USA > Missouri > McDonald County > Illustrated history of McDonald County, Missouri: from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 6
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In the course of time it was demonstrated to the satisfaction of most of the people of the town that the raid had been made by Bill Doolin and his gang. One of them died of a wound received in this robbery, five were afterwards killed, and the other one is now serving a term
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in the penitentiary for some crime of a similar kind.
TWIN SPRINGS.
IN the year 1880-1 there was quite a mania for Medical Springs towns over the Southwest and McDonald county came in for its share. In September 1881 J. P. Madden had a town platted on Lot 2 of the northwest quarter of section 19, township 22, range 32. Quite a number of peo- ple settled there and a promising little village was started. The water is very fine and the principal spring flows in a large stream from the side of the hill in quantities sufficient to sup- ply a large town. But water, alone, will not support a town and after an unsuccessful strug- gle of several years the last business enterprise was abandonded.
At the June term of the county court, 1895, the owner of the land by J. A. Sturges, his attorney, appeared and procured an order vacating the public square, park, streets and alleys of the town and thus Medical Twin Springs was no more.
WHITE ROCK SULPHUR SPRINGS.
THIS little village derives its name from a large White Sulphur spring which furnishes an abundance of fine water which contains healing properties.
It was laid out in 1882 and at present contains
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three or four business houses all of which enjoy a fair trade. It is rather a pretty place and is surrounded by the most picturesque scenery to be found in the county.
BETHPAGE.
THIS is the name of a country store and post office in Elk Horn township that was established some time after the war. For the past several years W. W. Chase and Woolard Brothers have kept stores here.
A few years ago a small mill was in operation but it was afterwards converted into a distillery, which is in operation at the present time.
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CHAPTER VII.
CRIMINAL SKETCHES.
THE CHENOWETH MURDER.
ON the night of September 12, 1883, Dr. A. W. Chenoweth was shot from ambush just at the brow of the hill on the Neosho road at the north edge of Pineville. The doctor lived about a quarter of a mile from town, and some time after dark got in his buggy and started home. When he reached the point above stated two reports from a shotgun in quick succession rang out on the night air and the doctor fell from his buggy, riddled with buckshot. The team went on home and stopped at the barn.
This, with the reports of the gun, alarmed the family, and his son, Curtie, ran down the road to see what had occured. Coming upon the dead body of his father in the road he uttered a scream of terror and grief that was heard throughout the little town, and soon the entire population had gathered at the scene of the tragedy. Intense excitement prevailed. One of the most useful, prominent and beloved mem-
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bers of the community had fallen a victim to the cowardly assassin, and the threats and impre- cations of a justly indignant people were ming- led with the cries of grief from the terrified and almost heart broken wife and children.
The doctor, for years, had been a leading ad- vocate of temperance and a bitter opponent to the illicit traffic in liquor. His antagonism to blind tigers and saloons had incurred the ill will of some of its advocates. This feeling was, also, very likely indulged in by a few of his political and personal enemies. Garland A. Mann for several years had been his open and avowed enemy, and had time and again threatened his life. Mann had kept a saloon in Pineville at different times and had probably sold liquor without license. It was through transactions connected with the saloon and liquor business that the enmity between the two men was first engendered. Besides, Chenoweth was a member of the Pension Board of Examiners and Mann was an applicant for a pension. £ He claimed that the doctor used his influence to defeat his claim. As time passed on the animosity grew stronger. Mann brooded over his ills, whether real or supposed, until he imagined every trans- action of his life that turned out adverse was caused by the connivance of his enemy. This state of mind had so wrought upon Mann, and
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his threats had became so frequent and bitter that the doctor's friends often warned him of his danger, and when the crime was perpetrated suspicion at once rested on Mann and he was arrested the next day.
