The Post-Signal (Pilot Point, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, December 3, 1909 Page: 2 of 10
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The "Banditti *
a talf Of the *pvci ivies
OF THE
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY By EDWARD BONNEY
CHAPTER IV Continued.
Facta having been elicited during the
Investigation with regard to the
Hod (tee, that proved conclusively tint
Thomas Brown was the third of the
Infamous three, I was urged by many
to pursue, and If possible arrest him.
Being legally authorised to offer a
reward of five hundred dollars for his
arrest and delivery into my custody.
In any Stale or Territory In the United
States, I left, to accomplish If possible
this mission, on the morning of the
28th May. On reaching Quincy, I In-
troduced my business to Sheriff Pit-
man, who was an officer of great
merit, and a perfect gentleman; and
who. In his official character, was ex-
tensively known to the gang, ns well
ns acquainted with their proceedings,
which enabled him to give me much
valuable Information.
Sheriff Pitman was well acquainted
with the general character of Brown,
and knew several of his confederates
In crime, who lived on the Mississippi
bottoms. In the north part of Adnms
County, eighteen miles north of Quin-
cy. Amongst these was n Mr. Bing-
ham, a relative of Brown’s, and who
had served out one term in the peni-
tentiary for larceny. After gathering
from him all the necessary informa-
tion and directions, 1 determined to
visit the gang In the neighborhood of
Bingham, and by stratagem learn
whether secreted In the vicinity, and
whether any of them knew anything
with regard to him.
I at once set out, and after riding till
within a few miles of the house of
Bingham, I met a man on horseback
of whom I Inquired for a Mr. Agard.
to whom I had been directed by Sher-
iff Pitman, ns a person In whom 1
could confid°. and who would give me
any information In his power. He Im-
mediately replied:
“My name Is Agard.”
“The Sheriff of your county directed
me to call on you.”
“Oh! 1 suppose I know your busi-
ness. You are in pursuit of the mur-
derers of Jo Smith. Well, well. 1
suppose 1 must go with you.”
“That Is not my business. The
Sher”-
“Oh! well, sir. what did you want?"
“I was directed to you to Inquire for
a Mr. Bingham. 1 wish to find some
land in his neighborhood.”
“Oh! Is that all? I can tell you
all about. Mr. Bingham, and the land
In his township; I have a map and can
Inform you who owns every tract.”
“Would you bo kind enough to give
mfc such Information?”
“Yes, yes, at any time."
“When on” you do It?”
“Why, to-morrow. I'll meet you at
Mr.-*s grocery, one nnd a half miles
east of here, and give you any In-
formation y”u desire.”
“I shall be obliged to you, sir."
After a few more remarks we sepa-
rated. and on the following morning
according to appointment I called at
Mr.-'a grocery, but without finding
him. I learned, however, that the
Hancock Circuit Court was In session,
and that several persons were under
arrest charged with the murder of
the brothers Smith. Also, Mr. Agard
had called early In the morning on
Dr. -, nnd told him “there was
something wrong In the wind—that
he had seen a stranger yesterday In-
quiring for land, but that he believed
it only was n ruse and should keep
himself out of sight."
Disappointed, but not disheartened,
I continued my search, though una-
vailing. throughout the day. nnd on
the following morning called at the
house of Mr. Bingham, to whom 1
Introduced myself by the name of
“Morris.”
“Is your name Bingham?”
“Yes, that Is my name.”
“I have heard of you. and would
like to hnve a little confident conversa-
tion with you.”
“Certainly. Upon what subject?"
“I am Just from the eastern part
of the State, where I 'raised' a horse,
which I left below for sale, and
thought I would come up and see what
was going on In the way of business.”
“I am glad you called, though we
are all Idle here at present. The boys
up north, however, seem to have their
hands full.”
“What Is doing here?"
"They have made several good
'raises.' though I learn some of them
have got Into rather a serious scrape.”
“Scrape! Of what kind?”
“They attempted to rob an old Ger-
man by the name of Miller, and I'
order to escape were obliged to mur-
der both him and hls son-ln-law.”
“Serious business, truly.”
“Yes, but that Is not the worst of It.”
“Why, Is there nnything more?”
“Two of them have I teen arrested,
and I understand they are after the
third.”
“That Is bad luck. But can they not
get clear?”
“I don’t know. It Is somewhat
doubtful."
“Are you acquainted up the river?”
“Not much."
“You know the Mormons?"
“Yes, I was amongst them, and a
Mormon myself,”
“Do you know which of the boys
were arrested for the murder you
hnve spoken of?"
