from running, so prostrated her that she was unable to speak or tell a syllable of what had passed. Mrs. Wells had arrived a few moments before, and had delivered mny note to Mitchell, who at once comprehended the situa- tion, and had Miss Hadley conveyed to a bedroom, where she sufficiently recovered to make known the robbery of the house and the attempt of Thomp- son to violate her person.
" All acquainted with Mitchell knew that such a wrong would not go unavenged. He borrowed a pistol from Tom Sublett, and started alone for his house. In the mean time, after Miss Hadley had made her escape, Thompson knew very well Mitchell would be informed of what had transpired at his house ; but, flushed and maddened by liquor, and annoyed at the escape of the young lady, he swore he would have the life of Mitchell or die in the attempt. His comrades did all they could to moderate him, and told him the conse- quences of the meeting-that likely one or both would fall-and advised him to go away, for the present at least:
" All this advice and entreaty availed nothing ; and finding none willing to risk their lives with him, he started up street alone to look for Mitchell, with a pistol in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other. Pursuing his course
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up street, he overtook Ab Montgomery and told him he was going to meet Mitchell, and related to him what had transpired at Mitchell's house; that he knew Mitchell would be on the hunt for him, and if he wanted to see fun to come along. Montgomery endeavored to prevail on the desperado to go back down town and keep out of the way ; but all to no purpose, for Thompson was determined to meet Mitchell.
" The night was clear and beautiful ; the broad, full moon hung splendidly bright near the mid-heavens, and all creation was still, except when the drunken curses and blasphemies of Thompson vibrated through the frosty night air. It was almost as light as day while they stood talking, about oppo- site to where Mike Altflisch's store now stands, when they saw Mitchell approaching them, about one hundred yards off, walking rapidly down the street. Thompson and Montgomery immediately advanced to meet him. When nearing each other, Montgomery hailed to Mitchell to look out. Neither slack- ing their pace, they met opposite to the brick house of Weston's, above Mrs. Hades. Neither of the two attempted to shoot until they were within three feet of each other, when Thompson raised his pistol, presenting it to Mitchell's breast, bursting the cap, and at the same time striking Mitchell across the hand with his bowie-knife. Mitchell now fired his pistol at Thompson, the ball taking effect in his heart, and he fell dead in his tracks, with his pistol still clenched in his hand, loaded, with the cap bursted, and his bowie-knife lying about three feet from him. Mitchell, finding he was dead, returned to the ball- room and told what had occurred to the frightened, white-faced people who were there for a night of pleasure, and not to be auditors of such a frightful tragedy'as had been enacted.
" After the fatal shot had been fired, Montgomery ran in the opp ite direc- tion down the street, to inform me of what had occurred. I was the first, with Montgomery, to visit the corpse. There on the snowy ground lay the once manly form and the once respected James Thompson, a ghastly, lifeless lump of clay. His brief career of crime was ended. The result of the meeting between Mitchell and Thompson had been anticipated before the pistol-shot was heard that did the fatal work. So, few were surprised when they were told that a bloody encounter had taken place, which resulted in the death of Thompson. I had only time to ascertain that life was extinct, when some fif- teen or twenty of Thompson's friends, armed and equipped, arrived on the spot, all asking, as if in one breath, 'Who is killed ?' When the facts were made known to them the most bitter curses and cries for revenge were uttered against Mitchell, and it was with great difficulty their rage and fury could be restrained long enough to convey the lifeless body of Thompson to his boarding-house, when he was taken and laid out on a lounge, and left in charge of two or three men.