The trial which ensued was the most noted that has ever originated in this county. A change of venue was granted to Newton county. The defendant owned a farm on the river, besides some other property which he gave to his law- yers for his defense. Eminent legal talent was employed on both sides. Each side had friends of influence and the fight was long and bitter. One party was fighting for the life of the defend- ant, the other contending that the vengeance of the law might beinvoked on the murder of their friend. He was first tried in April, 1884, the trial lasting until May 5, when the jury, unable to agree, was discharged. He was again tried in August, convicted of murder in the first de- gree and sentenced to be hung. The case was reversed in the supreme court and remanded for re-trial. The trial was again begun in May, 1885. This resulted in a mistrial the jury being unable to agree. The fourth trial was begun August 3, 1885 but on Aug. 6, Mann was killed in jail by a mob, and thus the noted and expen- sive trial was terminated. About 1. o'clock that night a mob, variously estimated at from 100 to
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150 men surrounded the jail at Neosho where Mann was confined. A deputation of ten or twelve went in and demanded the keys of Sam Cotter, one of the guards, and then of Johnson. They denied having the keys. The door of the jail was then burst in and the door of the cell battered down. Mann was of course unarmed, but it is said that he fought like a savage beast at bay. But the avengers of his victim's blood were at hand and a few pistol shots were fired, then two discharges from a shot gun and the last act in the great tragedy was over. On ex- amination, the doctors found six wounds any one of which would have been fatal.
As to the guilt of Mann, we have never heard even his friends express a doubt. One of the attorneys in the case told the writer that one time Mann prepared a confession of the crime, but it was destroyed by one of his attorneys, who insisted that an acquittal would eventually be secured. No one was ever arrested for the killing of Mann, although an effort was made to discover the parties who constituted the possee. This protracted trial cost over $10,000, and bad blood was engendered which lasted for several years, though no serious trouble ever grew out of it.
In October, 1884. A. M. Dillin, of Pineville was arrested as an accessory to the killing of
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Chenoweth, but was tried and acquitted by a jury of his own county, there being no substantial evidence against him.
THE JIM WISDOM CASE.
ONE nightin December, 1883 there was a dance at a house on the river a few miles above Sara- toga. Among others in attendance were James M. Wisdom, then post master at Saratoga, and William Judy, a young man less than twenty years of age. Wisdom was also deputy Sheriff, and claimed he went to the dance for the pur- pose of arresting a couple of parties for whom
he had a warrant. The evidence adduced at the trial of Wisdom proved that when the dance broke up Wisdom flourished his pistol, abused Judy and swore he would kill him. He wanted to ride on Judy's horse, and the boy insisted on Wisdom taking the horse while he would walk. Wisdom, however, compelled the boy to get on and ride up to a stump and let him get on be- hind all the time flourishing his pistol and swear- ing he would kill him. The two rode off in front of the rest of the party Wisdom hold of the bri- dle reins and still cursing and using his threats. When they reached the forks of the road where the Saratoga road turns up the hill a short distance below where A. J. Avery now lives,
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the other following on down the river bottom, Wisdom rode a few yards down the river bottom road, shot Judy through the body, threw him off the horse, then turned across to the Saratoga road and went home on the poor boy's horse. Parties who were behind on foot came up a few moments later and found the body lying dead by the road side. Wisdom who was undoubtedly drunk claimed the next morning that he knew nothing about it.
These were squally times in McDonald county. Austin had killed Hearrell in January 1882. At the February term of court Madison Evans was acqitted of the murder of Sherill Brooks, whom many of the neighbors say he had called out one morning and shot down in cold blood. The following September Dr. A. W. Chenoweth was shot from ambush while returning to his home near Pineville. These crimes and the acquittal of so many defendants exasperated the people and they determined to take the law in their own hands. Wisdom, Garland A. Mann, and other prisoners, who were kept in the Carthage jail, when brought to Pineville for trial had to be heavily guarded, and on different nights were secretely taken out in the woods and concealed until morning. The prisoners and their guards endured much inconvenience and suffering from the cold and exposure, but at that time avoided
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mob violence.
Wisdom was tried at the April term 1884 of our circuit court, and found guilty of murder in the first degree. The judgment was affirmed on appeal to the supreme court, but the gov- ernor of the state commuted his sentence to a life term in the state pennitentiary. During his confinement he was sick nearly all of the time, and after a few years he was pardoned and sent home to die with his family and friends, the prison physicians giving an opinion that he was in the last stages of consumption and could live but a few weeks. He, however, soon regained his health and at last reports was still alive and prosperous.