"Two of the Hodges."
“I suppose they ore guilty."
"No doubt of It. They tire bind
cases."
“It will probably go hard with
them."
“Yes, but they wont catch the
third."
“The third!"
"Yes, Tom Brown. He Is one of the
hardest I know of. He does nothing
but follow the business. I have seen
him go Into a store In the day time,
and steal a roll of cloth and put out
with it, and he makes a practice of
going to St. Louis on one side of the
river and co ning back the other, rak-
ing down both ways.”
“He must be an old hand?”
“They won’t catch him. He is too
smart for that.”
"Was he engaged In the murder with
the Hodges?”
“I presume he was.”
“I should like to get acquainted with
him. I think I could get him Into an
operation that would suit him.”
“Very likely, he Is ready for any-
thing.”
"Does he come here often?”
“Not ver \ I don’t think he would
suit you 'bough.”
“Why not?"
“He Is too reckless.”
“I want two of the boys who are
of the right stripe to go to Shawnee-
town with me.”
“What Is the speculation?”
“To relieve an old Dutchmnn of a
chest of specie."
“That’s the kind of speculation that
would suit him. I can’t do much here.
I am suspected nnd have to keep very
quiet.”
“Two would be enough, nnd I think
with you and Brown, we could do the
thing up right.”
“I don’t know where Tom is, but
there is a man living about two miles
from here, vho is a first rate hand In
such business ”
“But suppose he could not go?”
“Oh there Is plently In this County
who would be glad of such a chance.”
Being satisfied that be did not know
the whereabouts of Brown, I told him
I was obliged to go to Missouri before
I made the strike at Shawneetown,
but would call on him when I re-
turned, and make some arrangement
with him, when he continued the con-
versation.
“Are you acquainted In Missouri?”
“No, not much.”
“I can give you the points there. If
yon want them.”
“I do, it helps me greatly.”
"I have a brother on the Missouri
River who Is right., nnd knows all the
Boys If you get there you are safe.
Tell him I sent you nnd It. will be all
right."
“I shall not forget him.”
“When you come this way come ami
see me. I can secrete yon. and hide
your horse so that the devil himself
cannot find him.”
“Rut If I should wnnt to run?"
“I keep a boat to cross the Missis-
sippi. and can ferry my friends across
at night as well as In the day time,
and tell them where they can stop and
be secure.”
After wishing me success, and giv-
ing me a lint of names with whom to
stop In Missouri, I left him and re-
turned to Quincy on the evening of the
23rd. and gave Sheriff Fltman the
particulars of my Interview with
Bingham. Leaving there I proceeded
to St. Louis, where I got traces of
Brown, and searched until the morn-
ing of the 27th without further suc-
cess. After making such arrangements
with the City Marshal ns would se-
cure the arrest of Brown If he should
visit St. Louis, I departed for Mem-
phis. Searching fully there, asslated
by William D. Pllmore, a constable
who had been kindly detailed for that
duty by the Mayor, and becoming sat-
isfied that Brown was not to be found,
I again left, for St. Louis.
Brown hrd visited Ft. T.ouls dir!”: •
my short absence, and an unsuc s»;-
ful atfenipt. had been made to arre-it
him. This, as he would now be on
his guard, rendered the task 1 had un-
dertaken still more arduous and doubt-
ful. yet still I determined to pursue It
to the end—to victory or to death.
But being now completely at fault, I
knew not which way to proceed, nnd
while In this state of suspense 1 re-
ceived a letter from Sheriff Estes
which determined me to return and
attend the trial of the Hodges. Per-
fecting my arrangements with the
City Marshal, I Immediately left and
arrived at Montrose on the evening of
the fith of June.
Stephen and William Hodges were
removed to West Point from Fort
Madison on the 20th of May, and ar-
raigned for trial, but a change of
venue was taken to Des Moines Coun-
ty, where they were now to suffer the
penalty of the law, or come forth
cleared of the worst crime whose
name stains the statute book.
Mr. Llecy, who was still alive,
though rapidly sinking from the ef-
fects of his wounds, was confident
that he could Identify his murderers,
If lie was permitted to ••• them, in
order to add his testimony to that of
the others, Sheriff Estes selected per-
sons who were strangers to Llecy, and
who neare-t resembled the Hodges,
and took them to the residence of
Llecy. They were seated In a circle
In the room of the dying man, when,
after a careful survey of their size,
features, a: general appearance, he
singled out Stephen Hodges, saying:
“That Is the man who stabbed mo
with the bowle knife.”
“Another look round the circle and
he pointed to William Hodges:
“That is the man who shot me!”
