USA > Missouri > Pettis County > The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with biographical sketches > Part 51
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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
R. H. Moses, for a Mr. Tiffin, of Ohio, and was the first three-story brick building put up in the city. T. W. Cloney, on Main street, put up two brick buildings; the Methodist Church on Ohio street was built; also the brick residence of Elias Bixby, on the southwest corner of Third street and Washington avenue.
In the spring of this year the Independent Press, a Democratic weekly newspaper, was started by the Lingle Bros., with Dr. Logan Clark as editor.
On the present site of the Garrison House was erected the McKissock House, a spacious, handsome and substantial frame hotel, depot and eating house. Cyrus Newkirk and Col. A. D. Jaynes founded the first National Bank, with a capital of $100,000. The bank was opened in a small frame building on the west side of Ohio, just north of the site of the present building. The first Baptist Church was completed early in the spring, with the Rev. E. T. Brown, the founder of East Sedalia, as pastor. The first church concerts for the benefit of the Episcopal and the Baptist Churches were given in June and July.
On May 28, 1866, the first greatest political meeting held in the county since the war was held in Sedalia. The scene of the meeting was the present Court House Square, which was then an open prairie covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, and in the extreme southern suburbs of the city. This was the meeting of the Conservative or Democratic element. It was addressed by Gen. Frank P. Blair, Col. Thos. L. Price, and Col. Thos. T. Crittenden. This was the beginning of the Congres- sional campaign in the Fifth Missouri District. Gen. Blair was opposed to harsh measures against the late Confederates, to the Drake Constitution, and to Thos. C. Fletcher and the State Administration. On this occasion Col. Crittenden is reported as saying: "I am for justice, freedom and equality, and the white man all the time."
The bitterness of feeling engendered by the war was still so intense that there was danger at any moment of the soldiers who had fought on one side or the other coming into conflict when meeting on such occasions as this. There was a large crowd present on this occasion. Gen. Blair, who was a brave Union soldier, was now in political harmony with the men against whom he had recently fought, and denouncing those who had been his comrades in arms. The question as to whether he was right or wrong has nothing to do with this mere statement of facts. Maj. Bacon Montgomery, the first editor in the county, and a brave Union soldier, was there. Capt. Jim Turley, an old comrade of Montgomery, an old resident of Pettis County, and an old Federal soldier, a man of the most reckless courage and determined character, was there also. During Gen. Blair's speech he made some statement, regarding the past, that Maj. Mont- gomery considered either utterly untrue, or intentionally one-sided.
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Montgomery arose in the crowd and interrupted Gen. Blair, questioned the correctness of the statement made by him, and asked him to answer several questions bearing on the subject. It seems that Gen. Blair did not recognize who the speaker was. In the heat of public speech he hurled some bitter and scathing sarcasm at those who interrupted, in which he referred insultingly to " home soldiers and militiamen." Turley and Montgomery were in the volunteer service and had splendid army records. There was a stir and a murmur; an ominous movement of men feeling around for their revolvers, a press in one or two directions of men trying to get close to their leaders, and every one expected a bloody con- flict was on hand. Fortunately some cool-headed man whispered into Gen. Blair's ear that he had made a grave mistake, and he made a frank explanation and apology. This settled the matter.
The Times, a straight, partisan Republican paper, says of the meeting: " All the Rebels in Pettis County were present at the Frank Blair meeting last Monday, just as we predicted." The editors of the respec- tive party newspapers still spoke of each other as "damned Yankees " and "infernal Rebels." These facts are mentioned as the essential element, if history is truth.
On July 23d, the great Republican meeting was held, as an offset to the other meeting of the opposite element. This gathering was held in the Woolridge grove and court house square. A huge flag-pole had been erected on court house square, and from it floated the flag of the United States. The Union and Radical element complained because there was no such flag visible at the Democratic meeting.
This was the Congressional Convention of the Fifth District. Governor Fletcher and nearly all the State officers were present. Gen. Geo. R. Smith was chairman of the convention. Col. Jas. L. McClurg was nominated as a candidate for Congress. The Radical papers represent that there were 10,000 people present.
The other side represent that the number was considerably less. Col. Baker, of Boonville, Attorney- General Wingate, and Col. Stover, were the principal speakers. The whole multitude took dinner on the grounds, at Woolridge's grove.
At night there was a meeting around the flag-staff, on the court house square. While the meeting was in progress some one on the outside of the ground fired at the flag. The town was only a small one as yet, and the roughest and the most violent element were still in the ascendency. In speaking of this affair, in which a man named Wick Woods was shot, the paper says: "We have been unable to learn the exact origin of the affray on last Monday night, (July 23d). In the evening Fred Meyers was yelling for Andy Johnson, and continued to do so unnoticed. Later in the evening Wick Woods and some of his associates had high words with Radicals, in which, we learn, yells for Andy Johnson and Jeff. Davis,
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and curses upon the same individuals were interspersed. Still later, a party of disorderly, drunken, and disloyal persons marched up Ohio street and fired on the flag floating over the square, where the multitude was assem- bled listening to the orators of the evening. The whistling of the bullets was heard by many of the crowd, and some of the Radicals started out to see the meaning of the shooting. The party firing was met on Ohio street, near White's lumber yard (where White's hall now stands), and there the two parties exchanged shots to the number of twenty-one, result- ing in the shooting of Woods.
" The ball, we learn, entered a little below the left shoulder, in front, and was cut out by the surgeon a little below the right shoulder behind. We learn that one of the notorious Beckley's of St. Clair County was on the street armed before dark, and with the party shooting at the flag at night."
This evidence is from a strictly partisan source, but there is no doubt about the essential facts. Woods was a reckless, drunken man, with a band of simi- lar friends, and it is not probable that the best element in the community countenanced such proceedings, though they could not prevent them, except by a more heroic effort than they were inclined to put forth. Young Beckley afterward called on the editor and testified that he was with the crowd; that no one fired on the flag, and that no one on his side was armed but Wick Woods. This is also partisan testimony, but does not alter the essential fact: that there was a shooting affray that night, and that it grew out of the still unsettled war feeling, and that Sedalia was still far from the state of enlightenment and stability which it has now reached.
These two meetings and the incidents connected with them are men- tioned at some length, because they were indices of the condition of the town and the people.
The County Medical Society was this year in active operation. It had been started in Georgetown, was revived in 1865, and was now an active body. This year an ordinance was passed and Ohio street was graded and macadamized between Ohio and Kentucky. The first work of the kind done.
In the summer there was a meeting of the Tebo & Neosho R. R. Co., subsequently the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company, to con- sider the matter of raising further subscription in Sedalia to build the line of road from Sedalia to Fort Scott, Kan. There had been much agitation of the subject previous to this meeting which was held July 7, 1866. At this meeting were present Gen. Geo. R. Smith, Col. Jno. F. Philips, Maj. William Beck, Col. A. D. Jaynes, (afterwards treasurer of the M., K. & T. R. R. Co.) Chan. P. Townsley, Jas. G. Tesch, W. A. Reese and H. R. Dobyns. It was reported that $70,000 had already
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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
been subscribed by Sedalia; $10,000 was subscribed at this meeting and it was one of the most enthusiastic meetings held for this purpose. Before the meeting adjourned a proposition to contribute $125,000 in all to aid in the building was passed amidst much enthusiasm. The people of that day were sharp and active. At another meeting held in Sedalia, July 16, 1866, there were present: Thos. L. Wilson, president; Jno. F. Philips, vice-president; Clifton Wood, treasurer; W. Weaver, secretary ; R. Allen, W. L. Avery, Jas. G. Tesch and Chas. I. Robards, directors. Col. Philips moved that there be a call made for five per cent. of the amount of stock subscribed. On the next day, July 17, 1866, committees were appointed to solicit subscriptions in all the counties along the proposed line. Jas. G. Tesch was appointed for Pettis County. Col. Philips pre- sented the following resolution which was passed:
Resolved, That the call for five per cent. on stock subscribed is predi- cated upon the express understanding that this road shall connect with the Pacific Railroad at Sedalia, Mo., and terminate at Fort Scott, Kan.
This was framed as an intelligent lawyer would word it, and decided the question as to Sedalia. The detailed history of this railroad is given elsewhere in the history.
In the winter of 1866 the Christian Church was completed.
In the latter part of December, 1866, the Ohio street M. E. Church was completed. R. H. Moses was the builder, assisted by Mr. Hubbard. On Christmas Eve, 1866, the ladies of this church gave a fine entertain- ment for the building fund of the church. In the corner stone of this church, in a sealed jar, are copies of the two papers then published in the city; the list of names of all those who contributed to build the church; the history of the organization of the congregation and other interesting data. The building was not ready for occupancy until sometime later.
Col. John F. Philips was Mayor of the city during this year. He was one of the candidates for Congress, aided by the Union element, but was defeated for the nomination.
The Congregational Church was almost completed in December, 1866; at that time it was away out in the suburbs and there was only one house on the west side of Ohio street, from the Ilgenfritz block to the church.
Sedalia Lodge, No. 236, A. F. & A. M., was in active working order in this year, G. R. Kull, W. M.
The I. O. G. T. had an organization, of which P. G. Stafford was the chief officer.
Neapolis Lodge, No. 153, I. O. G. T., was organized and in active working order, Dr. Thomas T. Montgomery, N. G.
Gen. Bacon Montgomery was Supervisor of Registration of voters.
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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
The Sedalia Brewery, F. Zelleken proprietor, had been started in 1865, and was making excellent beer.
In August, 1866, a Fair Association was formed: Maj. William Gentry was elected President; Cols. Jno. F. Philips, A. D. Jaynes and Capt. F. L. Parker, Vice Presidents; Dr. J. F. Tobias, Secretary, and O. Harris, Treasurer. The place chosen for holding the fair was near the " Big Spring," on the same spot where they are now. On the farm of Clif- ton Woods, grounds of a temporary character were prepared and a fair was held in the following September. This was the first fair that was held in the county after the war. When the last one was held at Georgetown the site of Sedalia was open prarie land.
In November, the county officers were elected and all of them were Radicals. The talk and conduct of citizens previous to the election had been extreemly reckless and bitter. The registration law was in force and ex-Confederates could not vote. P. G. Stafford, editor of the Times, was elected Representative to the Legislature; W. H. Porter, Sheriff; Bacon Montgomery for Circuit Clerk; S. A. Yankee, County Clerk; Florence Crandall, Recorder of Deeds; J. G. Beck, Treasurer; C. C. Crawford, Assessor; William I. Pace, Surveyor; John S. Cochrane, W. P. Jack- son, Supervisor of Registration. This was another new era in the county and city. After the election, previous to which the people had been kept in a perfect turmoil and passion by the savage partisanism of their respec- tive newspapers, the public mind became quiet and thought only of business.
Then it was that two of the journalistic gladiators laid off their armour and quit the pencil battle. Dr. Logan Clark retired from the position of editor of the Independent Press, and Mr. Stafford, having been elected as Radical Representative to the State Legislature, sold his interest in the Times to Jas. G. Magann, who became sole editor and proprietor.
In the summer of '66 the Sedalia Lyceum held meetings. This was the first organization of a literary character in the city, and it was one of the first evidences of a desire for intellectual culture among the people. The business duties of life in a new town and the absorbing subject of politics in this transition period after the war, occupied the minds of the people. But this was an indication that the inhabitants had begun to weary of the old and bitter thoughts and feelings of the past, and yearned for something else. Dr. John W. Trader and Dr. Thomas J. Montgomery were the most active workers in awakening and keeping alive an interest in this organization. All the professional men in the city, at different times, attended the meetings and took part in the debates.
Another important event in the social life of the city was the organiza- tion of the "Sedalia Dramatic Society," and the first performance given by it, Monday night, Nov. 19, 1866, in the upper room of the present Bazoo office, which had been but a short time completed. The members of the
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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
company were all amateurs. Mr. William Latour organized, trained and managed the company, and the organization is still in existence under the name of the "Thespeans," and under the management of the original founder and leading actor, Mr. Latour. The other members of the com- pany were Laura Hall, now Mrs. L. L. Highleyman, Laura Dake, Josephine Lyon, L. L. Bridges, W. W. S. Snoddy, George Townsley, H. P. Townsley, E. H. Reinish, L. A. White, Charles Dake and William F. White.
On the opening night the play of "Temptation " was given, and this was the first dramatic or theatrical entertainment ever given in Sedalia. Persons who saw this company, seventeen years ago, say that its per- formances were full of spirit, and that the orignal members have never been surpassed by any who have belonged to the body since. Col. W. W. S. Snoddy delivered the opening address on this occasion, and it was a fine effort.
Four more additions were made to the city in 1866, as follows:
Cotton Brothers' First Addition, April, 1866.
Lyons' Addition, April 20, 1866.
Cotton Brothers' Second Addition was laid off in July, 1866.
Heard's Addition, in East Sedalia, was laid off Aug. 1, 1866.
These additions were not only laid off, but there was an active and steadily increasing demand for the lots. One year before an acre of land could have been bought for just about the price that the choice lots now sold for, that is $100.
It was in the early part of this year that the money-order department was established in the Sedalia postoffice. This is one of the best evidences of the rapid advance the town had begun to make, and of the increase of all kinds of business.
THE YEARS 1867-1868-1869.
Within the past twenty-five years the newspaper has become the most perfect mirror of the times and the place in which it is published. The newspaper photographs, as it were, not only the acts but the thoughts and feelings of the people; and the file of a weekly or daily newspaper is like a consecutive line of pictures, a panoramic view of the people and the place, week by week, or day by day.
A glance at the files of the Sedalia newspapers for the year 1867 reveals two very plain facts, at least to the practiced eye and mind of the jour- nalist.
In the first place people were evidently occupied with work. The bit- ter partisan spirit shown by the Radical and the Democratic papers has almost disappeared, and it only crops out occasionally. They talk about buildings and railroads, churches, schools, street improvements, fairs, the
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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
stream of immigration which is flowing into the State and town. They both talk " business." Passion and prejudice, though not dead, have gone to sleep.
During the year 1867 there was an immense amount of building done for a town of the size. The partial list of buildings given elsewhere will show this. The first public shool was completed; the second great rail- road project was actually started towards completion; the first successful effort to awaken the pride and dormant energies of the farmers of the county was made by holding a good agricultural fair, and the law-loving and law-abiding element in the community, driven beyond the limits of the written law, wrote the death warrant of lawlessness in letters of blood. This is the summing up of the history of that year.
The year 1867 was made memorable between Jan. 1 and May 1, by two terrible tragedies. One of them was the killing of Andy Forbes by William P. Jackson, the City Marshal; and the other was the hanging in March of Joe Woods, by a mob. Both of these events were significant. They decided that the town thereafter should be ruled by the spirit of law, and by law-abiding citizens, and they gave the death blow to the spirit of lawlessness and ruffianism which was dominant for the years pre- vious in the newly established towns in Missouri, and, in fact in all the west where railroads were built. The story of the most important of these tragic transactions will be first told, though it occurred several months later than the other.
Joe Woods belonged to one of the oldest and most respectable families of the county, but while still a young man he began a course of drinking and dissipation, such as is sure to develop the worst passions and impulses of human nature. He was a man of violent temper, strong passions and desperate resolution. He was a man of powerful build; thick and heavy set, and possessed of almost gigantic strength. During the wild and demoralizing times of the war he became associated with a number of men, boon companions, who were as reckless as himself. He was quiet and inoffensive when sober, but when under the influence of drink, and on one of his frequent and periodical sprees, he seemed changed into a perfect devil incarnate. He and his gang were the terror of the town; and they had been engaged in many desperate brawls. When any of them were on a spree it was as much as a man's life was worth to come in contact with them, unless he was well armed and ready to fight, with or without cause, or submit to any indignity they might be inclined to heap upon him. Some time in March, about the 27th, Woods got on one of his regular sprees, and drank until he was perfectly frenzied, and all the evil in his nature aroused. He went into the saloon of Joseph Gimer, a quiet, good natured German, which was located on the south side of Main street, about the middle of the block. He knocked the bar-keeper down,
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HISRTOY OF SEDALIA.
RESIDENCE OF CYRUS NEWKIRK, SEDALIA, MO.
WCONKLIN.HONNENG STROOIS.
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HISTORY OF SEDALIA.
and struck two strangers who were in the room. He then went into the grocery store of Rod. Gallie, which was next door. Gimer was not in the saloon at the time, but in a few moments chanced to come along, when he met Woods at the door of the grocery. He and Woods spoke, and Gimer said, in a conciliatory manner, that as he and Woods had always been on friendly terms, the latter ought not to go into his saloon and cre- ate disturbances. Gimer then walked east on Main street, towards his saloon. When he had got a few step from Woods the latter drew his revolver and deliberately shot Gimer in the back. Gimer staggered into the door of his saloon, fell on his face, and was stone dead in a few min- utes. This deed was witnessed by a number of reliable men who are still living in this city.
After the shooting Woods went to the Leet Hotel, corner of Main and Moniteau, now the Lindell Hotel, and said he would kill any man who attempted to arrest him. Capt. Jim Turley, Policeman Moses, and others went to the hotel. Woods was in an up stairs room. A man named Cantrell went up with a gun in his hand, and captured him. Woods was first taken to the sheriff's office. He sent for Capt. L. L. Bridges, and told him that he had $1,000 that he would give him if he would defend him on his trial.
Woods was then taken to "The Cooler," which was then located about where the rear of D. I. Holcomb's china store now is, on the alley back of Main street. Six men were placed to guard him. "The Cooler" was a two-story building built of heavy logs, with "chinking" between them. It was a very strong building and was used during and after the war as a guard house, and city prison. It derived its name "The Cooler" from the fact that the cool prairie winds swept freely between the logs, and cooled off the angry passions of any one who was so unfortunate as to be placed in it.
Maj. A. P. Morey was then the deputy sheriff in charge, and Woods was left in his care. A warrant had not yet been sworn out for Wood's commitment. In the meantime a coroner's jury had been summoned and was holding its session in Gimer's saloon. By this time it was half past eight o'clock. The night was dark and tempestuous, and the mud throughout the town ankle deep.
John Walde, the constable of the township, came to the cooler with a formal warrant for the custody of Woods, and presented it. Woods was turned over to him and Maj. Morey left the jail. Exactly what happened after that was never known except to the actors, and never inquired into by the community. The following statements seemed to be pretty well understood as correct:
A body of men, not exceeding twelve, and all armed to the teeth, went about twelve o'clock to the cooler. They got in some how in the dark-
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ness and silence. Woods was overpowered and his hands tied. There were evidences about the place that there had been a deadly struggle and a hard fight before he was overcome. It is believed that he was knocked senseless with revolver butts before he was overcome. One supposition is that a rope was put around his neck, tied to the axle of a buggy, and that he was dragged to the scene of his execution, the arch of the gate- way over Wm. Bloess' lumber yard, northwest of the present Garrison House. At any rate, his dead body, bruised and scratched, and without a stitch of clothing on it, was found the next morning hanging from the arched gateway of the lumber yard. It froze hard that night, and in the frozen mud could be traced the footsteps of the midnight avengers, and a broad streak which looked as if the body of a man had been dragged through the soft mud the night previous. Some one who first saw the naked body in the morning had pinned a sheet around it.
The coroner's jury decided that he came to his death by the hands of parties unknown.
It is probable that Wood's executioners could have been discovered had the matter been investigated closely, but the work of the mob, or Judge Lynch, was regarded as a deed of justice. Many people seemed to think that it was one of those cases where the safety of the people was the highest law. Confidential friends will now hint to each other the names of the men who hanged Woods for the murder of Gimer, but there is no evidence now extant that would warrant the publication of the names of the suspected parties.
After this, the first and the last session of the court of Judge Lynch, the town was more quiet; there were fewer deeds of violence; less dispo- sition to carry or draw deadly weapons; and, though mob law is the most dangerous thing that can exist in a free country, this act seemed to have a decided and unmistakably beneficial influence upon the whole commu- nity.
The story of the other affair will be found narrated below, and both are given as evidences of the conditions of society at that time.
Andy Forbes was killed earlier in the season. Men who knew him from boyhood considered him a dangerous and desperate man, especially when drinking. He was still a young and not a large man, and had been in Col. Jno. F. Philips' regiment. He came to town one day with a lot of his comrades and got on " a big drunk." He and his companions declared " that they had come to town for the express purpose of raising hell," and they immediately proceeded to do it in the most approved style known to the desperados of that time. Forbes passed Marshal Jackson on the street in the morning and told him that he, Forbes, was going to do as he pleased and that he was not going to be arrested by anybody, especially
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