USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > The history of Buchanan County, Missouri > Part 41
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Then came Jacob Mitchell, a worthy son of Vulcan, the ringing of whose anvil was heard by the villagers from "early morn until dewy eve."
A FOUR THOUSAND DOLLAR BURGLARY.
Having regard to facts and dates as they occur chronologically, we have now reached a period (1842) in this history, when there happened an incident which not only attracted the attention of the settlers at "Blacksnake Hills" and surrounding country, but furnished a theme for conversation around their firesides for months afterward, and as the circumstances connected therewith are of an interesting character, wc shall narrate them : In the summer of 1842, Mr. Robidoux received from the Sac and Fox Indians, the sum of four thousand dollars in silver, in four different boxes, each box containing one thousand dollars. Mr. Robidoux had sold goods to these tribes to this amount, and when they were paia their annuity by the government, its agent turned over to him the sum above mentioned.
Having no safe, Mr. Robidoux placed the boxes containing the money on one of the lower shelves of his store, behind the counter, near a window. This window was secured at night by wooden shutters and fastened on the inside by a bolt.
On the east side of One Hundred and Two River, lived at that time three families, bearing respectively the names of Spence, Scott and Davis. They were supposed to be counterfeiters, yet no one knew posi- tively that they had ever passed any spurious money. The Spence boys, whose given names were John, George, Monroe, Andy and James, were in the habit, in company with Scott and Davis, of visiting the Black- snake Hills almost daily, and while there would spend their time loung- ing about the solitary saloon, which stood upon the bottom, west of the Blacksnake Creek and at Mr. Robidoux' store.
For some days previously to the occurrence which followed, it was noticed that one of the Spence boys would often place himself in a recumbent position on the counter, with his face turned towards the shelf containing the boxes of money.
Two or three nights afterward an entrance was effected through the window of which I have spoken, and the boxes with their contents were removed. As soon as it was ascertained by Mr. Robidoux that his store had been burglarized and his money taken, immediate scarch was insti- tuted by his clerk, Mr. Poulin, and others who volunteered their assist- ance. Suspecting that the Spence boys knew all about the burglary, as well as the whereabouts of the missing treasure, they went in the direc- tion of their house.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
While en route and while crossing Blacksnake Creek, the party dis- covered a man's shoe, which had evidently been worn but once, as it was entirely new. The day before, three of the Spence boys had purchased shoes from Mr. Poulin, at Robidoux' store. He remembered that the shoes were of different numbers ; the smallest pair being number sixes. He knew also the style of shoe he had sold them, and recollected at their special request he had cut for them unusually long buckskin shoe strings. Upon examination he saw that the shoe, which was a number six, corresponded in style with those he had sold, and what was "con- firmation strong as proof of holy writ," there were the long buckskin strings which he had cut and fastened in the shoes. Mr. Poulin also distinctly recollected that the Spence boys, when they left the store the day before, carried their new shoes in their hands. He readily came to the conclusion from the silent yet significant testimony before him, that the Spence boys were in some manner connected with the burglary ; that they had worn their new shoes upon the night which had just passed, and, having secured their booty, one of them had in his flight through the soft clay of the creek bottom, lost one.
Being thus encouraged, the party hastily pursued their way to the cabin where the Spences lived, surrounded it, and captured the Spence boys, as well as Davis and Scott. Davis and Scott were however released. The others were brought before Justice Mills, and upon a pre- liminary examination being held, they were discharged, there not being sufficient proof to bind them over for trial.
Sixteen or eighteen citizens, some of whom are still living, feeling confident that the Spence boys, Davis and Scott, had committed the crime, met the next day, and proceeded in a body on horseback to Davis and Scott's residence, determined if they could, to bring the offenders to justice and restore the stolen money.
In the meantime, after the preliminary trial, Mr. Robidoux had offered a reward of five hundred dollars for the capture and conviction of the parties who had taken his silver. Scott and Davis were taken and compelled to accompany the party of citizens, who, when about half way back to town, separated, the larger portion taking Davis on a hill and leaving Scott in the valley of the One Hundred and Two, in charge of Elisha Gladden.
