USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 20
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THE ENTERPRISE RESUMES PUBLICATION.
Thomas Irons resumed publication of the "Enterprise" again in December, 1885, but only lasted a few months and again suspended.
THE HUNNEWELL BEE.
In September a fourth venture was made in the newspaper business at Hun- newell. This time it was by Eld. J. T. Craig, who turned the "Bee" loose on the inhabitants of this village Septem- ber 10, 1890. He later sold to J. J. Heif- ner and returned to the pulpit. Mr. Heifner condneted the paper until 1893, when he sold to Albert Blackburn, who changed the name of the paper to
"THIE HUNNEWELL GRAPHIC."
In March, 1894, the "Graphie" passed into the hands of O. P. Sturm, who re- mained in charge until Angust. 1895. Sturm then moved to Malta Bend, Mo., and engaged in teaching school. He turned the paper over to his brother,
George W. Sturm. In May, 1896, the plant was sold to J. H. Orr. Mr. Orr sold a half interest in a few weeks to E. J. Spencer, and in July, 1896, bought his partner's interest back. In Septem- ber, 1897, the present owner, A. B. Dun- lap, became the editor and owner, and has greatly improved the paper, which has been such a strong factor in the de- velopment and advancement of the city. The paper is independent in politics.
THE BETHEL SUN.
The above publication was launched upon the newspaper seas in the year 1896. The person who first made the "Sun" shine in Bethel was C. S. Ward. He sold to Joe Miller, who soon trans- ferred the plant to S. M. Bohon, who in turn sold to W. A. Dimmitt. The plant was not a paying proposition and was (liscontinued in 1901.
"THE MISSOURI SUN."
Rev. D. A. Brown, a Christian preach- er, and C. S. Ward, in Angust, 1897. started a paper in Leonard called the " Missouri Sun." "The Sun," however, soon went into a total eclipse and has not been seen in the newspaper skies since.
CHAPTER XIII.
SOME SHELBY COUNTY MURDERS AND SUICIDES-WILLIAM SWITZER MURDERED IN 1864 -PAT MCCARTY ASSASSINATED-THE BUFORD TRAGEDY-MURDER OF NICHOLAS BRANDT- JUDGE JOSEPH HUNOLT ASSASSINATED-A LEONARD TRAGEDY-SHEL- BINA MAYOR DIES SUDDENLY-M. LLOYD CHEUVRONT SHOT-SUICIDE AT CLARENCE -THE STACY MURDER AND SUICIDE-SUICIDE AT CLARENCE.
WM. SWITZER MURDERED IN 1864.
Mr. William B. Switzer, a merchant of Clarence, then a village. was mur- dered by a band of robbers from Macon in the fall of 1864. It seems Mr. Switzer was custodian of some money made up by certain of the citizens to hire substi- tutes in case any of them were drafted. They made their raid one night, just a day too late, as the funds were sent to Shelbyville for safety just the day be- fore. Mr. Switzer was called to the door by four men on horseback, who, when he appeared, demanded his money. Mr. Switzer, who had taken his revolver with him, opened fire and a volley came back in answer, one shot taking effeet in his hip, severing his femoral artery, cans- ing death in a few minutes. Mr. Switzer was a respected citizen and while he never took up arms he was known as a Southern sympathizer. The robbers were Macon countians; one never was apprehended, another turned state's evi- dence, in which John Roland was said to be the one that fired the fatal shot. He was bound over, escaped and for- feited his bond. All were ex-Federal militiamen.
PAT M'CARTY ASSASSINATED.
Pat McCarty, a prominent citizen of Clarence, was the proprietor of a steam mill, which property he had purchased from its founder, Mr. Wilson. Mr. MeCarty was a man of many friends and many enemies. He was a jolly, whole- souled man and one who cherished his home. On the night of October 6, 1874, Mr. McCarty was seated near a window in his sitting room, where he had been fondling his child on his knee. He had just put down his little one and taken up a newspaper when an assassin fired through the window a heavy charge of bird shot, which penetrated his body, killing him instantly. A coroner's jury was impaneled by Esquire Scates and a few days' investigation ensued, without important results. No elne was ever ob- tained as to the identity of the perpe- trator. Suspicion ran rife, much of it no doubt unjust, but as the victim of a stealthy coward was he shot down before his loved ones.
THE BUFORD TRAGEDY.
On Monday, October 26, 1885, occurred one of the worst tragedies in the history
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of Shelby county. John Buford shot and killed his father, William Buford, and also seriously wounded his brother, William Buford. The tragedy occurred at the Buford home, near Burksville, in Tiger Fork township. The elder Buford lived only a short time after the shooting occurred.
At the preliminary hearing one of the main witnesses gave the following testi- mony regarding the facts relative to the shooting: "On Sunday evening John and his father had a quarrel about a colt that had been kicked; John said he had fixed up the stable and he would blow daylight through any person who would put a horse in there; said he was going to have his rights. John and his father went to the honse; soon after this John started off. His father said, 'Where are you going?' John replied, 'Wait till I see you again. I'll see you before day- light and put daylight through you and those other two d-d pups.'" The next morning witness' attention was attract- ed by his little sister pulling his coat and saying, "See there." He looked up and saw John in the door of the sitting room with a double-barrelled shotgun, which he aimed at his younger brother, Will- iam. Witness started as though to go through the door, passed under the gun and pushed it up. His father just then probably aimed to do the same thing, ran against witness and threw him down against the bed. As he raised up the gun was discharged, taking effeet in the top of his father's head and some of the shot striking witness' arm between the elbow and shoulder. The witness did not hear John speak a word while in the house. John left after the shooting and was arrested a week later at the
home of 'Squire E. D. Wood, in Tiger Fork township. John's anxiety to hear from home led to his capture. Monday night, about 10 o'clock, he appeared at the home of 'Squire Wood, about a mile from the Buford farm, and tapped on the window to attract attention, and asked one of the young men on the in- side how his folks were getting along at home. 'Squire Wood, who was upstairs in bed, hurried downstairs and around the house, taking with him a shotgun. He raised his gun and told John to throw up his hands, which the latter did reluctantly. One of the 'Squire's sons next appeared and disarmed young Bu- ford, who was then led into the house and guarded until Sheriff Dun arrived and took him in charge.
The preliminary hearing was held in Shelbyville on November 11 of the same year, before 'Squire Melson. R. P. Giles represented the state and James T. Lloyd, the defendant. The defendant was committed to jail to await the action of the grand jury. On Friday following he was taken to Palmyra and placed in jail for safekeeping.
The Buford case came up at the April term of the Circuit court, 1886, and was set for trial at a special term to be held commencing August 1st following. The case was then tried, R. P. Giles repre- senting the state and Judge Berry and Lysander Thompson the defendant. The verdict of the jury was that the defend- ant was guilty of murder in the second degree. The attorneys for the defend- ant filed a motion for a new trial on the ground that one member of the jury of twelve, before whom the case was tried, was too sick to properly hear the evi- denee, and that one member of the forty
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panel had formed and expressed an opinion. The hearing on this motion was postponed until the October term of court, at which time Judge Brace heard and overruled the motion, and sentenced the defendant to thirty years in the penitentiary. Mr. Buford was taken to the penitentiary, where he stayed until pardoned by Governor Ste- phens on December 25, 1897. He then returned to the county, but remained here only a short time and is at this date living in the state of Washington.
MURDER OF NICHOLAS BRANDT.
The town of Shelbina was thrown into intense excitement, mingled with indig- nation and horror, on Wednesday, No- vember 16, 1887, by the report that the body of a man had been found in a well near a log cabin on the Vincent Taylor farm, six miles west of the town. It was believed that the remains were those of Nicholas Brandt, who had been missing and was supposed to have been mur- dered. Brandt was a hard-working, in- offensive German, and was by trade a hoop-pole shaver. It was known that the deceased had a large amount of money, mostly gold, in his possession. Henry Deiderich was arrested the after- noon of the same day in St. Louis and accused of the murder. Sheriff Sanders went to St. Louis after the accused and returned with him on the following Fri- day. Two other parties were arrested in connection with the crime-a Mr. Dallhousen, who was placed in jail at Shelbyville, and Albert Anselman, of Lakenan, who was admitted to $500 bail. The preliminary trial was held before 'Squire J. D. Jordan in Shelbina, begin- ning Friday morning, December 9. 1887.
The cases against Dallhousen and An- selman were dismissed by Prosecuting Attorney R. P. Giles and Deiderich was bound over to the grand jury. Mr. Dei- derich was brought before the bar of justice in the Circuit court on Monday, April 9, 1888, and pleaded not guilty. He was returned to the jail to await his trial, but with another prisoner by the name of MeDonald broke jail that eve- ning and is still at large.
JUDGE JOSEPH HUNOLT ASSASSINATED.
Judge Hunolt was perhaps the largest land owner and one of the wealthiest citizens of the county. He owned over 2,300 acres of land northeast of Hager's Grove and was a large feeder and raiser of stock. Mr. Hunolt was of German parentage, and was one of those honest, industrious and thrifty individuals who lead the community in which they reside.
Politically the Judge was a Democrat. Religiously he was a Catholic and it was largely through his efforts and gener- osity that the little Catholic church was erected, which still stands upon the prai- rie road between Hager's Grove and Leonard.
On Friday, June 4, 1886, between the hours of five and six o'clock in the after- noon, Judge Hunolt departed from Leonard on horseback for his home about four miles south of the village. He had been at Clarence the day before and had drawn $500 from the bank. On his way to the farm he passed George Hardy, whom he met in the road and talked with a short time. He passed from the road into his farm through a gap which he made for that purpose, and after replacing the fence rode on into the timber.
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Sam Roberts was working on a fence about eighty rods from where the Judge passed through the inclosure, and heard three shots in rapid suecession, followed by a scream as of someone in terrible distress. Andy Hilton, who lived half a mile west, also heard the reports of the firearm, but heard no outery.
As the Judge did not return to his home that night as was expected. the IIunolt family became alarmed and the next morning one of the sons was sent to Leonard to learn of his father's whereabouts. Here he was informed of the time of his father's departure from Leonard and the route he took. The alarm was given and many persons joined in a search for the Judge. The place where he entered the pasture was located and his horse was traced through the timber to a small ravine. Here the horse was found tied to a tree and the remains of Judge Hunolt lying upon the ground about sixty feet away. Two halls took effect. One entered the left side of the body and passed inward and nearly through the body, the other passed through the palm of one hand and into the arm. The Judge's throat was also eut. the head being nearly sev- ered from the body. A coroner's inquest was held before 'Squire Stewart, of Leonard, and the body removed to the family residence before Prosecuting At- torney Giles and the county coroner reached the seene of the awful tragedy.
Thousands of persons visited the scene of the murder on Sunday and over a thousand attended the funeral, which was held at the Catholic church on Mon- day. The remains still sleep beneath the blue grass and in the little Catholic ceme-
tery. A beautiful monument marks the resting place of the Judge's remains.
The Hunolt family consisted of, be- sides the father and mother, two sons, Christopher and Antony, and two daugh- ters, Mrs. Annie Worland and Mrs. Sa- lome Hornbaek, the former the wife of J. G. Worland, of Hager's Grove, and the latter the widow of the late C. H. Hornback.
After the murder of Judge Hunolt every effort was made to ferret ont the mystery. The local peace officers were kept busy and two Pinkerton detectives were employed. On Thursday, June 10. following the murder, the detectives thought they had sufficient evidence to justify an arrest and a warrant was sworn out by Christopher Hunolt, a brother of the murdered man. charging Joseph Glahn with committing the atro- cious crime. Thereupon Sheriff Dunn placed the aceused under arrest. Mr. Glahn was taken before 'Squire J. D. Melson. of Shelbyville, and on Thursday. June 17, the preliminary hearing was had and the accused was bound over to the grand jury and committed to the Pal- myra jail. On Monday, October 18, 1886, the Shelby county grand jury brought in a bill against Joseph Glahn and Chris- tian Glalın, his brother, charging them with the murder of Judge Hunolt. The case against these men was called on the April doeket, 1887, and on April 4 of that year the case against Christian Glahn was dismissed by the prosecuting attorney and the case of Joseph N. Glahn was granted a change of veme on the testimony of nine witnesses who stated under oath that the defendant could not get a fair trial in Shelby county
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on account of prejudice. Judge Bacon sent the case to Monroe county and the case was docketed for a special term at Paris the following June. The trial com- meneed in Paris on Monday, June 20. The state had one hundred witnesses on hand and the defense had fifty. The trial lasted five weeks and resulted in a hung jury. The jury was discharged July 23, 1887. The defendant was re- turned to the Palmyra jail. The case was set for re-trial on November 8th following. At this trial, which lasted until December 8th, the jury found the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree. The defendant's attorneys im- mediately filed a motion for a new trial. The motion was overruled and the at- torneys for the defendant filed a motion in arrest of judgment. The second Mon- day in February, 1888, was set for hear- ing the arguments on this motion. On Monday, February 20, 1888, the argu- ment was made and the motion over- ruled. Judge Bacon then delivered the following sentence: "The sentence of the court is that you, Joseph N. Glalın, on Friday, the sixth day of April, 1888, at the county jail of Monroe county, be- tween the hours of 9 o'clock A. M. and 5 o'clock P. M. of that day, he hanged by the neck until you are dead." A stay of execution was granted and an appeal taken to the Supreme court. Mr. Glahn was then returned to the Palmyra jail and on August 16, 1888, there was a jail delivery at that place. Fourteen pris- oners escaped out of twenty-eight con- fined. Glahn was the only one accused of murder, yet he refused to go.
At the Jannary term of the Supreme court the case for a new trial was argued
and on Wednesday, April 17, Judge Ba- con admitted Mr. Glahn to bail. fixing his bond at $7,000. The bond was promptly made and after nearly three years' confinement the accused man was once more allowed his liberty. At the October term of the Supreme court Judge Black rendered a decision, which was concurred in by all the judges, ex- cept Judge Barclay, reversing the lower court, and sending the case back to Mon- roe county for a new trial. The case was reversed on the ground that Instruc- tion No. 7, asked by the defense, was re- fused. This instruction read as follows : "That although the jury may believe from the evidence in the case that de- fendant made threats or declarations of intentions against deceased, Joseph Hunolt, before his death, yet if upon a full review and consideration of all the evidence in the cause they shall conclude there is no evidence connecting defend- ant with the assault and killing of de- ceased, Joseph Hunolt, other than such threats or declarations, then they will find defendant not guilty." The long pending case was brought up in the Mon- roe county Circuit court again on Mon- day, - -, 1889, and dismissed. This ends one of the darkest chapters in Shelby county's history.
A LEONARD TRAGEDY.
On Sunday, September 1, 1888, a farmer named Andrew Howerton, living in the northwest part of Shelby, near Leonard, shot his wife dead, the ball en- tering the head back of the left ear. He then shot himself through the head, fall- ing near his wife dead. The couple had married in February in the same year.
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Domestic infelicity was assigned as the cause, the couple having separated sev- eral times.
SHELBINA MAYOR DIES SUDDENLY.
On Friday morning of November 10, 1890, the city of Shelbina was shocked to learn they had, during the night, been robbed of their mayor, John D. Jordan. He had been on the street the evening before, apparently as well as ever. About 10 or 11 o'clock his wife noticed something unusual in his breathing and tried to arouse him, but failing in this she summoned a physician. A battery was used and in this manner life was prolonged until 4 o'clock Friday morn- ing. It is thought he took a large dose of laudanum, which caused his death. Ife had held several city offices and made an efficient mayor. He was a Mason and Odd Fellow.
M. LLOYD CHEUVRONT SHOT.
On Friday evening about 9 o'clock of July 22, 1897, three cracks of a pistol in the eastern part of the city, Walnut street, of Shelbina, announced to the people of that vicinity the murder of a citizen of good character, inoffensive and peaceable, Mr. Cheuvront, by Tol Smock. The ladies of the Christian church were holding an ice cream supper in the city park. Mr. Cheuvront, who was very deaf, left his wife at the park while he went ont for a walk. It seems Mrs. Tol Smock, who was fair of face, in company with Miss Nellie Hopper, of Clarence vicinity, who was attending a teachers' institute and boarding with Mrs. Smock, had started home just ahead of Mr. Chenvront and rushed into her home on the south side, near the east end of Wal-
nut, and told her husband how Mr. Cheuvront had followed them home. Mr. Smock grabbed his pistol, rushed out and encountered Mr. Cheuvront just in front of his home, knocked him down and shot three times, the fatal shot taking effect in his bowels. Mr. Cheuvront lin- gered till seven the following morning, during which time he told his wife, two sons and friends about him, how it oc- eurred and made plans for his family's future, remaining conscious to the end. Mr. Smock took change of venue and his case was tried in Macon county, Decem- ber, 1897. J. H. Whitecotton, of Paris, Mo., was leading attorney for the defense and Prosecuting Attorney Cleek had valuable assistance. A good many wit- nesses were sworn on both sides. The state sought to prove that Mr. Cheuvront was a man of unquestionable christian and moral character. The jury hung after a hard fight on both sides, four standing solidly and determinedly for conviction. The trial was taken up again at the Macon Circuit court and all the witnesses re-examined, and the de- fendant found guilty of manslaughter and punishment fixed at six months in jail and a fine of $100. The Macon Times-Demoerat said this among other things concerning the verdict: "The verdiet is an outrage upon this com- munity and it is just such mockery as this that disgusts the people with juries and conrts and causes them to take the law into their own hands and mete out justice."
SUICIDE AT CLARENCE.
On Sunday morning, December 17, 1899, Mrs. George W. Chin. wife of Hon. George W. Chinn. representative
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from Shelby county to the Missouri leg- islature at that time, committed suicide by cutting her throat. The deed was committed while Mr. Chinn was at Sun- day school and life was almost extinct when he reached home. Indieations were that she committed the act standing be- fore a mirror and using a common case knife. Poor health was assigned as the canse.
THE STACY MURDER AND SUICIDE.
Wednesday morning, June 5, 1901, James Stacy killed his wife and their daughter, Alma, and then shot himself.
Mr. Stacy lived a mile west of Clar- ence and had had charge of the pumping station at that location for many years for the railroad. It was supposed he arose early, as usual, proceeded to his work, started a fire in the boiler and then returned to his home and killed the women while they lay sleeping. The deed was committed with a heavy clock weight and each woman received the death blow over the left temple. His young son was in the house at the time, but was taken out of the bed and de- posited on a lounge while asleep. He then went downstairs, got his single-bar- reled shotgun and started out the back door, but just as he opened the door lie met his married daughter and told her what he had done, went back into the house and shot himself.
Those who arrived on the scene of the tragedy say that there was no indication of a struggle. The women were lying as if asleep. It was supposed Mr. Stacy was insane when he committed the rash deed. The funeral and interment took place Thursday afternoon following and the three bodies were interred in one
grave. Over a thousand people were at the cemetery to witness the burial. Mr. Stacy was a Mason in good standing and was buried with Masonie rites.
SUICIDE AT CLARENCE.
On Friday morning, July 21, 1905, at 10 A. M., the city of Clarence was thrown into a stage of excitement when the strange news spread over the city that J. Robert Hord had committed suicide by shooting himself in a chicken house near his home. No one heard the report of the pistol, but his danghter and a neighbor were in chase for a chicken, the daughter following the chicken into the chicken house. . As she threw open the door she discovered the body of her father cold in death, with a wound in his right temple. Mr. Hord, a month pre- vious, had traded about $14,000 worth of property in Clarence for a farm of 160 acres at Farber, Mo., and it was thought he lost heavily on the deal. Be- fore committing the deed he scratched with a nail upon a pine box the following note: "No family trouble. Good-bye to wife and children. My trouble is more than I ean bear. These lies have run me crazy. I am innocent, good-bye. Love and kisses. Meet me in heaven. Bury at Andrew chapel, cheap coffin for body. I want my wife, Mary, adminis- ter without bond. Brother Oddfellows, I leave them in thy care." Mr. Hord had been depressed after the above deal, but he had just returned from Moberly at 11:56 the night previous, had made plans to go to Moberly and seemed in good spirits. He carried $5,000 life in- surance, was a leader in the Presby- terian church and a prominent Odd Fellow.
CHAPTER XIV.
SHELBY COUNTY-CENSUS OF SHELBY COUNTY-CLARENCE-SHELBYVILLE-SHELBINA -HUNNEWELL-THE TEMPLE OF JUSTICE-COURT HOUSE BURNED-THREE CLARENCE FIRES-SHELBY COUNTY CONGRESSMAN .- THE BETHEL COLONY.
SHELBY COUNTY.
Shelby county, Missouri, is beyond controversy one of the most desirable counties in the state in which to live and prosper. We have finely improved farms and farm houses; fine, richly yielding orchards, bearing a great vari- ety of fruits. Fruits of all kinds grow to perfection, of large size and superior flavor. There are vegetable gardens in which grow the greatest variety, quan- tity and quality. We have a good eli- mate, excellent, pure water, thus adding to the healthfulness of its people. Rivers, creeks and running springs are numerous. Our county carries no bonds or interest bearing indebtedness to swell our taxes. Our population is over four- teen thousand. We have good sehools. We own 323,000 beautiful broad acres of the most rielily yielding soil on earth. Our prairies are gently rolling and adapted to all kinds of grain, the soil rich and productive, yielding in rich re- turns of wheat, corn, oats, rye, blue grass, clover and timothy. Our timber abounds in maple, oak, walnut, hickory, elm and ash. We surpass all other coun- ties in points of excellences. In sum- mary, our location, our fertile soil, our climate and healthfulness, our schools and social advantages, all the prerequi-
sites to be considered in choosing a home land, are to be found in good old Shelby. We grow the tallest corn, the biggest pumpkins, the reddest apples, the most verdant blue grass, the finest cattle, hogs, sheep; while here flourish the pret- tiest girls, the handsomest men, and a par excellent and most intelligent, most law-abiding people to be found in exist- enee. We support no saloon and thus boycott all that class of humanity. We cre wide-awake, peace-loving, progres- sive people, and welcome to our midst all congenial, law-abiding people.
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