The banditti of the prairies, or, The murderer's doom!!

Introduction

Before entering fully upon our tale of blood, which will thrill every heart, with a shuddering sense of the brutality of man, we would premise, by stating briefly, a few of the reasons that have led to this exposure.

The public are desirous of obtaining the facts and testimony con¬ cerning two of the most horrible and cold blooded murders that were ever recorded in the annals of crime; and the possession of such facts as would at once bring the remainder of the perpetra¬ tors to a summary and severe punishment. Great have heen the depredations of the organized band of robbers that once, and still to some extent, infest the Western portion of the fair state of Illinois; and the good and honest citizens of Rock Island have had calumny and abuse heaped upon their heads to an unlimited extent by these cowardly ruffians, and that without a single chance of refutation.

To refute, also, the charge of hanging “ innocent men,” as for instance John Long, one of the most notorious of the gang, and plainly disprove the many falsehoods that they have from time to time caused to appear in the public journals, to sustain the inno¬ cent, and fearlessly expose the guilty, these hastily written records have been made public and without fear or favor they are sent broadcast over the land, which was the scene of their cold blooded ed murders, and which was also the place of their condemnation and downfall.

With these simple explanations we turn at once to the subject of the narrative, confident that all will be interested and satisfied.

JOHN LONG.

THE

BANDITTI OF THE FRAMES:

OR, THE

TALE OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.

Chapter. I

Thk Valley of the Mississippi River from its earliest settle¬ ment has been more infested with reckless and blood-stained men, than any other part of the country, being more congenial to their habits and ofFering the greatest inducements to follow their nefari¬ ous and dangerous trade.

Situated as it is, of great commercial importance, and the river whose name it bears together with its tributaries stretching four thousand miles north from the gulf of Mexico, and draining all the country South and West of the great chain of Lakes, and be¬ tween the Alleghany and Rocky Mountains, it has afforded them an unequalled chance to escape detection and pursuit, and thus wooed as it were, countless villians and blood-stained, law-doomed ones to screen themselves in its bosom.

Organized bands, trampling upon right, and defying all law hu¬ man or divine, have so annoyed the peaceful and quiet citizens of this great valley, that in the absence of a sufficient judicial power the aid of “Judge Lynch” has been but too frequently called in, and a neighboring tree proved a gallows and “a short shrift and strong cord” been the doom of those who have ever plead vainly for mercy at his bar.

But this mode of summary punishment only served to drive those really guilty from one section of the country to another, changing for a time their plan of action and operations, without, in the least, reforming or exterminating them, while in many in¬ stances the innocent were made to atone for the crime of the guilty.

It would be useless to attempt to enumerate the thousand rob¬ beries and scores of murders committed from time to time by the organized and lawless Banditti, and our task shall be simply and plainly to detail the particulars of a few, of the many committed by that portion of the gang infesting the country bordering on the Upper Mississippi. To track them plainly and fearlessly — to visit them in their most secret hiding places, and expose their most hid¬ den plans is the purpose of this narrative. This will include, fully, the particulars of the murder of Miller and Liecy in Lee County Iowa, also that of Col. George Davenport at Rock Island, in the State of Illinois; also the pursuit, capture, arrest, trial, conviction and execution of Stephen and William Hodges, John and Aaron Long, andGlanvill Young: the pursuit, arrest, and escape of Wm. Fox and Robert Birch, and conviction of John Baxter, with the names and places of residence of a large number of the gang who are yet at large and unsuspected, with their mode of operations in their daring robberies and murders.

Such is the tale we have undertaken and we enter upon it fear¬ lessly, in the firm belief that we shall be sustained and repaid for the time and money it has cost to procure the many facts here set down. At once, then, we begin.

In the fall and winter of 1844, a large number of robberies and murders of the most daring and blood-thirsty kind, were commit¬ ted, and yet so perfect was the organization of the perpetrators that all efforts to bring them to justice, proved abortive. So great indeed was the terror that they had inspired, that the good, quiet and orderly citizens, before retiring to rest at night, made all pre¬ parations for resistance that were in their power, and armed to the teeth, with doors and windows securely barred and bolted, laid down in fear and trembling to wish for the return of morning again.

Among the robberies committed was that of a stage belonging u

OB, THE MCRDEREb’s DOOM.

to Frink, Walker <fe Co., neai Rockford, Illinois. A plan had long been on foot to rob the Dixon Land Office, and this was the end to be accomplished by the robbery of the stage. It was well known to many that a large amount of money, received from the sales of the public land, was deposited there and was about to be removed. One of the gang, in i\der to ascertain the particulars and the pre¬ cise time of its removal, took occasion to ask the Receiver “when he intended to go to Chicago;” that being the place where the de¬ posit was to be made. The Receiver, however, being upon his guard and a prudent man, set the time one week later than he in¬ tended to start, and thereby baffled the preconcerted schemes of the robbers.

