USA > Illinois > Pike County > History of Pike County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens > Part 28
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The Pike county troops arrived at Beardstown the next day, be- ing the first company to reach that point. The Governor and some of the leading officers were already there. It was found that the Pike county company was too large; it accordingly was divided and formed into two companies. Lieut. Barney was chosen Cap. tain of one of these, and Joseph Petty, Captain of the other. James Ross was elected 1st Lieutenant of Capt. Petty's company, and a Mr. Allen, of Capt. Barney's company. Capt. Ross was chosen Colonel and aid of the commanding General. It was he who appointed Abraham Lincoln, our martyr President, to the Captaincy of one of the Sangamon county companies in this war.
The troops marched from Beardstown to Rock Island, where they were mustered into the United States service by Gen. Zachary Taylor. At Fort Armstrong, which was at that point, there were then only abont 50 United States troops. The Pike county volun- teers, with others, then marched up toward Dixon on Rock river, the course the Indians had taken. They followed them for some days, but did not overtake them or encounter them in any engage- ment. During the entire campaign the Pike county troops did
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
not meet the foe in battle array; not a leaden ball was shot at any of these men during the 50 days they were out. During this time they ran short of provisions, and sent to Chicago, but in that pres- ent great city, where millions of hogs are slaughtered annually and the greatest grain market in the world exists, they could not get a barrel of pork or of flour. The Pike county volunteers then went to Ottawa and shared with some troops at that point. They ob- tained rations enough there. to last them about three days, when they marched on down the river to the rapids, where there was a boat filled with United States provisions. There they drew rations for their homeward march. . Capt. Barney drew seven days' rations for his men, but Capt. Petty thought they would get home in three or four days, so only drew four days' rations, much to the regret of the hungry stomachs of his men, as it took them longer to get home than he had anticipated. The privates of this call received $S a month, and were paid off that fall by United States agents, who came to Atlas.
THE STAMPEDE.
While in the northern part of the State four regiments of troops camped together, among whom were the men from this county. They formed a hollow square, upon the inside of which were the this tents The horses, about 1,000 in number, were guarded in a corral outside of the square. In the dead hour of night, when wot a light remained burning, and the slow tread of the faithful sentinel was the only sound that broke the silence, the horses became frightened and stampeded. In the wildest rage they dashed forward, whither they knew not ; they headed toward the camp of slombering soldiers, and in all the mad fury of frightened brutes they dashed forward over cannon, tents and men, wounding several of the latter quite severely. The troops heard their coming and supposed each wild steed was ridden by a wilder and less humane red-skin ; the treacherous and subtle foe was momentarily expected and the frightened men thought they were now coming down upon them. They had all heard of the night attack upon the rangers at the famous battle of Tippecanoe, and feared a repetition of that night's bloody work. Capt. Barney, with quickness of thought and military skill, in a loud voice gave orders for his men to form at the rear of their tents. He hallooed lustily, and when he went up and down the line feeling his way he found every man in his place. The commanding officers hearing the Captain's orders and knowing there would be safety with his company if anywhere, ran to him. Fortunately the horses were riderless, which was soon discovered, and then the frightened men began joking. Col. De Witt joked Capt. Barney considerably about his hallooing so loud, when Gen. Taylor spoke up and said he was glad the Captain was so prompt to give orders for his men to form, as it showed a soldierly disposi- tion ; besides, it let him know where he might go for safety.
A third company subsequently went from Pike county under
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Capt. IIale and Lieut. David Seeley : about 50 men composed this company of mounted riflemen. They enlisted for three months and participated in the famons battle of Bad-Ax.
The people of this county were not disturbed by the Indians at this time, but so timid were they that they were easily frightened. The following incident is related by Samuel Clark, of Kinder- hook township. In 1832, during the Black Hawk war, a man while passing a neighbor's house heard the cries of a child who was in the house. He supposed the Indians were within committing their foul deeds, and accordingly raised the alarm that the Indians were there murdering all the members of the family, and every- body who came that way. This created the greatest consternation in the settlement, for the people had heard of the bloody deeds committed upon the settlers in the northern part of the .State. The settlers fled for safety. Some went to the fort, others ran hither and thither they knew not where. One very large fleshy woman mounted a horse and rode in the direction of the fort at full. speed. She came to a ditch abont ten feet wide and as many feet deep; the horse halted, but she urged him to jump, which he did at great peril, but fortunately landed safely on the opposite side. After the people had become quite exhausted with running they learned that no Indians were near, but that the yells came from the child because his father was chastising it.