"On Mitchell's return to the ballroom, it did not require a statement from him to inform those there of what had taken place on the street. His counte- nance too plainly told the story of what had transpired, and the only inquiry was, "Are you hurt?" Surrendering himself to Deputy Sheriff James F. Hanby, and requesting all the ladies present to depart for their homes, he called upon the gentlemen present to protect him from the violence of Thomp- son's friends, for he well knew his life would be taken if he fell into their hands. There were but two or three men in the room who were armed, but the others left for their homes to procure weapons, so it left Mitchell with a small force, indeed, to protect himself with. Before the ladies could gather their shawls. preparatory to their departure from the ballroom, Brown and his
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men were heard coming up the street, swearing the most terrible oaths and yelling like a band of savages, "Revenge! revenge!" The scene in the ball- room at that time baffles description ; men, women and children were flying in all directions, leaving their shawls, cloaks and bonnets behind them in their panic, terror and flight, while Mitchell, Anson Hanington and John A. Hall sought safety by going up-stairs. Those two gentlemen, being the ones armed, volunteered their services to stand by Mitchell in his hour of need. Hanby went out to meet the approaching mob to stay their vengeance, if possible, but could not accomplish any good, as there was no reason in the enraged devils to appeal to. Mrs. Mitchell, her daughter (who is now the wife of our respected citizen, Mr. N. Kilborn), and two of Mitchell's sisters, Mrs. Abe Brown and Miss Kate Mitchell, with several other ladies, had also taken refuge up-stairs. Upon the arrival of Brown and his men, they found the lower floor deserted, so he started to go up-stairs, ordering his men to follow. He hastily placed his foot on the second step, when he saw Mitchell at the head of the stairs, with a pistol drawn on him, with the firm-spoken warning that if he advanced one step he would be a dead man. Brown did not wait for the warning to be repeated. for he knew his man too well to attempt any trifling at that time, so he and his gang, who were at his heels, left the stairway as quickly as their legs would permit them to do so. Baffled in their attempt to ascend the stairs, and knowing that a second attempt to do so would end in the cost of some of their lives, they commenced calling to the women to come down, swearing they would burn the house. Finding the women would not come, in obedience to their orders, they began firing their pistols up through the floor. While this terrible performance was going on, Hanby pressed a cutter into his service, and with it conveyed me to the scene of action. Upon arriving there. I found Brown and his men in the wildest state of excitement, determined to have revenge for the murder of their comrade. At all times previous, Brown had been respectful to me, and when I ordered them to disperse, telling them I would take charge of Mitchell and be responsible for his forthcoming in the morning, and that I should protect him from mob violence at all hazards, hold- ing him accountable to the law only for whatever crime he had committed, my speech to them had the desired effect, and a few words from Brown quieted his men, when they left, swearing if Mitehell was not forthcoming to-morrow they would hold me personally responsible for his non-appearance. Going up-stairs, I found the three men above mentioned, with their pistols in hand, looking terribly grim and pale with excitement. They had taken the stove from its place and put it near the head of the stairs, for the purpose of tum- bling it down on the attacking party, should they attempt to ascend. The women were as pale and silent as death, and the two men joked as though they were gladiators waiting to be called into the dread arena of mortal combat. When I informed them that Brown and his gang had gone, and that there was nothing more to fear that night, the relief such welcome intelligence gave to the ladies had a very singular effect on some of them. Mr. Mitchell's two sis- ters, who had stood bravely by their brother with such weapons as they could defend him with from the mob, now, when danger was over for the present, sank into their seats weak and exhausted from the terrible ordeal of fright and excitement through which they had passed. All their courage and strength forsook them for a time; then reason was dethroned, and they acted more like raving maniacs than they did like the sensible, rational beings they usually were, and it was some time before they could be calmed down enough to again become reasonable and possessed of their better senses. About this time Hanby came
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and whispered to me, saying Brown was at the door below and wished to see me. On going to the door, Brown advised me to station a strong guard around the house, because, as he informed me, the boys were all getting drunk, and there was no telling what might happen under the circumstances. I ordered Hanby to summon a posse of the best men in town, which he did as soon as possible. The posse was put in charge of Henderson Palmer, a man that Brown's men not only respected but feared. Peace and quiet was restored, and the morning dawned on the eastern horizon just as beautiful as though no night of horrors had been passed by these terror-stricken few who had remained with Mitchell in that hour when his blood was so loudly called for by his ene- mies. All the ladies, except Mrs. Mitchell and her daughters, had departed for their respective homes, never to forget, while they live, that terrible night and its scenes and fears that almost froze their blood with horror. Mitchell had become calm, regretting very much the necessity that had driven him to take the life of a fellow-being. At 9 o'clock in the morning, Mitchell was escorted by a strong guard (more for the purpose of protecting him from vio- lence, than any fear of his making his escape) to the Justice's office. In the meantime, a Coroner's inquest had been held over the body of Thompson. The verdict was that Thompson had come to his death from a pistol-shot in his heart, fired by James C. Mitchell. Mitchell being arraigned before the Court, Thompson's friends were kept at a respectful distance while the preliminaries of an examination were going on. Mitchell waived an examination and was committed to answer the charge of murder before the proper tribunal. He was not admitted to bail, but taken to a room, placed in ipens, under guard, there being no jail in the county at that time. The Board of County Com- missioners were notified to meet at once, and make arrangements for his safe- keeping. Thompson was decently interred in the burying-ground above town. The board that indicated his last resting-place, has long since disappeared from the face of the earth, and I don't know of any person now living who can point out the particular spot of the grave of one whose brief career is unparalleled in the annals of crime anywhere. The Board of County Com- missioners answered promptly to the call, the late William Morden being one of them, a man in whose integrity and judgment the people had the most abiding confidence. Brown honored and respected him so much that a word from Morden to Brown was almost the same as law to the latter. On arriving in town, Morden addressed the citizens. Brown and his gang were all present. He deprecated mob-law and pointed out in a forcible way the evils and injus- tice always attending and resulting from it. Advising moderation, he appealed to them to let the law take its regular course, pledging himself that Mitchell should be forthcoming on the day of trial, and also, that Mitchell should have a fair and impartial hearing. His speech was received with marked attention and respect, and frequent applause greeted him from both parties. His very presence seemed to inspire the restoration of order and law, and all felt hopeful that quiet would again be in the ascendent among them. The Commissioners, after considering as to the best plan of keeping Mitchell, con- cluded to place bim under guard in his own house, believing his family would, to a great extent, deter the bandits from molesting him there. The fact, too, that his house was a strong building, the window-shutters being of oak, two inches in thickness, made it the most secure place for Mitchell's personal safety and retention. The excitement being over and the effects of bad whisky hav- ing died out, order was again restored and the death of Thompson ceased to be the absorbing topic of conversation.
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" THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.
" The fine body of timber on the island opposite Bellevue, which belonged to the Government, was culled by Brown who had had more than 1,000 cords chopped off during the winter. As the island was subject to overflow, it became necessary for Brown to devise means to have it conveyed to the Iowa shore while the ice was good. In about ten days after the death of Thompson, Brown's stable was stocked with twenty or more as fine horses as had been seen in town. Brown had reported that he had sent Fox and Long to Michigan for them, and that they were taken in payment for outstanding debts he had due him in that State when he left it. Mr. William Graham purchased a span of these horses from Brown and the rest were rigged with harness, sleds and drivers to convey the wood over the river to Bellevue. The sound of the ax had ceased on the island and those who had swung it abandoned it to ply the whip instead, so that one continued stream of teams were hourly crossing and recross- ing the river with wood. Cording it up on the Iowa shore, gave things in Bellevue a live appearance, and one not knowing the character of these men thus employed, would be loth to believe they were anything but hard working men striving to make an honest living by the sweat of their brows. The most of the wood had been hauled from the island and the long line of cords on this shore gladdened the hearts of steamboat men, for in that day the Captains of steamers often found it difficult to procure wood to run their boats with. When the wood business stopped, it left Brown's men in idleness, when, for want of honest employment, they resorted to their old habit of gambling and drinking bad whisky, which, of course, disordered their tempers more than ever. Their sullen, morose looks foretold that there was some mischief brewing. Wells, who still had their confidence, and was ever on the alert, told me I had best stay about town, as there was damnable plotting going on, and they had resolved by some plan to have the life of Mitchell, if possible, which plan Wells said was not matured yet. The chief movers in the plot were Aaron Long, Chichester, Baxter and Fox ; Brown being as ignorant of their intention toward Mitchell as I was. Wells had joined with them in their plotting, so he could notify me of their intended movements. Our best and most substantial men were secretly apprised of the information Wells had given, when they readily volunteered to assist in guarding Mitchell's house. Long and his associates finding that the guard had been increased, had to devise some other means of taking Mitchell than that of storming the house. They were not long in hit- ting upon another damnable plan, which was to place a keg of powder under Mitchell's house and blow it and its occupants to atoms. This plan Wells opposed, saying it would be too great a sacrifice of life, but finding that his opposition had the effect of still more exciting their passions and vindictive spirits -- whisky having been freely drunk-they were ripe for anything, no mat- ter how diabolical or desperate the performance was to be. So Wells fell in with their terrible purpose, and volunteered to apply the torch. J. K. Moss' store was broken into and a tin can containing fifteen pounds of powder was stolen to blow up Mitchell's house with. It was near midnight, and all creation was hushed in death-like stillness. The guard in Mitchell's house had all been relieved except Aaron Harrington, who was sitting up, reading, in the back part of the house.