They took Davis out of Scott's sight, and just far enough away so that Scott could hear the firing of a pistol by the party on the hill. After halting they dismounted, and told Davis that he must tell them where Robidoux' money was, giving him to understand that if he refused they would hang him. He strenuously denied all knowledge of the affair, and told them to "hang and be d-d." They placed a rope round his neck, threw one end of it over the limb of a tree, and swung him up, only intending to frighten and make him confess to the whereabouts of the
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
money. After he had remained suspended for some minutes they let him down, and asked him to confess the crime. Davis being as bold and defiant as ever, they hung him again, this time almost taking his life. They again asked him to tell where the money was, when he again refused in a fiendish, insolent manner, branding them with a profusion of the lowest epithets. Seeing that Davis would tell nothing, some one of the party shot off a pistol, (as previously arranged, if Davis did not con- fess), so that Scott could hear it, and at the same time two or three of them rushed down the hill where Scott was guarded, shouting that they had "killed Davis" and were now "going to kill Scott."
One of these men held up his hand, which he had accidentally bruised coming down the hill, and which had some spots of blood on it, telling Scott, when Davis was shot, some of his blood had spurted on on his hand. Gladden, who was guarding Scott, said, when the concus- sion of the pistol was heard, "that Scott's face became as pallid as death," he supposing that his accomplice had been killed.
They gave him to understand that they had disposed of Davis, and that if he did not tell them all about the money and the parties impli- cated in taking it, they would also dispose of him in a very summary manner, but promised that if he would give them this information, they would not only spare his life, but would supply him with money enough to take him out of the country.
Believing what he had heard and seen to be true, and that the con- dition of things was such as had been represented, Scott asked some one present to give him a pencil and piece of paper. This being done, he wrote the names of all the parties concerned in the burglary, (the Spence brothers, Davis and himself,) and led the way to where one of the boxes had been buried, near the banks of the One Hundred and Two. So ingenious had been their plan, and so careful had they been to conceal all the traces of their villainy, that while digging a hole, in which to deposit the money, they placed every particle of dirt in a box and emptied it into the stream, excepting enough to refill the hole after the money was put in. Having four thousand dollars, they dug four holes. They then divided a blanket into four pieces, took the money out of the boxes, wrapped each thousand dollars separately, buried it by itself, and then refilled the hole, covering it over with the same sod that they had taken up, and then burned the boxes.
Scott could only show them where the first thousand dollars was. He did not see them when they buried the other three thousand. They, however, found the first thousand. How or where to obtain the balance of the money they did not know. Scott could not tell, and Davis, they supposed, would not. They had tried threats and hanging with him, but without avail.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
In the meantime Davis was still in custody. They went to him and told him that Scott had confessed, and told him it would be better for him to make confession also. Scott told them that he knew nothing to reveal, and said that they were "lying" to him, when they said that Davis had confessed to anything. They answered that he had not only given them the names of the parties implicated (showing him the piece of paper in Scott's handwriting,) but that he had shown them where the first thousand dollars was buried. He still refused to say or believe any- thing. In order to convince him of the truth of what they said, they took him to the very spot from which they had taken the money, and the piece of blanket in which it had been wrapped.
No longer doubting what he had seen and heard, he called for a drink of whisky, which was supplied by one of the men guarding him, and after taking it, showed them where the balance of the money had been buried.
To further prove that Davis and his pals were accomplished villains, and that they possessed a cunning ingenuity which would have been creditable to the pirates and freebooters of the last century, and which, in some respects, is not unlike the narrative of "Arthur Gordon Pym," by the gifted Poe, it is only necessary to mention how he proceeded to show where and how to find the balance of the money.
He stood at the edge of the hole whence the first thousand dollars was taken, and stepped ten paces south, and pointing his index finger toward his feet said, "here you will find a thousand dollars." He then led the way to a small log upon the ground, with a single knot on it, and pointing again, said, "immediately under this knot you will find another thousand." Going to the bank of the One Hundred and Two, in the sand, near a willow tree, where a limb extended, the end of which had been broken off, but still hanging by the bark and pointing downward, he said, "here under the point of this hanging limb you will find the last thou- sand dollars."
The money was all recovered excepting twenty-seven dollars, and returned to Mr. Robidoux. Scott and Davis were both arrested. During the night Davis made his escape, and Scott was finally discharged on the ground of his having made confession and giving the names of the par- ties who had participated in the burglary. The Spence boys left the country after being informed that their further presence here was ob- noxious and could not be endured.
AUDUBON.
The great naturalist, Audubon, who not only appreciated the phys- ical attractions of the animal kingdom, but loved as well the beautiful and sublime in nature, while on his way to the Yellowstone, in May.
-
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
1843, refers to the "Blacksnake Hills " as follows : "After grounding on sandbars, and contending against hard winds and currents, we reached the Blacksnake Hills settlement, which is a delightful site for a populous city. The hills are two hundred feet above the level of the river, and slope gently down on the opposite side, to the beautiful prairies that extend over thousands of acres of the richest land imaginable."
ST. JOSEPH LAID OUT.
In June, 1843, Mr. Robidoux laid out the original town, the site of which was covered with a luxuriant growth of hemp. Simeon Kemper acted as surveyor in this important undertaking, and Elisha Gladden as chain bearer. Two maps of the town were made, one by F: W. Smith, and the other by Simeon Kemper, bearing respectively the names of " Robidoux " and "St. Joseph," in honor of its founder. The map drawn by Mr. Smith was selected by Mr. Robidoux, and the more civilized and felicitous appellative of St. Joseph was substituted for that of Blacksnake Hills.
This map was taken to St. Louis, where Mr. Robidoux acknowl- edged it, in the office of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas (Nathaniel Paschall, who has since been one of the editors of the St. Louis Republican, being the clerk at the time), and, after having it beau- tifully lithographed, returned to St. Joseph.
His declaration and certificate of acknowledgment are as follows :
"DECLARATION OF PROPRIETOR.
I, Joseph Robidoux, of the County of Buchanan and the State of Missouri, do hereby declare that I am the proprietor and owner of a certain town named St. Joseph, located upon the southwest fractional quarter of section 8, township 57 north, range 35 west, of the fifth principal meridian, and that I have laid off the same into lots and blocks, bounded by streets and alleys, and a levee or landing on the front, which streets and alleys are of the width set forth upon this plat, and the lots and blocks are of the dimensions and numbers as are indicated upon said plat ; and the course of said streets and the extent of said lots, blocks and town are correctly set forth upon this plat of the same, which was made by my authority and under my direction. And I do hereby give, grant, allot and convey, for public uses, all the streets and alleys, by the names and of the width and extent that are set forth upon said plat. And I hereby declare this dedication to be made by me, this, the 26th day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three, to be binding upon me, my heirs and assigns forever."
JH. ROBIDOUX. [SEAL.]
CERTIFICATE OF PROPRIETOR'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
STATE OF MISSOURI, County of St. Louis.
SS.
"Be it remembered that on this 26th day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three, before me the undersigned, Clerk of the St. Louis Court
406
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
of Common Pleas, within and for said county, came Joseph Robidoux, who is personally known to me to be the same person whose name is subscribed to the above plat, as having executed the said plat, and who acknowledged to me that he executed said plat for the purposes therein named.
In testimony whereof, I have set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at office in the City of St. Louis and State aforesaid, 26th day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three.
NATHANIEL PASCHALL, Clerk. BY STEPHEN D. BARLOW, Deputy.
BLOCKS AND LOTS DONATED.
The west half of block thirty-one was reserved on the map as a market square ; the west half of block fifty was donated for a public church ; the northwest quarter of block thirty-eight for a public school, and the south quarter of the same block for a Catholic church.
These lots were immediately put upon the market, even before the title to them was complete. This was perfected in 1844, at which time a United States Land Office was located at Plattsburg, Missouri.
The uniform price of corner lots was one hundred and fifty dollars, and inside lots one hundred dollars. As rapidly as sale could be made the money was applied in payment of a mortgage, held by Pierre Chou- teau, Jr., of St. Louis, upon the land embracing the town site, amounting to six thousand, three hundred and seventy-two dollars and fifty-seven cents.
The town, as then laid off, included all the territory lying between Robidoux Street on the north and Messanie Street on the south, and between Sixth Street on the east and the Missouri River on the west, and contained sixty-four blocks, twelve of which are fractional. Each whole block is 240 by 300 feet, bisected by an alley and containing twelve lots.
The streets are governed by the cardinal points of the compass ; those running back from the river in the "Original Town," extending north and south, are Water, Levee, Main (or First,) Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth ; those running at right angles, commencing on the par- allel of the north line, are Isadore, Robidoux, Faraon, Jules, Francis, Felix, Edmond, Charles, Sylvanie, Angelique, Messanie. These names are derived from members of Mr. Robidoux' family.