CHAPTER XI. CRIMINAL RECORD.
INTRODUCTORY.
Since the two Indians, Shonwennekek and Pemesan, were indicted for murder, there have been 41 other indictments for this grave crime returned by the grand juries of Pike county, many of which included more than one individual. This represents a long and bloody calendar, a stain that every good citizen would have blotted out were it possible. It has been made by the blood of many vic- tims, dyed in crimson never to be erased, and we only record what has occurred. Who can picture the agony of heart, the remorse, the anguish of mind, to say nothing of the physical pains caused by these bloody deeds ? Both the victim and his friends, as well as the perpetrator of the crime, have suffered untold misery.
Often has the deadly weapon been brought into use on the slight- est pretext. A moment after he had taken the life of his victim and he had realized that his hands were stained with the life-blood of a fellow man, the perpetrator of the deed would have given every- thing he possessed or ever hoped for, and in some cases life itself, could he but recall the deed; but alas ! it is done, never to be undone. The feeling has not been thus in every instance where the bloody victim fell at the feet of the man-slayer, but frequently so. Sometimes the joy was great when he who sent the deadly messenger saw its work well done.
Among this long catalogue of criminals only one has ever suffer- ed the extreme penalty of the law, and most of them have had light punishment. We begin with the first person indicted for murder, and give every indictment during the county's existence. There are a multitude of cases of murder or manslaughter of which we make no mention, as no indictments were made for want of suffi- cient, evidence.
Pemesan and Shonwennekek. (Two Indians.)
These Indians were indicted Oct. 2, 1821, at the very first term of Court held in Pike county, for the murder of a Frenchman. The
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
evidence showing, however, that the shooting of the deceased was more an act of carelessness than of premeditated murder, the next morning the jury returned a verdict for manslanghter on the part of Pemesan, or " Traveler," and that Shonwennekek, or " Spice- bush," was not guilty. The Court had assigned Daniel P. Cook and Polemon HI. Winchester as counsel for the Indians, and John Shaw and Jean Baptist Patelle were the sworn interpreters. No attorney for the people appears on record, but of course there must have been such an officer present. It appears that these Indians were out hunting one day, and when the Frenchman suddenly ap- peared in view in the distance they took him to be a deer or some other animal, and Pemesan immediately fired and killed him. No sooner was this done than they discovered their mistake, and Shon- wennekek proposed that they run away; but Pemesan argued that as it was an accident the whites would do them no harmn. There- upon they immediately surrendered themselves to a magistrate. Pemesan's punishment was a fine of 25 cents and imprisonment for, 24 hours. He accordingly paid the fine and served out his sen- tence in a rail pen which was guarded for the occasion.
Charles Collins, James Whitly, Alfred Miller and James Stockton.
These parties were indicted for murder May, 2, 1843, but after their case was continued from term to term with hopes of arresting them, they were never found.
Winship Moreton
was indicted Sept. 10, 1841, but the following April his case was stricken from the docket.
John Bartholomew, et al.
were indicted April 5, 1848, for the murder of John Crewson, or Cruson, near the Mississippi river a few days preceding (March 29 ), while the latter was hauling a log for the rafting. He was shot beside his team. The others indicted with Bartholomew were Benj. Chouls and John Stipp. The two latter took a change of venue to Adams county, where a nolle prosegui was entered April 2, 1849. Bartholomew's case was continued from term to term until Sept, 12, 1853, when it was stricken from the docket.
John Mc Guyre
was indicted Sept. 5, 1849, for the murder of Wm. Bennett near Phillip's Ferry, Sept. 1, preceding. That day McGnyre went to the house of Mr. Pease where Mr. Bennett was and urged him to go gunning, but which, by the solicitation of Mr. Pease, he declined doing. McGuyre left and returned about sun-down, when Pease and Bennett were eating their supper, who invited him to partake ; he
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
refused, saying, "G-d d-n you! I am tired waiting for you and am going to shoot you now.""He immediately fired a load of buck- shot, which struck Bennett in the face, killing him. McGuyre commenced reloading his gun with the declared intention of kill- ing Pease, but the latter made his escape and raised the alarm. McGuyre ran away but was arrested on the 6th and taken before the Circuit Court then in session, and at first pleaded guilty ; but after the consequence of such a plea was explained to him, he pleaded not guilty, and for want of time his case was continued to the next term of Court. McGuyre broke jail twice: the first time he was caught at McGee's creek, in crossing which he came very near being drowned, and the second time he got out through the wall, a stone having been removed by the aid of friends outside. This was effected without awaking a family which was asleep di- rectly above. He has never been re-taken, and his case was finally stricken from the docket with leave to reinstate.