THE HEARRELL MURDER.
ABOUT sundown, January 20, 1882, B. F. Aus- tin shot and killed E. J. Hearrell, at the resi- dence of W. C. Price on Buffalo creek. There had been some dealings, also some trouble be- tween the parties previous to the killing, but nothing of so serious a nature was apprehended.
The Price residence consisted of a double log house with a porch between the two rooms. Price with his family at that time occupied the east room while Austin, his son-in-law, lived in the west room, the house however, stands
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diagonally fronting southeast. Austin kept a blacksmith shop some sixty yards north of the house.
On the afternoon of the killing, the writer was at the shop and Austin stated to him thathe ex- pected Hearrell to sue him on an account and in case he did so wanted his services as attorney to defend the case. About one hour after this conversation took place the killing occurred. Herrall came to the shop and a dispute arose concerning the account. W. C. Price, Jr., then a little boy, was the only one present. He states that Hearrell threatened Austin's life, unless the balance he claimed was paid. The three got over the fence together, a high, staked and rid- ered rail fence, between the lot and house yard, and started towards the house. Old Mr. Price was sitting in his room with his back towards the porch door when his son, little Billie bolted in and in a very excited manner exclaimed "Pa, come quick, Mr. Hearrell is going to kill Ben," The old gentleman replied, "Why, Ireckon not" and started to rise from his chair. Just then a shot was fired, and when Mr. Price reached the door Hearrell was in the act of falling. Austin being yonng and active, had run from where they crossed the fence to the house, sixty yards, some distance in advance of Hearrell who was getting old, On reaching the house Austin ran
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into his room, caught down hisrifle and, taking rest on the side of the door, fired the fatal shot. The bullet entered the neck just above the collar bone and severed the main artery. The distance between the two at the time the shot was fired was about thirty feet. Deceased was a large, powerful man and would no doubt have severely beaten Austin, had he overtaken him, but he was wholly unarmed.
The case created great excitement in that vicinity and Austin was severely condemned by the public. But at the following August term of court he was acquitted on the grounds of self defence.
Several years later, 1894, Austin was shot and killed in the Indian Territory, by an Indian named Tom Crawford. Crawford was convicted of manslaughter in the United States court at Fort Scott, Kansas, and served a short term in the penitentiary.
THE MURDER OF LULA NOEL.
ONE of the most appaling crimes ever com- mitted in McDonald county was the murder of Mary LulaNoel daughter of W. H. and S. E. Noel on the 10 day of December, 1892. She was young, extremely handsome and her lady like manners made her a favorite with all who knew her. On
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the Wednesday preceding, William Simmons, a young man who lived at Joplin, came down to visit her. She was staying with her sister, Mrs. Sydney Holly, who then lived on the old Mann farm. He remained there until Saturday. On Friday evening arrangements were made to the effect that next morning Holly's folks were to go over to W. H. Noel's and the two families were to go together to the town of Noel. Holly and his wife were to visit over nightat the home of a relative on Mill creek. Simmons was asked to go with them but declined, saying he would walk over to Lanagan and take the freight train to Joplin. Miss Noel said she would remain with Will (Simmons) until he went away and then go across the river to her father's if the water was not too high, otherwise she would remain on that side with some of the relatives who were quite numerous. Theriver was then past fording for vehicles, but was being crossed on horse back. About 8 o'clock in the morning Holly and his wife started away leaving Sim- mons and Miss Noel together at their house. This was the last ever seen of her alive. In- stead of returning home on Sunday, Holly and his wife remained at her father's the next few days. Lula had not come home, but no great uneasiness was felt as she was supposed to be at some of the relatives across the river. On
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Monday and Tuesday inquiry was made when it was ascertained she was not in the neighbor- hood. A letter was at once dispatched to an uncle at Webb City, with whom she made her home part of the time, and it was thought prob- able she had gone there. When the answer came back that she was not there, the anxiety of her parents and family that had been growing deeper all of the time suddenly increased to a frenzy of excitement. Their beautiful daughter and sister was gone, lost; no one knew where, and only those who have experienced the feeling can realize the agony which clung to them day and night.
Her father and Mr. Holly went to Joplin on Friday to see what tidings they could gain. At the trial Holly swore that he saw Simmons and said to him "Will, your girl's gone." Sim- mons trembled violently a few seconds and re- plied. "Is that so?" He asked no questions concerning her and appeared to be desirous of avoiding the conversation. When asked if she came away with him, he replied that she did not. They stood in silence a few moments when Simmons remarked, "You don't suppose the fool girl jumped in the river and drowed herself, do you?" They returned home that night and the next day, Saturday December 17, just one week from the day she was last seen, a systematic
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search was begun. The whole country was arroused and hundreds of people joined to aid in finding the body, for it was now the universal opinion that she had been killed. The hills from the Holly house towards Lanagan were gone through for a while in the early morning then the crowd repaired to the river. The deep holes were dragged, giant powder exploded and every spot examined for some distance up and down the stream. Finally about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, in a narrow, swift place in the river at the lower end of a large, deep hole of water, the body was found where some of the clothing had caught in a willow that projected into the water. It was but little more than a quarter of a mile below her father's house and within a few feet of the road along which her parents had passed that fatal Saturday after- noon unconscious of the great tragedy that had been enacted. On examination afterwards con clusive evidences of a violent death were found. A bruise on one temple, one spot on one cheek and three or four on the other, as though a hand had been placed over her mouth to stiffle her screams, finger prints on the throat, were all plainly visible. Besides a bruise the size of the palm of one's hand on the back of the head and her neck broken. The lungs were perfectly dry and all evidences of drowning were absent.
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The evidence was wholly circumstantial put poin- ted very strongly to the guiltofthe defendant.
There were tracks of a man and woman cor- responding in size and shape with Simmons and Miss Noel's found leading from the Holly house across the field to near the river bank at the upper end of the big hole of water above men- tioned. At the lower end was a ford, and it is the supposition that the two walked down to the river, she intending to wait at the ford and call to her parents as they passed on their way home to take out a horse from the wagon and assist her across.
The finding of her body naturally increased the excitement. A warrant was at once issued for Simmons and he was apprehended in Joplin just as he was preparing toleave. Had he been brought to Pineville at that time it is likely he would have been summarily dealt with, but he waived examination and remained in the jail at Neosho. At the February term of our court 1893 an indictment was returned against him for murder in the first degree. A change of venue was granted to Newton county and the case tried at the following May term. Some seventy wit- nesses were examined and the case was hotly contested by both sides. The jury were unable to agree and were finally discharged. The trial again came on at the following November term.
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At this trial the attorneys for the state took the position that there was a probability or, at least, a possibility that the killing was done on a sud- den impulse and without deliberation and asked for and was granted an instruction for murder in the second degree as well as in the first degree. The jury returned a verdict for murder in the second degree and assessed the punishment at ten years in the penitentiary. Thus ended an- other of the most noted criminal cases ever on the docket in our county.
CANADA BILL.
DURING the summer and fall of 1886, a half- breed Indian from Canada, called "Canada Bill," had been employed by various parties in the Roark neighborhood. He appeared to be a man of vicious habits and of rather inferior mental faculties.
One afternoon in December, 1886, Mrs. Robert Roark, who lived in the Roark valley near the Newton county line, was left alone with her little children. Bill happened to pass by and finding her alone made indecent proposals which was followed by an assault. A desperate strug- gle ensued. The fight begun in the house and terminated in the road outside the yard some twenty or thirty yards away. During the fight
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her little boy some three or four years old, threw an ear of corn and hit his mother's assailant. Perhaps, frightened by her screams for help, or believing assistance was at hand, he suddenly abandoned the assault and fled. Mrs. Roark was bruised in several places where he had struck her and her clothing was badly torn, but she was not seriously injured. She immediately fled to the nearest neighbors and gave the alarm. A possee was soon in pursuit and in a few hours her assailant was captured in the Indian Territo-
ry The Indian policeman arrested him and de- livered him to the possee to be brought back to this county for trial. He was taken to the house of P. P. Rinehart to be guarded through the night. Not long after dark a mob surrounded the house and demanded the prisoner. Mr. Rine- hart went out and requested them to go away, which they apparently consented to do. Short- ly afterwards the prisoner, with several guards, was started off to Pineville. They went on foot across the fields and through the woods. When they reached the foot of the big hill on the Seneca road near Buffalo creek, they halted and . built up a fire to keep warm while one of the Lager boys went home to get a team and wagon. After waiting here for some time they started on, and had gone but a short distance when they were suddenly surrounded by a mob which at
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once took charge of the prisoner. In the mean time, Canada Bill seemed to be aware of the fate that probably awaited him. He had talked over his crime freely and acknowledged his guilt. He signified a desire to plead guilty and said he thought he ought to be sent to the penitentiary, but he did not think he deserved to be lynched. He was taken on down the road to where a clump of eight or ten large trees stood near Sam Owen's field, and hung to the limb of a black oak. In his last moments Canada Bill proved himself worthy of the stoical race to which he belonged. Seeing that his captors were devoid of mercy and protests were in vain, he resigned himself to his doom and met death in a spirit worthy of any hero. The guards who were permitted to witness his execution said that when the rope was placed around his neck and thrown over the limb that he never uttered a groan or moved a muscle, but was drawn up like a log of wood and died as quietly as though he had lain down to a peaceful sleep. He had been guilty of a grevous offense, but grevously did he answer for it. After the inquest the nextday the body was placed in a rude coffin and buried near the top of the hill.
A year from the following summer a small cy- clone dipped down and tore up the entire grove including the tree to which he was hung.
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THE MOORE MURDER.
ON Wednesday night, July 19, 1894, C. L. Moore and his wife, Mary A. Moore, were mur- dered in cold blood at their residence near Tiff City. The following account taken from the McDonald County Republican of July 27, 1894, is substantially correct:
"The greatest crime that was ever perpetrated in time of peace in McDonald county was com- mitted last Wednesday night by the murder of C. L. Moore and his wife.
The Moore residence is situated in a narrow valley that makes up from Buffalo creek about a mile and one-half above Tiff City. The val- ley runs nearly north and south, and the house, a good-sized two story frame, is situated on the west side, fronting about east. The road lead- ing from Buffalo creek to the State Line road on the uplands runs in front of the house about a hundred yards distant. The house sets back a few steps from the front fence. A double porch extends the entire length of the house in front, at the north end of which is a stairway. There are two doors and two windows opening out on the porch. It is abouta quarter of a mile from the main road along Buffalo creek bottom. Here these two old people were living alone, their children all being grown and married.
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Their youngest daughter and husband, George Williams, live about two hundred yards above the Moore residence.
Last Wednesday evening about dark nine pistol shots were heard in that vicinity, but as shooting is frequent, no particular attention was paid to it. The next morning a boy who had borrowed the Esquire's buggy the day be- fore returned it about ten o'clock and put it up in the barn. Not seeing any one, he hollowed. Hearing no response he went in at the gate when he saw Mrs. Moore lying on the porch. He at first supposed she was asleep but on going nearer he discovered a pool of blood. Almost wild with fright he ran and gave the alarm. The news spread like wild-fire and the people for miles around gathered in under the most in- tense excitement. Prosecuting Attorney, Hugh Dabbs, and his assistant A. V. Mannnig had gone to Tiff city that morning and arrived just as the word came. With Dr. A. J. Mckinney they went to the scene of the murder, where an examination of the two bodies and of the prem- ises was made. Mr. Moore was found lying in the northwest corner of the north room, his right arm under his head, the left raised as if trying to ward off the blow. There were four bullet holes in his body, as follows: One in right arm near the shoulder, one on the front side of the
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