Many questions were asked him In
order to test the strength of his belief,
but he wavered not for a single mo-
ment, or In the least controverted his
assertions, strong testimony this, fall-
ing as It did, from the lips of one who
would soon pnss through the gutes of
death, and it was fully confirmed by
Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Llecy.
Other evidence also came to light by
which the Hodges were tracked from
Nauvoo to the scene of the daring
murder, and back again to that clr.
and a pistol was found In their pos-
session, the ball of which correspond-
ed in size and weight with the one
taken from the body of Llecy. How
true it Is, tl it murder may be track
to the hand that did the deed, and Is
stained In blood, by the smallest and
apparently most Immaterial circum-
stances.
Monday, the 8th of June, was th->
day fixed fo- the trial, and the friends
of the prisoners having bee.-
alarmed, nr de every effort hi tb
power to s mre their acquittal. Lr
win Hodges, the brother, who was
residing about thirty-one miles from
Nauvoo. was the most active, took
the lead In arranging their plan of
defence, and swore bitter and deadly
vengeance against all who took part
In their arrest or prosecution. Being
also a Mormon, he denounced the lead-
ers of the Church for suffering his
brothers to be taken out of Nauvoo,
and said If they were hung It should
cost the best blood In that- city.
Messrs. Hall & Mills of Burlington,
Iowa, were employed to defend them,
and their fee of one thousand dollars
secured to them. All that could he
done to prevent a verdict of guilty,
was carefully thought of and carried
through as a primary step towards
this end, an affidavit for a continu-
ance was filed, “sworn to by the
Hodges, to obtain the following wit-
nesses: John and Aaron Long, Judge
Fox and Henry Adams of St. Louis,
nnd John W. Brafflt, Henry Moore,
Samuel Smith, Lydia Hodges, John
Bliss, Caroline Moore, Samuel Walton,
Sarah Ann Wood, Horace Brafflt, Mrs.
Artemus Johnson, Thomas Morgan,
(a son of the late William Morgan of
Batavia, N. Y., author of disclosures
on Masonry.) John Court. Mrs. Camp-
bell, (sister of the Hodges.) Harriet 8t.
John, and n Miss Hawkins of Nauvoo;
witnesses not. then present, who would
swear that they were In Nnuvoo at
the time of the murder, and other
facts that would establish their In-
nocence beyond the power of contra-
diction.
On this affidavit the case was con-
tinued until the 15th of the same
month, during which time I remained
at Montrose, and occasionally visited
Nauvoo, to watch the movements of
those whose names were Inserted In
the said affidavit. Everything tended
to confirm the former opinion of both
Sheriff Estes and myself that they
were all connected with the same
gang, and intended to swenr their
comrades out at all hazards. But sus
plclon was not testimony, and nothing
remained fee us to do but to watch
and bide our time.
The anxiously looked-for day of trial
came, and armed with good counsel
on either side, the trial began. By a
strong chntu of circumstantial evi-
dence, a clear case ivas made out
against the prisoners, backed by the
testimony of the wives of the mur-
dered men, and the assertions of Llecy
as to their identity, which he relter-
uted In the last moments of his life.
A vigorous defence was made, but the
witnesses for the prisoners could not
tell a consistent story, and frequently
gave the lie one to the other, though
all agreed that they were In Nauvoo
at the time the murder was commit-
ted. In this they had been well
trained, but those who tutored them
forgot to designate uuy particular
point, and consequenily, some swore
to one point and others to another.
This alone was sufficient to controvert
tlielr testimony In this particular, and
show the object for which they were
brought there.
Lydia Hodges, wife of Amos
Hodges, who was In attendance as a
witness, feigned sickness, and was ab-
sent from the court room nnd sent for
one of the counsel for the prisoners.
As he entered the room she burst Into
tear*, nnd exclaimed:
“Must I go to court?"
"If you can swear the boys were
at home, on the night of the murder,
your testimony will be very material
and cannot be dispensed with. Can
you svear that?”
“They were out that night.”
“Do you know where they were?”
“They left In company with Tom
Brown, nnd said they were going over
to Iowa.”
"When did they return?”
“Early the next morning."
“What did they say?”
“That they had been unsuccessful.”
“And nothing about the murder?”
“They said that they hnd a desperate
fight,, and were afraid that they had
killed somebody.”
“What Is their business?"
“Robbery Is the only one I know of.”
“Who are engaged with them?”
“All their father’s family, and lead-
ers In the Mormon Church encourage
them In it, nnd share the spoils.”
"You know- all this, or Is It merely
a rumor?”