George Kesterson
was indicted for murder March 29, 1851, but for some reason was never brought to trial.
Philip Wilco.r
was indicted Oct. 11, 1851, and he also was never tried.
Preston F. Grores
was indicted March 23, 1853, for the murder of Robert Carr, about 5 miles east of Pittsfield. Both these parties were married men and frequented a house of ill repute. Groves was tried and acquit- ted March 28, 1853.
Jonathan W. Hutchinson.
This man was indicted Nov. 27, 1854, for killing Francis F. Wells in Brown county. A change of venue had been taken from that county, his case was tried at Pittsfield, and after the jury was ont several days it brought in a verdict of not guilty, Sept. 18, 1855.
Hugh W. Wren
was indicted Sept. 14, 1855, for manslaughter ; about a fortnight afterward his bail was forfeited by his escape and his case was never brought to trial.
James Daniels
was accused of killing Newton Soules in Calhoun county in a saloon. Soules had burned his hair previously. Daniels was in- dicted in the Pike county Court Sept. 12, 1856 ; but Ang. 5, 1859, his case was discontinued.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Stephen Cole et. al.
were, according to the record, indicted for murder March 9, 1857. In this suit it seems that no parties were ever brought to trial.
Robert Ellis.
This criminal was indicted April 14, 1860, for the murder of Benj. F. Wade, Dec. 23 preceding, a little west of Detroit. Wade broke Ellis' whisky bottle and a quarrel ensued which resulted in the fatal affray in the yard of Francis Phillips. Ellis stabbed Wade with a large pocket-knife. Ellis pleaded not guilty but was convicted of manslaughter Nov. 24, 1860, and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary.
Edwin C. Hendrick.
This party was indicted Aug. 10, 1860, for poisoning to death Emeline Amanda Hendrick. He pleaded not guilty, was tried, and, after the jury had two days' consultation, he was acquitted.
James Likes, Simon Likes, Lyman Likes, Philip Neal, Christo- pher Neal and Win. Bothwick.
The indictment in this case, Nov. 23, 1860, was for the murder of Samuel Macumber, an innocent man about 65 years of age, living in Barry township, and who was killed Oct. 23, 1860. The parties set upon their victim in cold blood and killed him with clubs and stones. Macumber was a Baptist minister, who had married the mother of the Neals, and it was alleged that he mal- treated her in some way. After trial all the indicted parties were acquitted Dec. 8, 1860, except Christopher Neal, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced for life, and James Likes was acquitted the next term of Court.
Thomas Johnson, Fielding Johnson, John Hopkins, Andrew J. Winsor, Mary Pearson, Julia Bell, Angeline Bell and Hampton Winsor.
These parties were indicted during the spring terin of Court in 1863, for the murder of Andrew J. Pearson, in Flint township. The victim, a fariner, was found murdered by hanging, and robbed. November 18, 1862, Pearson started from his house in search of some of hisstock. Night came on and he did not return. Suspicion was aroused, inquiries and search were made, and finally his body was found in a ravine, a half mile from home, covered up with leaves, brush, etc. : two hundred dollars in money had been taken from his person. The robbers also went to his house, and, finding no one at home, they entered it and took about seventy dollars more, which they found in a bureau. They then took a good horse and decamped. Of the above parties, some were directly accused by the
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
indictment, some impleaded with them, and severances were ob- tained. Some of them were desperadoes from Missouri; some of the parties took a change of venue to Brown county. The result of the whole prosecution was, that Thomas Johnson and John Hop- kins were convicted of manslaughter April 27. 1863, and sentenced for life; Fielding Johnson was convicted of the same and sentenced for 20 years, and the rest were discharged.
During the trial the guilty criminals pleaded guilty of man- slaughter, confessing as follows: They lived in Missouri, were rebels in Porter's army, which subsequently disbanded. They worked several days for a neighbor of Pearson's named Dimmitt, and spent several evenings at Mr. Pearson's house. This man and his wife, Mary (impleaded above), frequently quarreled. The night previous to the murder they had an unusually wicked altercation, after which Mrs. P. went into a fit. After coming out "she told the accused that if they would kill Pearson she would give them a horse. The girls, Julia and Angeline Bell, her daughters by a former husband, also expressed the wish that they should kill him. The next morn- ing they invited Pearson out for a walk and told him they were going to hang him. He said he did not blame them. Two of them held him up while the other adjusted the rope. He did not resist nor struggle. After he was dead they took sixty dollars from his pocket, carried it to the house and reported what they had done. All were rejoiced and gave the prisoners ten dollars apiece. Mrs. Pearson gave them a horse, asking them not to betray her, and they started for Missouri. The daughters asked for and received a lock of their hair for mementoes, and a parting kiss.
The young men were not over twenty years of age, did not look like criminals, and were said to be respectfully connected.
John W. Parks and Henry C. Price.
These parties were indicted Apr. 18, 1864, for the murder of Peter C. Staats, an old settler of Hadley township, on the road between New Salem and Maysville. Staats was twice shot in the back, one ball coming out at the breast. The accused took a change of venne to Adams county and were finally acquitted.
George Crow, alias Roselle,
was indicted April 19. 1864, for the murder of a Mr. Gard. May 21, following, he broke jail, and the shooting necessary to his capture June 11, in Greene county, resulted in his death the next day in jail.
Austin and Abraham Stevens
were, according to the records, indicted April 19, 1864, for murder, but it appears that there was never any trial of the case.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Wm. W. Moore and J. S. Wilson
were indicted the same day for being accessory after the fact of the murder. They moved their case to Brown county, and from the evidence elicited it appears that young Moore, only sixteen years of age, had killed John Ziff, living near Pittsfield. Mr. Moore's father and Ziff had a dispute abont some wood which Moore had been cutting on land which Ziff claimed and which Moore had rented. Ziff struck Moore with an ax, knocking him down and then stamping upon him.'. The lad seeing his father in this condi- tion, ran up and struck Ziff a blow upon the top of his head with the edge of an ax, thus literally cleaving his head clear to his shoulders.
Samuel Evans and Matthew Gilmer, Gilmore, or Gilman.
These men were indicted Nov. 29, 1864, for killing Cornelius Myers, Evans being a resident of Montezuma. They broke jail, and after several months Evans was recaptured in Tennessee. He took a change of venue to Brown county, where he was convicted of man- slaughter and sentenced for twelve years in the State prison. There he became insane, and after his release he stole a horse, was ar- rested, and while in jail his insanity became so marked that he was finally sent to the asylum at Jacksonville.
Chas. Brummell or Brumble, etc.
This rascal, whose name was spelled half a dozen different ways, was indicted March 15, 1866, for the murder of Edward Garrison, of New Canton. The fatal deed was perpetrated by stabbing the victim with a pocket-knife. Sept. 19, 1867, he was convicted of the charge and sentenced to State prison for three years.
Name not Given.
Although not strictly within the purview of this chapter, we may mention here, as the parties were both residents of Griggsville, this county, that Dr. J. H. Caldwell, of that place, went to Texas in May or June, 1868, employing a young man to accompany him, who, on the 24th of June, murdered and robbed the doctor, but was sum- marily lynched by the infuriated people when the deed occurred.
Mc Wright Murray
was indicted for murder in 1869, but the case was ultimately stricken from the docket.
Joseph Daul and Anthony Scheiner.
These criminals were indicted April 20, 1869, for committing murder in Brown county, as the result of an affray connected with the burning of show tents at Mount Sterling. A change of venue
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
was taken to Pike county. and after a two days' trial the chaps were sentenced to 15 years' hard labor.
C'apt. Wm. HI. Stout.
This man was indicted April 6. 1871, charged with the murder of a Mr. Kimball, at Cockle-bur slough, the preceding year. By change of venne his case was taken to the Brown county Court.
Samuel Douglas
was the homicide who beat to death James Sapp, June 12, 1871, near Pleasant IIill. At the first beating he left Mr. Sapp lying prostrate, and induced a Mr. McKenna to accompany him to the place, who tried to lift him up, when Douglas gave the poor vic- tim several additional blows, from which he died a few days after- ward. Douglas and McKenna were both arrested, but the latter was dismissed for want of evidence against him. Douglas was held for manslaughter, the indictment being made Oct. 12, 1871. IIe was convicted and sentenced Nov. 29, 1871, for six and a half years in the penitentiary.
John Shannahan.
Sept. 16, 1871, in Pleasant Vale township, Wm. Hall claimed that Shannahan had said something mean about him, and proceeded to assault him with a club. The latter warded off the blow, snatched the club from Hall, who then started to run away; Shannahan, however, soon overtook him, struck him on the head with the club, knocking him over into a gully senseless, and Shannahan tumbling down with him. Hall's ankle was broken in the fall, and he died soon afterward. Shannahan was arrested and committed to jail, where he suffered from a feeble constitution and a diseased leg, which had to be amputated. He was indicted by the grand jury, Oct. 12. 1871, but he died before the trial took place.
Bartholomew Barnes.
The only execution ever taking place in Pike county was that of Bartholomew Barnes, Dec. 29, 1871, in the Pittsfield jail-yard, for the murder of John Gresham in Calhoun county. The suit was first instituted in that county, and a change of venue being taken to this county, the case was called at the session of the Pike. county Circuit Court Nov. 27, 1871; and after a thorough trial the traverse jury returned a verdict of guilty of murder in the first de- gree, and that he should suffer death by hanging. The particulars of the murder are well condensed in Judge Higbee's sentence given Dec. 6. as below. The court-house was crowded to overflowing with ladies and gentlemen to hear the sentence of death pronounced upon the young convict. At 10} A. M. he was brought in to re- ceive his sentence. Death-like stillness reigned within the room,
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
as the Judge, in a solemn and impressive manner, addressed him, broken only by the prisoner, who, standing with brazen effrontery, gave vent occasionally to protests of innocence. The Judge said: " In discharging the unpleasant duty required of me by the law, it seems proper that I should place on the files of this Court a brief statement of the facts and proofs which render it the duty of the Court to pronounce a judgment which is to deprive a human being of his life.
" By the record in this case it appears that you were indicted at the May term of the Calhoun Circuit Court, 1871, for the murder of John Gresham, and the case was brought here on a change of venne for trial; that there is no prejudice in this county which would injuriously affect your rights is sufficiently manifest by the fact that the crime for which yon have been tried was committed in another county; and of the twelve jurors selected for your trial every one has stated under oath that he never heard of the case un- til called into the jury box.
" From the evidence it appears that somewhere abont the first of February last, for some canse ( which is not apparent ) you became very much enraged against the deceased in the town of Pleas- ant Hill and threatened to whip him. When told by the town con- stable that that would not be permitted and that he would arrest you if you did not keep quiet, you said that you would see the de- ceased at same other time and tear his heart ont. On the 27th day of February the deceased, his son ( 15 years of age ) and yourself, were in Clarksville, Mo., and crossed the river on your return in the afternoon in the same boat, the deceased and his son within a wagon; and after the boat landed, as they were leaving the river for home, you asked the privilege of riding with them, to which the boy objected, his father being quite drunk at the time. Yon then said to them that if they would let you ride you would be quiet and peaceable; whereupon the deceased consented, and yon got into the wagon and seated yourself on a board beside the deceased, the boy standing up in front driving. You had gone but a short distance when some words passed, but no blows or attempts to strike ensued, and you jumped ont, saying, 'You d -- d old son of a bitch!' At the time you jumped out the board on which the deceased was sitting tipped up and he fell ont on the other side on his back near the wagon and near to a fence. You ran back to the wagon and to where the deceased lay, and turning your back to the fence, you seized the rails with which to steady yourself, and with the deceased still lying on his back im- mediately in front of you, with the heel of your boot you stamped his face, head and breast until you killed him. The evidence shows that in this brutal manner, and when the deceased was lying on his back perfectly helpless, in the presence of his son and another witness who was near by, you stamped from eight to ten times, breaking his nose, cheek-bone and jaw, and crushing out one eye, and forced the heel of your boot through his skull into his brain
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