" There was a shed used for a summer-kitchen, and from this shed a stairway entered the cellar in which the can of powder was deposited for the blowing-up of the house. Wells had got himself into an extremely embarrassing predicament
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by offering to apply the match to the combustible that was to blow Mitch- ell, his house and family, into eternity without a moment's warming. Gladly would he have notified me of the plot, had it been possible for him to have done so ; but he had no time nor opportunity to do this, as the plot, great and des- perate as it was, had been concocted upon the spur of the moment, to be carried out almost immediately. They had imbibed freely of whisky, in order to nerve themselves for the diabolical tragedy they had determined to enact on that eventful night, in which a dozen or more innocent persons were to be blown to atoms in order to satisfy their thirst for revenge against Mitchell, whom they hated with more than mortal hate. Their confederate in crime had been slain by Mitchell, and they had sworn, in their wrath, that nothing but his life could atone for the wrong which they pretended he was guilty of. They well knew, from testimony that was given at that inquest over Thompson's dead body, that Mitchell was justifiable in the act of killing Thompson, and that no honest jury would ever convict him of murder. These facts staring them in the face, and the strong guard protecting Mitchell's house while he was a prisoner, una- ble to protect himself, forced the bandits to adopt the desperate plan they did to take the life of Mitchell, as they well knew that to storm the house would result in the death of many of their number. Rogues and outlaws are always natural cowards, and never engage in a struggle when there is personal danger to themselves. So with these men, who would rather sacrifice an innocent family and other innocent parties than to hazard to themselves any danger in taking Mitchell's life.
" Wells' long association and intimate knowledge of the character of these men, and of how utterly reckless they were in executing their plans, when once determined upon, induced him to volunteer his services, in order that he might prevent the horrible disaster that would inevitably have followed the plot, had it not been for him. The can of powder was placed in the cellar by Fox, assisted by Wells, who was to prepare the train from the cellar to the outside of the house. A dark lantern was brought into requisition to light them in laying the train of destruction. To all appearances, things were fixed up to Fox's satisfaction, when he and Wells returned to their comrades, to tell them of the success they had had in placing the powder in the cellar, and laying the train, without having been discovered by any one. This news occasioned the passing-around of the bottle, which was repeated in rapid succession until the whole party, except Wells, were crazy drunk, and each eager to apply the match of destruction himself. It was 2 o'clock in the morning, the moon hav- ing gone down, and the night hushed into a sort of ominous stillness, which impressed the very atmosphere with the prophecy that a terrible, sickening crime was about to be committed. But when the question was raised as to who should apply the fatal match to the powder-train, even the drunken courage of these heartless outlaws forsook them, as none scemed willing to do the horrible deed. As Wells and Fox had planned the whole affair, and made everything ready for the final explosion, they reasonably contended that it was no more than fair that another of the party should touch it off. It was then agreed that they should cast lots among themselves, and by it determine who should apply the match. The lot fell upon Chichester, who, without a moment's hesi- tancy, proceeded to the doomed house and lit the slow-match, and then betook himself out of the way. A small report was raised, which aroused the guard, who ran out with lanterns in hand, looking for the cause of the disturbance. Seeing no one around, they supposed some one had attempted some damage on the house, and then fled. They then placed a patrol on the outside of the
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building, who stood guard until daylight. Nor did they know, until the next evening, of the deadly plot that had threatened them the night before. Wells had sought an opportunity, and informed me of the whole transaction. He said, after he and Fox had deposited the powder-can in the rear part of the cellar from the door, he managed to deceive Fox by pretending to pour powder in the train to the door, when he put none there. About three pounds of pow- der had been filled into a bottle for the purpose, but Wells left the bottle at the cellar door, and from there to the outside was as far as the train really extended, so that all the explosion that took place was from that bottle which aroused the guards within the house.
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