ADDITIONS TO THE ORIGINAL TOWN.
Since the laying out of the original town, covering a period of thirty- eight years, there have been added about seventy-two additions, the names of which, and the date of their dedication are as follows :
407
Avenue . April 31, 1880
Bartlett and Russell.
November 20, 1857 September 28, 1868
County May 24, 1873 Central December 1, 1858 Corby. June 20, 1874 Corby August 1, 1876 July 1, 1858 Carter Carbry November 26, 1859
Donnell and Saxton April 27, 1867 Donnell (R. W.) April 24, 1865
Davidson April 27, 1867 Durfee and Bartlett August 18, 1868 Eastern Extension . January 1, 1858
Ege's First May 4, 1858
Ege's Second December 12, 1873 Fair Ground . September 20, 1867 Ferguson's, H. Q. March 28, 1868 Goodlive .June 28, 1869
Ghio's.
Harris' First
March 3, 1865
Harris' Second
March 3, 1865
Harris' Second
July 1, 1872 April 7, 1880
Hedenberg's First
Hedenberg's Second
September 18, 1880
Highly
May 22, 1857
Henry
February 24, 1855
Hall's First July 8, 1870
Hall's First
March 19, 1872
Hall's Second
May 20, 1876 1858
Hughes.
June 2, 1857 March 21, 1868
Hays' Railroad
Improvement May 7, 1857
Inslee & Allen
September 15, 1858 .June 24, 1874
Kemper
August 13, 1857
Landis & Hull
April 30, 1856
Landis
.July 11, 1860
Landis
June 14, 1875
Likens & Slingluff.
November 27, 1848
Mayer's Second
October 6, 1855
Mayer's Third
April 28, 1860
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
Belvue
Mayer's First .
Jackson
Hughes' and Middleton
408
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
Mayer's Third November 1I, 1857
Mitchell
. June 5, 1857
Mitchell
August 3, 1857
Nye. September 3, 1880
Nixon
September 16, 1851
Noble
April 2, 1870
Noble Tract .
North St. Joseph First.
. October 28, 1856
North St. Joseph Second
May 27, 1857
North St. Joseph Third
. January 17 1859
Oliver, Glass & Wilson
O'Donoghue .
November 21. 1848
Original Town
Patee
January 15, 1849
Patee
May 20, 1854
Patee
July 12, 1854
Patee
December 8, 1855
Patee
June 20, 1857
Patee
. June 25, 1858
Patee
March 13, 1867
Richardson
October 13, 1854
Riley
April 16, 1870
Robidoux
July 20, 1843.
Robidoux
March 27, 1845
Robidoux
August 4, 1848
Robidoux
August 5, 1850
Robidoux
November 15, 1854
Railroad
June 10, 1859
Rogers
June 19, 1872
Smith
January 13, 1845
Smith
February 25, 1847
Smith
October 28, 1848
Smith
March 20, 1855
Smith.
. June 8, 1859
Smith .
September 5, 1859 February 16, 1860 May 15, 1855
South St. Joseph
St. Joseph Extension
. June 18, 1857
Snyder. February 27, 1880.
St. Joseph Gardens
April 29, 1852
Snyder .
Thompson
Thomas Henry
Willow Grove
. January 30, 1866 September 17, 1872
Stewart
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
West .
November 15, 1856
Western
January 12, 1850
Wells
May 8, 1845
Wilson April 6, 1857
Wells
February 12, 1844
Young
April 24, 1873
FIRST CONVEYANCE.
The first conveyance of lots in the new town was made by Mr. Robidoux and wife on the 25th of July, 1843, and is as follows :
This deed, made and entered into this twenty-fifth day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three, by and between Joseph Robidoux and Angelique, his wife, of the County of Buchanan, and State of Missouri, of the first part, Kenneth Mackensie and Benjamin Clapp, of the County of Saint Louis, of the second part, and Pierre Chouteau, Jr., and Com- pany, of the City of Saint Louis, and state aforesaid, of the third part, witnesseth : that the said parties of the first part, in consideration of the debt and trust hereinafter mentioned and created, and of the sum of one dollar to them paid by the said parties of the second part, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, do by these presents, grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff, convey and confirm unto the said parties of the second part, all those certain town lots, blocks and parcels of ground in a certain town, called Saint Joseph, in the County of Buchanan, and State of Mis- souri, which town is located on the southwest fractional quarter of section eight, township fifty-seven, north of the base line, range thirty-five, west of the fifth principal meridian, and is laid out according to a plat made by Joseph Robidoux, the proprietor thereof, now recorded in the Record- er's office of said county, which lots and blocks hereby conveyed arc numbered according to said plat as follows, viz .: All of blocks numbers one, two, three and four, and fractional block number five, each block containing twelve lots, except block number five, which contains eight lots and two fractional lots, which blocks are bounded west by Water Street and east by Levee Street, and also all of blocks numbers six, seven, eight, nine and ten, according to said plat, lying between First Street on the east and Levee Street on the west, each block containing twelve lots, except block No. (6) six, which contains only eight lots, and also all of blocks numbers twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four and twenty-five, lying between Second Street on the east and First Street on the west, each block containing twelve lots, except block No. (25) twenty-five, which contains only eight lots, all of which lots contain forty feet front upon a street, by one hundred and forty feet in depth, to an alley twenty feet wide, except the fractional lots in the fractional block, as will more fully appear by reference to said plat, together with all the buildings and improvements thereon, and all the privileges and appurtenances there- unto belonging-to have and to hold the same, with the appurtenances, to the said parties of the second part, and to the survivor of them and to the heirs and assigns of such survivor forever, in trust, however, for the following purpose :
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
WHEREAS, The said Joseph Robidoux has executed to the parties of the third part, his certain negotiable note, bearing even date herewith, for the sum of six thousand three hundred and seventy-two dollars and fifty-seven cents, payable twelve months after date, to Pierre Chouteau, Jr., and Co., or order, without defalcation or discount, with interest at maturity, at the rate of ten per centum per annum. Now, if the said note shall be well and truly paid, according to the tenor and effect thereof, then this deed shall be void, and the property hereinbefore con- veyed shall be released at the cost of the said parties of the first part ; but if the note, or any part thereof, shall, after the same becomes due, be in arrear and unpaid, then this deed shall remain in force, and the said parties of the second part, or the survivor of them, or the heirs and assigns of such survivor, may proceed to sell the property hereinbefore described, or any part thereof, at public vendue, to the highest bidder, at the court house door, in the City of Saint Louis, and State of Mis- souri, for cash, first giving thirty days public notice of the time, terms and place of said sale, and of the property to be sold, by advertisement in some newspaper printed in the said City of Saint Louis, and upon such sale shall execute and deliver a deed in fee simple of the property sold, to the purchaser or purchasers thereof, and receive the proceeds of said sale, out of which they shall pay, first, the cost and expenses of this trust, and next whatever may be due and unpaid of principal and interest on said note to the said Pierre Chouteau, Jr., and Co., or to whomsoever may be the legal owner thereof, and the balance, if any, shall be paid to the said Joseph Robidoux or his legal representatives.
And the said parties of the second part covenant faithfully to per- form and fulfill the trust herein created.
In witness whereof, the said parties have hereunto set their hands and seals, the day and year first above written.
JH. ROBIDOUX, [SEAL.]
Her ANGELIQUE Y ROBIDOUX, [SEAL.] mark.
K. MACKENSIE, [SEAL.] BEN. CLAPP. [SEAL.]
STATE OF MISSOURI, I SS.
COUNTY OF ST. LOUIS,
Be it remembered that on this twenty-sixth day of July, eighteen hundred and forty-three, before me, the undersigned, Clerk of the St. Louis Court of Common Pleas, within and for said county, came Joseph Robidoux, and Angelique Robidoux, his wife, who are personally known to me to be the same persons whose names are subscribed to the fore- going instrument of writing, as parties thereto, and severally acknowl- edged the same to be their act and deed for the purposes therein men- tioned. She, the said Angelique, having been first made acquainted with the contents of said deed, acknowledged on an examination, sep- arate and apart from her husband, that she executed said deed, and relinquishes her dower in the real estate therein mentioned, freely, vol- untarily, and without any fear or compulsion, or undue influence of her said husband.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said court, at office in the city of St. Louis, this twenty-sixth day of July, in the year eighteen hundred and forty-three.
NATHANIEL PASCHALL, Clerk. By STEPHEN D. BARLOW, Deputy Clerk.
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