“I know it, and am now brought
here to swear them clenr. They hnve
always been kind to me, and yet I
cannot swear my soul to eternal per-
dition. nnd destroy all my hopes of
happiness both here and hereafter, to
save them. Must 1 go to court?”
"I don’t know yet.”
"I cannot, will not do it! I cannot
swear for them, and I will not swear
against them.”
Other conversation was had, nnd the
lawyer returned again to court, more
than ever convinced of the hopeless-
ness of his case, though he still strug-
gled hard to the very end. It was
vain, however, for after much time
had been consumed In the trial. It
wits brought, to a close by the 1 >:i
word that fell from the lips of th
foreman of the jury—the end at c.rce
of tlielr hopes, and the eonsu-n- uni Pi
of tlielr fears, the knell of t’t • r e h
of death—the-dreadful word—-'!r. !:..!
A horrid sound, is it nr,:,
the ear of man? Wh.it ;! :i"t- n
at It—the rope, the gibbet, the coffin,
the grave! Show me the eye that
t.ttn look calmly upon them, und the
heart that does not grow sick, and
the form that does not tremble aspen
like at the bare mention of their hor-
rors How then must It be when they
kuow each day brings them nearer,
and each turn of the hand upon the
dial Is hastening them to their cer-
tain doom? Awful! awful!! und yet
-blood for blood” Is the cry, and a
waving sea of human bauds surround
the place of exocutlou, unsatisfied and
res’Jew, till the hist gasp attests the
passage of the soul from earth.
Strong efforts were made by tlielr
brother, Erwin Hodges, to arouse the
Mormons, and urge them to attempt
I heir rescue. Loudly he threatened
and swore that If Brigham Young did
not send men to break open the Jail
and save them he would denounce
them to the proper authorities, and
confess all he knew. Little time, how-
ever, was given him for the execu-
tion of his threats, for on the same
night, at the early hour of nine, he
was basely murdered In the streets of
Nauvoo. Knocked down with clubs
and stubbed with his own bowle knife;
he lay reeking In blood, another vic-
tim to the vengeance of the Mormons!
No effort wus made by the authori-
ties of Nhuvoo to ferret out and arrest
the murderers, and soon after Brig-
ham Young told his followers, In a
public discourse, that “they hnd no
business to Inquire who killed Erwin
Hodges—that no man, who wus a man,
would do it, nnd that every member
of the Church must mind his own
business.”
Hopelessly, entirely now, the prison-
ers ware forced to submit to their
certain fate, nnd passing the hours
within the lonely confines of their
prison cells, wntched the sunbeams as
they crept upon the dusty wallH, nnd
counted the moments as they passed,
hastening them towards the day of
their execution.
To be Continued.
Foley’s Honey and Tar is the best
and safest cough remedy for children
At the first symptoms of a cold, give
as directed, and ward off danger of
croup, bronchichitis, sore throat, cold
In the head, and stuffy breathing. It
brings comfort and ease to the little
ones. Contains no opiates or other
harmful drugs. Keep always on hand
and refuse substitutes. J. R. Peel.
Unusual Luck.
“So you've rented that haunted
bouse which was on your bauds so
long?”
"Yes; reuted It to an actor.’’
"Did he find out Its reputation?”
“That’s tbe very tblng wbtcb de-
cided bim to take tbe bouse.”
"Ratber surprising!”
“He said It would be such a comfort
for bim to get (gslde of a bouse where
the ghost walked every night.”—Balti-
more American.
If you are suffering ‘ from bilious-
ness, constipation, indigestion, chron-
ic headache, invest one cent in a post-
al card, send to Chamberlain Medicine
Co., Des Moines, Iowa, with your
name and address plainly on tbe beck
and they will forward you a free sam-
ple of Chamberlain’s Stomach and
j liver Tablets. Sold by John R. Peel.
r
A BARGAIN
20 acres laud between Pilot
Point and Aubrey on public road.
Nice level land, with $1000 of
improvements. An ideal little
home for trucking and poultry
^ raising. Price only $1300.
(• We cooperate with over 1000 real estate firms in the
^ sale of land, and have a list of about 1500 pieces^of prop-
erty in our offioe which you are invited to oall and look
over if you want to buy or trade any kind of property.
Southern Lapd & Loap
Copipapy
E. C- Barton, D. J. Moffitt.
Opera House Building and Poat-SIgnal office, Pilot Point,
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The Post-Signal (Pilot Point, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, December 3, 1909, newspaper, December 3, 1909; Pilot Point, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth982833/m1/2/: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .