USA > Missouri > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Missouri > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
I20
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
and bloodshed if Blair spoke in denunciation of the Radicals at War- rensburg.
Blair arrived on the day advertised. A delegation of the more peace-loving citizens visited him at the old Ming Hotel, and informed him that if he attempted to speak they feared that there would be bloodshed. He answered that he would talk "if they will let me live."
At the place of meeting he was met by an enthusiastic audience, but among them were fifty or more of the opposition crowd, all armed, who expected to make trouble. This gang had had as their leader "Old Bill Stevens," a giant in stature and reputed to be a dangerous man. Blair in his typical forceful manner plunged into the arraignment of the Radical rule in Missouri.
He had not gone far when "Old Bill Stevens" arose and called him a liar. Amid confusion Stevens was ejected. He came back, again called Blair a liar and was again put out. Meanwhile his son. Jim Stev- ens, had been knifed to death and another man nearly so, and with his dead son, followed by his gang, withdrew. General Blair continued and finished his speech at six o'clock, after having talked between four and five hours.
On February 2, 1867, David Sweitzer, a respected farmer who lived about eight miles north of Warrensburg, was murdered and robbed in his home among his family and friends by two men who thongh par- tially disguised were easily recognized. This act seemed to have been the final one necessary to arouse the community. The news of the murder reached town early the next morning. That day a meeting was held at the court house, at which about four hundred of the leading citizens were present. They proceeded in a cool, dignified, parlia- mentary manner. Colonel Isaminger was elected temporary chairman and N. B. Klaine acted as secretary of the meeting.
Professor Bigger addressed the meeting and among other things said, "It is our duty to ferret out the murderers of our peaceable citi- zen who has so lately been killed, and bring them to justice. * * I am opposed to summary vengeance, but when law can not be enforced and the violators brought to justice, it is necessary for the people to take the matter in hand. The right of the people to take care of them- selves if the law does not is an indisputable right. We must unite and put down lawlessness."
I21
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
The meeting was then addressed by Rev. J. W. Newcomb, who said in part: "The meeting has my hearty approval. The sentiments expressed by Mr. Bigger are my own. 'He that draweth the sword shall perish by the sword,' and as exemplified by this case, men who disregard law and order, have to be met on their own grounds. It is the duty of the people to protect one another and ferret out the offenders." Colonel Eads, General Shedd, J. M. Shepherd, General Cockrell and Colonel Elliott, men of all parties and views. also spoke and all endorsed the meeting.
Major Davis, Colonel Eads, Captain Harmon and Colonel Elliott were appointed a committee and reported the following resolutions, which were adopted by unanimous vote, every one present rising to his feet in approval :
"Whereas, in the opinion of the community, crime of all kinds has become so prevalent and criminals of the worst type so numerous that life and property are unsafe, and
"Whereas, the courts of the county have failed to bring the perpe- trators of the murders and robberies to justice, and
"Whereas, the greatest of crimes are becoming more and more fre- quent and punishment less and less certain, therefore
Resolved, that we, the people of the town of Warrensburg, and of the county of Johnson, without distinction of party, do pledge our- selves that we will, to the extent of our ability, assist in the discovery of the perpetrators of all murders and robberies, and will assist the officers of justice in detecting and punishing them; and as the civil law proves inadequate to bring such criminals to justice, therefore
"Resolved, that we will support a vigilance committee in executing summarily, all murderers, robbers, horse-thieves, wherever they can be identified with certainty, believing, as we do, that self-preservation is the first law of nature, and that the citizens of a county are justified in administering justice to such criminal, wherever the duly constituted authorities from any cause whatever, are unable or fail to do so."
The vigilance committee began at the top and the first desperado whom they dealt with was the notorious "Dick" Sanders, the recognized leader of the band that murdered Sweitzer. A posse of about one hun- dred men went to Fayetteville one night, where they were joined by a committee from that town and a delegation went to the Sanders house. After a short parley "Dick" Sanders and his brother, Brackett
122
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Sanders, surrendered. Another detachment of the posse of vigilantes captured another desperado near Fayetteville that same night. The three outlaws were taken to a place in the woods about a mile north of the Sanders home on Honey creek.
Here the main body of the vigilance committee were awaiting the arrival of the prisoners. It was about midnight. The committee elected a judge and proceeded in a systematic way to confront the prisoner with the accusations against him.
"Dick" Sanders was brought forward, taking a position in front of the judge who addressed him as follows: "Richard Sanders, you are charged with one of the most infamous crimes known to law, not one but many. You are charged with murder and to make it still more infamous on your part and more horrible to a fine community I will add assassination."
Sanders interrupted the judge, saying "It's a d- lie."
The judge, without noticing the interruption, continued: "You are charged with horse stealing; you are charged with murder and robbery, in the broadest sense of the word; you are charged with being at the head of a band of murderers and marauders who have for years made Johnson county the scene of death and destruction. And to crown your long reign of infamy I charge you with being the murderer of David Sweitzer. You have again spilled blood without any just provocation. The man whom you assassinated came to you in confidence not suspecting your murderous intentions. He asked you what you wanted. You said 'your money and your life,' and you shot him dead."
"This was the story of Mrs. Groninger," said a man in the crowd.
Sanders said that it was false and that Mrs. Groninger lied.
"Mrs. Groninger didn't lie," said the judge coldly, "for the crimes you have committed you must die. If we turn you over to the civil authorities you will escape or by some of your comrades in infamy prove an alibi and be turned loose again upon society. If perchance you were tried, found guilty and sentenced to death by a civil court there would be a chance for you to escape justice or you would stand on the scaffold if found guilty and jest with the hangman, or I fear profane the name of God with your dying breath. This must not be.
"You must die in secret, tonight, now. It will save your mother the shame of a son dying on the scaffold and she can say, 'He was murdered, killed by a mob.' You are not the only one.
123
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
"Many of your companions will follow and that soon. This last outrage is more than we can bear. Your crimes demand an extraordi- nary reparation. You have broken in the houses with arms in your hands ; you have committed another murder. You must die here.
"I now sentence you to hang by the neck until dead."
The prisoner seemed stupefied and did not utter a word. He was placed upon a horse with the noose adjusted about his neck and the rope tied to a limb above. The judge again asked Sanders who killed Sweitzer and he replied, "I don't know. I think Morg Andrews." Some one in the crowd said, "Oh, hell, Dick! Drive up the mule." The horse was driven from the prisoner and "Dick" Sanders swung into eternity. His brother and the other captive were released and the committee quietly dispersed.
The outlaws met at the home of "Bill" Stevens the following night as near as can be ascertained and decided to lie low and cease operations for the time being. The Stevens home was about five miles southeast of Warrensburg. Stevens was the logical successor of the fallen chief, "Dick" Sanders, and was now the recognized leader of the gang. He was known as a "bad man" and always went heavily armed.
The next important work for the committee was to get "Bill" Stevens. They proposed to take no chances in a conflict with him and planned to kill him outright.
Accordingly, about twenty men surrounded the Stevens house one night, each armed with a revolver and a double-barreled shotgun loaded with buckshot. They secreted themselves outside the house and there, quietly awaited dawn, and the appearance of Stevens.
About daylight Stevens appeared unsuspectingly at the door in his shirt sleeves. The committee fired and Stevens fell riddled with buck- shot. He was taken into his house by members of his family and died about twelve o'clock that day.
This work of the vigilance committee had now so terrified the other members of the gang that they left the country with the exception of a few of the more daring ones. With these the committee went on with its work.
The next man taken was "Jeff" Collins, who made his headquarters in Warrensburg.
Some members of the committee became convinced that Collins was about to leave the country. Late in the afternoon Collins went to
124
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
the house on Ming or South street, where he temporarily made his home, and shortly afterward about fifteen or twenty men secreted them- selves around the house awaiting the exit of Collins. In a short time Collins stepped outside and discovered about twenty double-barreled shotguns leveled at his breast. The commander of the party said, "Jeff Collins, we want you. Surrender !"
Collins was no coward, but he saw no escape. He raised his hands and said, "I surrender."
The captain commanded: "Drop your pistols."
Collins made a motion as though he were going to draw them from the scabbard when the captain commanded him: "Stop. Unbuckle your belt and drop them." Collins did as directed. The pistols dropped to the ground and the prisoner stood unarmed.
That night the committee met in a livery stable that stood in the rear of the old Ming Hotel. Here they organized a court at about nine o'clock. The judge was seated on a stool in a stall and the jury stood in a line across the floor of the livery stable. "Jeff" Collins, with his arms tightly bound behind him, was brought before this court for trial. The prisoner was cool and defiant. There appeared to be no positive proof of his ever having committed a murder, but circumstances and his general reputation were all against him. The accusation of the judge was similar to that brought against Sanders with the excep- tion of the Sweitzer murder.
At the conclusion Collins simply replied, "Well."
The judge then continued, "You are charged with being a member of a band of robbers that have for so long infested this country." Col- lins' only reply was, "Well."
The judge continued, "What have you to say in defense of these charges ?"
"Nothing."
"Are you guilty as charged?"
"You are the judge, not I."
"Then you have no defense to make."
"No, it would be of no use. Your court sits to convict, not to try."
"Confess your crimes and it may not go hard with you."
"I confess nothing."
The judge then addressed the jury: "Gentlemen, what shall be done with the prisoner ?"
The jury replied unanimously, "Hang him."
.
125
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
The court then said: "Jeff Collins, I sentence you to be hanged by the neck until dead."
The party then started with the prisoner, leading him with a rope, out East Culton street to McGuire, then south along the railroad bridge to a black jack tree, where Collins was hanged.
Before the final word was given the judge asked him if he had any- thing to say. His answer was, "Yes ; tell my mother that I died a brave but innocent boy."
The next two individuals to fall into the hands of the committee were Thomas Stevens, son of "Bill" Stevens, and Morg Andrews. The authorities of Johnson county were informed that these two men were in jail at Lawrence. Kansas, and sent for them. They were delivered to the officers, the governor of Kansas having honored requisition papers of the governor of Missouri. The prisoners were both young men, about eighteen years of age.
The train, in charge of the officers, which brought the prisoners to Warrensburg was met at the depot by probably four hundred men, most of whom were from the vicinity of Fayetteville. After the officers had taken their prisoners from the train they started for the county jail by a circuitous route as they anticipated trouble. They had not gone far, however, when they were confronted by about fifty armed men. who overpowered the officers and took charge of the prisoners.
The committee then assembled on the north and east sides of the public square. The prisoners were placed in a carriage or hack, the committee formed in line and the procession moved in the direction of Post Oak bridge out Gay street. In the vicinity of the bridge was a large elm tree, one limb of which extended across the road about thirty feet above. Two ropes were suspended from this limb, and hung down to within about six feet of the ground.
The hack containing the prisoners was driven under these ropes. Andrews begged for mercy and his life. Stevens gazed coolly and unflinchingly at his surroundings.
A man stepped from the crowd and preferred charges against the prisoners. He said, "You were with the party that killed and robbed Sweitzer; your comrades are disappearing one by one. You go tonight : your last hour has come. Prepare for death. If you have a prayer to offer to your God, pray."
Stevens stood erect and answered in a firm but boyish voice, saying : "I have never in all my life spilled a drop of human blood. The charge
126
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
of my killing Sweitzer is false. I know that you are going to kill me and there is no use in my wasting your time in talking." He then quietly drew a small purse from his pocket which contained a few pieces of money and a few trinkets and asked: "Is there one man in this crowd who will do me the kindness to deliver this to my young sister. It is small but all I have." A man stepped forward and took it and promised to deliver it. "Tell her," said Stevens, "to accept this from her brother who dies an innocent boy. You will find her in the city."
The rope was then adjusted about his neck and the driver ordered to drive forward, but Stevens anticipating this, sprang from where he stood, the force of the jump caused his neck to be broken. He died instantly.
Andrews' nerve failed him and he begged for mercy. But the noose was adjusted, the command given to the driver to move forward, and soon the lifeless body of Andrews also swung over the highway.
The next operation of the committee was the hanging of a man named Hall. This was done by the Fayetteville committee. Details are lacking in this case, but it appears that Hall was arrested and con- fessed to the killing of several men and the Fayetteville vigilance committee did the rest.
The committee was next heard from in the case of Thomas W. Little at Warrensburg. The charge against him was that someone had been robbed near Post Oak bridge. Little was tried by the committee and acquitted, there being no evidence against him. However, it appears that he was held in jail.
A few nights afterward, the committee tried him again in a billiard hall in Old Town. Several prominent men from Dover were present and established a complete alibi for the prisoner. The committee voted as to whether they should hang the accused or not and the vote stood three hundred forty-four for acquittal and twenty-eight for conviction.
Notwithstanding the second acquittal of Little, about twenty men battered down the jail door that night, took Little out and hanged him to an elm tree on Main street.
This hanging was denounced by the men who had been identified with the earlier activities of the vigilance committee and it was well established that the regular committee had nothing to do with it.
A short time after the hanging of Little, James M. Sims, an irre- sponsible youth, was accused of stealing a horse from a boy near Post
127
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Oak bridge. Sims was captured southeast of Clinton on the Grand river. The officers having the prisoner in charge anticipated trouble and tried to get their prisoner safely into Warrensburg, but were met at Smith's Mill on the west side of town by about fifty armed men. The prisoner was taken from the officers and hanged from a tree in that vicinity. Sims was the ninth and last man executed ..
CHAPTER IX .- PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PROGRESSIVE SPIRIT OF JOHNSON COUNTY-EARLY SCHOOLS-EARLY STUDIES AND METHODS OF TEACHING-PRESENT STUDIES AND METHODS-RESULTS OF EARLY AND PRESENT EDUCATION-SPECIAL HIGH SCHOOLS-RURAL HIGH SCHOOLS - THE ELM HIGH SCHOOL - FARMERS' (FAYETTEVILLE) HIGH SCHOOL-THE FIRST SCHOOL BOARD OF FAYETTEVILLE- THE JOHN- SON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF TODAY.
The story of the beginning, struggles and achievements of the public schools of Johnson county, is not unlike that of the average progressive community of the West. While the educational system of this county at times has met with discouraging conditions, the spirit of the people of Johnson county has been for better schools since the organization of the county, and they have gone on and improved when- ever possible.
The spirit of the people was best shown nearly fifty years ago when they came forward and voted bonds to the extent of $173.000 to secure the Normal School. This was in 1871, only seven years after the close of the Civil War, and the county was still suffering from the wreck of those four years. That amount of indebtedness meant many times more than it would now.
Early Schools .- For a number of years after the first settlement of this county was made, there was no such a thing as a public school maintained by public taxation. However, as the country was settled, the pioneers provided schools by what was known as the "Subscrip- tion School" system. The plan was to employ a teacher and each family who lived within a reasonable distance to pay a certain amount for each member of the family who attended school. The early teachers were generally men, or as they were known in those days, "school masters." There was no fixed standard as to their qualifications other than an ambition to teach school. But among these early teachers of Johnson county were many very well-qualified men. college graduates and those who were otherwise well educated.
At first there were no distinct buildings for school purposes, and the first "subscription schools" were held at the residence or log cabin
129
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
of some pioneer. It was not long, however, until the log school house began to make its appearance. In architectural design these primitive temples of knowledge did not differ materially from the average pioneer cabin of those days. They were usually built of hewn logs, with a fire-place at one end. with puncheon floors and usually a portion of one of the logs on the side of the building sawed out to admit light. There was no such a thing as a blackboard, and the benches were made of split logs, supported by wooden legs, driven into auger holes. We still have with us a number of Johnson county pioneers who attended school in the old log school houses.
The following is a verbatim copy of an early Missouri teacher's contract and school rules made in 1836. (It was not in Johnson county, but conditions here were the same.) See "Warrensburg Standard- Herald," February 9, 1917.
"The said Noland doth agree upon his part to teach a common school in a school house in the neighborhood of John H. Stone's. Branches taught: spelling, reading, writing and arithmetic. The term proposed to be taught is three months, or one quarter, containing sixty- five days, five days in a week. The hours of school for commencing. at an hour by sun in the morning : dismiss at an hour by sun in the even- ing, and allow a reasonable time at the middle of each day for recreation.
"Said Noland binds himself to keep good order in school to the best of his power and ability. If it should be the desire of the sub- scribers that the school be under the inspection of trustees, the teacher has no objection on his part. The trustees are to be three disinterested men, two chosen by employees and one by the teacher.
"The subscribers on their part bind themselves by these presents
. to pay said Nolan two dollars per scholar per quarter at end of said quarter, which may be discharged in corn, pork, oats or beans, to be delivered at said Nolan's house that is to say, if paid in corn, on or before the first of November next: or if the pork, on or before the first day of December next. Both articles will be received at the market price. The subscribers doth also bind themselves to furnish their schol- ars with necessary books and paper and to keep school house in good repair during said term. The school shall not consist of less than eighteen nor more than twenty-five scholars, and to commence the sixth day of June, 1836. In testimony whereof we have here set our hands this 31st day of May. 1836."
(5)
130
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
SCHOOL RULES.
"The ones that come first in the morning say first. No scholar will be allowed to swear or make use of any profane language.
"There will not be allowed any singing, wrestling, quarreling or fighting among any of the scholars.
"No scholar will be allowed to tag, nickname, or make fun of the clothing of any other scholar.
"When any person not belonging to the school comes into the school house. the scholars will rise from their seats and make a gentle bow.
"Large scholars will be allowed no more privileges than small ones.
"The boys and girls will not be allowed to play together.
"The scholars will not be allowed to cut or grease the benches.
"There shall but one go out at a time without permission. No scholar will be allowed to go out more than twice before and twice after play-time, without permission.
"M. D. Nolan."
The following are literal copies, first of a receipt by Catherine I. Baker, teacher of Murray school. in Johnson county, in 1848, for her salary of $42; and, second, of a report made by Alfred Hocker. teacher of the same school, made in 1849. The originals of these papers, together with many other interesting early papers, now belong to Mr. Thomas Porter Murray, a relative of Uriel Murray, one of the first county judges, and for whom the school was named. They show the small amount of money paid the teachers, its source both in public and private funds, as well as the simplicity of the whole transactions :
"Received of Uriel Murray one of the trustees of Murray district, township 46, range 27, forty-two dollars in full for teaching a district school, this 7th August, 1848. Catherine I. Baker."
"An account of a school taught by Alfred Hocker, qualified as the law directs in Murray destrict No. 1. township No. 46, range No. 47. in the county of Johnson, state of Missouri, in the year 1849, for the term of six months (viz) :
AAmount of public money received $ 53.60 Number of children taught who reside in said destrict ( was) __ 32
Whole number of children taught at said school ( was) 35
At $5.00 per scholar, amounting to $175.00
131
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY
By public funds
53.60
Pd. by private funds $121.40
The Branches Taught was English Grammar, Natural Philosophy, As- tronomy, Arithmetic. Orthography, Reading & Writing. Book used was Smith & Murrays Grammar, Comstocks Philosophy, Smith Smiley Ray & Fowlers Arithmetics, Websters spellers, McGuffeys Readers, &c.
"18th Sept., 1849. Alfred Hocker, Teacher."
In time the old log school house was succeeded by the more con- venient and commodious frame buildings, and the subscription school became a thing of the past. However, the public schools of Johnson county were not out of the struggling stage when the great Civil War came on and paralyzed the public school system of the state. Many schools in this county were suspended and a number of school houses in the county were burned by invaders and irresponsible marauders.
Upon the return of peace in 1865, attention was again turned to the building up and the betterment of the schools and of education in general. School houses were rebuilt, where they had been destroyed. New school districts have been created and high schools established in the principal towns of the county.
Early Studies and Methods of Teaching .- The course of study in the first elementary schools varied largely with what the teacher was able to teach, but in general it was about as follows:
Spelling : from a "Speller," studies for several years.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.