At the time designated for making the deposit, the stage coach was intercepted, and a trunk taken which was supposed to contain the land office money. Nothing, however, of value was found in it, with the exception of some rich clothing. Great exertions were made to ascertain who were guilty, but without avail, and the cau¬ tion of the Receiver was the safeguard.

Some time in the winter of 1844 or early in 1845, it was ru¬ mored that a Mr. Mulford in Ogle County, had in his possession a large amount of money that he had recently received from the State of New York. This information was communicated to the gang by their friends at Washington Grove, in Ogle County, and immediate preparations were made by them to secure this prize, 4he amount of which was said to be about fourteen thousand dol¬ lars.

To accomplish this it was decided to be most advisable to com¬ mit the robbery under the cover of night. Minute information be¬ ing necessary, one of the gang under the assumed name of Har¬ ris, visited the house for the avowed purpose of obtaining employ¬ ment. Mr. Mulford wished to hire for six months, but Harris •declined to engage for a longer term than three months, and there was some difference in opinion between them about wages. Har¬ ris, after some further conversation during which he carefully looked around, left with a promise to call again in a few days. How well he kept that promise the sequel will show!

A few nights after this, three men entered the house of Mr. Mulford, disguised and fully armed with pistols and knives, lmme diately on their entrance one seized a loaded rifle belonging to Mulford, that was standing in one corner of the room, and aiming it at his head, threatened him with instant death if he attempted to move or speak, and at the same time demanded his money. His wife also, who was by his side, was threatened in case she attempt¬ ed to give any alarm or raise from her pillow.

Mr. Mulford told the rubbers that he had but little money and wdieie it was concealed. This, amounting to about four hundred dollars, they eagerly seized, and then by threats of instant death, attempted to make him give them the large sum they thought in his possession. Again and again he assured them that he had giv¬ en them all he had, but thinking that he was deceiving them they began to search the house. The one who had the rifle remained at the bed side of Mr. and Mrs. Mulford as a guard, another sta¬ tioned himself at the door, while the third whom Mrs. Mulford recognized as Harris, searched every part of the house.

Like an old and experienced hand in such matters, Harris allow¬ ed nothing to escape him, and even went so far as to bring several large cakes of tallow from the cellar and cut each completely apart, with a stroke of his large bowie knife, in order to satisfy himself that they did not contain money. A bureau in the room of Mrs. Mulford contained a large quantity of linen neatly folded and arranged, and this also was carefully searched by Harris, who shook each piece out to see that no money was secreted in it, and then threw it carelessly upon the floor.

Notwithstanding the perilous situation in which she was placed, and with death surrounding her on every side, Mrs. Mulford could not quietly see her linen, after the trouble it had cost her to ar¬ range it, thrown into such disorder, and careless of the result, addressed the robber:

“Mr. Harris,” said she, “you conduct yourself very differently from what you did the other day when you wished to obtain em¬ ployment.”

The unveiled robber sprang to his feet with a loud oath, sur¬ prised at the daring of the defenceless and heroic woman.' With eyes flashing with rage he sprang to the bed side and drawing his bowie knife waived it above her head.

“-you lay down and cover up your head ! If you utter

OR, THE MURDERER'S DOOM.

another word while we are in the house, I will make a stain on the floor that will last long after you are gone! ”

Then turning to his comrades, he continued in an under tone, and one in which fear was plainly distinguished,

“ By-I must be missing. I’m known, and this is no place

for me. A minute more, boys, and I’m off.”

The search was hastily finished and the robbers left the house with the exception of Harris, who remained for a moment behind and addressed Mr. Mulford.

“ Old man, do you intend to follow us 1 ”

“I don’t know,” was the reply.

Do you intend to follow us, I say ? ”

“ I can’t tell. I have not thought about it.”

“You must tell. What do you say, old man t ”

“ I don’t know that it will do any good,”

“You had better not! Take my advice and keep still. There are a good many of us, and you could not catch us if you were to try. We shall leave a man with a loaded rifle to guard your door, and if any one ventures out before sunrise a bullet will end their prying. Good bve, old man, we are off, and you follow if you dare ! ”

Witli this parting salutation the robbers left, and Mr. Mulford after remaining perfectly quiet for a short time ventured out doors, but could see nothing of his late and unwelcome visitors. In the morning he gave the alarm, and a minute search was made, but without avail. Nothing could be learned in regard to them, and after a short time, the matter was almost forgotten in the series of depredations that followed.

In the Spring of 1844, a man in disguise entered the store of Mr. McKinney at Rockford, Illinois, during the night, and took from behind the counter a trunk containing about seven hundred dollars, with which he was about leaving, when the clerk, a broth¬ er of Mr. McKinney, who was sleeping on the counter, awoke, and demanded:

“ Who is there I ”

“Your brother wants the trunk,” was the reply.

“ But who are you 1 ”

“ Your brother wants the trunk.”

“ But stop! the trunk can’t go. Who sent you for it 1 ”

THE BANDITTI OF THE PRAIRIES I

“Look here,” replied the robber taking the clerk by the hand and drawing the keen edge of a bowie knife lightly across his fin¬ gers: “ Do you feel that 1 it is very sharp, and I do not fear to use it! Keep still and you shan’t be hurt, but the trunk must go! ”

The clerk finding that he was completely in the power of the ruffian, and that resistance would be vain, suffered the robber to depart with his prize, without molestation. Immediately, howev¬ er, he alarmed the neighborhood and search was made, but neither the robber or trunk could be found. The following day, the trunk was found a short distance from the store broken open and rifled of its contents, but no trace of the robber could be discovered.— Another daring and unatoned for crime, to be charged to the des¬ perate Banditti of the Prairies.

In the fall of 1844, a pedlar by the name of Miller was robbed of a large amount of goods at Troy Grove, but as usual the rob¬ bers remained undetected. A short time after, an attempt was made to rob a man near Inlet Grove, by two men who entered the house at night disguised and armed. One of the robbers feigned lameness, and perfectly imitated one Bliss at Inlet Grove, and the other was recognized as Dewey of the same place. Both were arrested, tried and convicted at the Spring term of the Lee Coun¬ ty Circuit Court, and furnished with lodgings and employment at the expense of the State for the term of three years.

Soon after this conviction, a train of suspicious circumstances led to the arrest of a man named West, at Inlet Grove, for the rob¬ bery of the pedlar at Troy Grove. Search was made, and won¬ derful as it may appear, a portion of the goods were found in his house.

West was committed to await his trial at the next term of the Court, but after remaining in prison a short time he offered to turn State’s evidence and disclose all he knew concerning the gang.— This proposition was accepted, and he made what he called a full confession and disclosure, implicating a large number of men who were suspected, as well as many who had been heretofore watch¬ ed. Upon these disclosures, several arrests were made and some property that had been before stolen, recovered. Part of the goods that had been taken from the pedlar at Troy Grove were in

OR, THH MURDERER’S DOOM. l5

the house of one Sawyer at Inlet, who was ariesteu, tried, con¬ victed and sentenced to the Penitentiary for two years.

West accused one Fox, alias Sutton, and John Baker of having committed the robbery at Troy Grove, and said that most of the goods had been secreted at Inlet Grove, and subsequently taken to Iowa. He also avowed that Fox and Birch, alias Blecker, alias Harris, committed the robbery for which Bliss and Dewey were sent to prison, and that the former was totally innocent, while the latter was accessory, having “ got up the sight.” He further sta¬ ted, that Fox had robbed one Mr. Hascal, a merchant at Inlet, by entering the house during a very severe thunder storm, and crawl¬ ing upon the floor till he reached the trunk wherein was deposited the money, and having secured it, left without being heard, al¬ though Mr. and Mrs. Hascal were lying in the bed awake , at the time. To prove this, Fox subsequently stated the conversation that had passed between them while he was in the act of rifling the trunk!

These disclosures of West led to the arrest of Bridge and Oli¬ ver, who were convicted as accessory to the robbery of Mulford, and sentenced to the Penitentiary, one for seven and the other for eight years. He also revealed many particulars relative to the robbery of the stage of Messrs. Frink, Walker & Co., and the plot in regard to the Dixon Land Office, and after attending seve¬ ral terms of Court as a witness, and being instrumental in some convictions, left the country of his disgrace and villainy, it is thought, forever.

In the fall of 1844, two men traveling as Mormon preachers, stopped with a man of the Mormon faith near Pekin, on the Illinois River, stayed several days and preached in the neighborhood.— One of them exchanged a hundred dollar bill with the old man, telling him that Brigham Young wanted the gold to purchase ma¬ terials for the temple at Nauvoo, that could not be obtained for any other kind of money. By this exchange they ascertained where the old man kept his money, which amounted to nearly two thou¬ sand dollars, mostly in gold, and marked it for their prey. After remaining a few days longer, another of their comrades joined them and the three left their pious friend with many thanks for his hospitality, and good wishes for the cause of Mormonism. Little time, however, had elapsed, ere one of them returned, and enter¬ ing the old man’s house in the night, took every cent of money he possessed, including the hundred dollar bill he had kindly exchan¬ ged for them, and made his escape undiscovered.

Early in the Spring of 1845, three men carefully disguised, en¬ tered the dwelling of a Norwegian family in Lee County, Iowa, during the dark hours of night, fully armed and prepared for rob¬ bery and bloodshed. With fearful oaths and imprecations, they demanded money. The terrified family gave the robbers all they possessed, but which, however, amounted to but a few dollars.— Disbelieving the words of the terrified ones, they proceeded to search the house, but without success, and having found a quantity of provisions ready cooked, they supped with much composure, and then, taking a quantity of clothing, left the house.

Soon after this, a Mr. Smith was robbed in a similar manner, in the same County, and apparently (from their operations) by the same band, and yet no clue could be obtained as to who they were, although Mr. Smith and his family were confident that they could recognize the robbers if they could see them.

Briefly have we sketched a few of the most daring, robberies that were successfully carried through in the surrounding country, and that but to relate the facts , without cmbelishment, and now turn to what is of deeper interest, praying patience for the unin¬ teresting style of our narrative.

OR, THE MURDERER'S DOOM.

IT

Chapter II. The Mormons

Nauvoo, the nead-quarters of the Mormon chief and his satelites, had already increased to a population of sixteen or eighteen thou¬ sand. The great temple, which by the way, was built for the pur¬ pose of a fort or stronghold, was in process of erection, and rapid¬ ly being pushed on towards completion. Like the old established system of England, each member was required, aye, even compell¬ ed to give one-tenth of all he possessed, and annually thereafter give one-tenth of their income to the leaders of the church. The male members were also required to labor one-tenth of the time upon the temple or pay an equivolent therefor, in case of failure in money, to the amount of such labor to the temple committee. A rod of iron — a scepter of might was held constantly over their heads to enforce these things, and woe betide the man who dare disobey the arbitrary mandates of that church militant.

While the Mormons were rapidly increasing in numbers, and daily increasing their power and wealth, the country around was suffering severely from a succession of robberies almost without a parallel in the annals of crime. Stock of every description and goods of all kinds were constantly taken, and all in the vicinity trembled lest they like their neighbors, might be stripped of their all without a hope of restoration or revenge.

The offenders were frequently tracked in the direction of Nau voo, and sometimes, though rarely, the property was recovered, but in no case could the perpetrators of the crime be arrested and brought to justice. In case of an arrest at Nauvoo the accused were immediately released by the City anthorities, and the cry of “ Persecution against the Saints ” raised, effectually drowning the pleas for justice, of the injured, and the officer forced to return and tell the tale of defeat. This done, the fugitive found a safe shelter under the wide spread wings of the Mormon leaders and laughed at pursuit.

Repeated threats were made by the robbed and injured, and as often answered by the cry of “ Persecution against the Saints ! ” This cry was responded to from abroad by those who knew noth¬ ing of the real cause of complaint, with sympathy for the “ poor, persecuted Mormons,” and bitter denunciations against their per¬ secutors who were the real sufferers and most deserving of sympa¬ thy. Thus affairs stood while still worse grew the troubles, and the bud of revenge was bursting into blossom. Even among them¬ selves, the seeds of discord were planted, and bitter words were telling that even “Saints” were not perfection, whatever they might claim for themselves, or whoever were their leaders.

In the Spring of 1844, Wm. Law, a leading Mormon, openly charged the Prophet (Joseph Smith) with an attempt to seduce his wife. (This soon after became the spiritual wife doctrine, and was believed, and even preached to some extent by the leaders of the Mormon Church.) This charge was promptly denied by the Prophet, and Law was denounced in the most bitter terms for an alleged attempt to slander the Prophet—the holy head of the Church, and as a persecutor of the Saints. Summoned by the high tribunal of the Chureh Law appeared, refused to retract what he had said, and again avowed its truth, for which he was immedi¬ ately cut off from the Church. Being a man of considerable in¬ fluence, Law drew with him a few of the disaffected members of the Church, who were already tired of bowing in humble submis¬ sion, and paying tribute to the Prophet Joseph, and being held the ready subjects of his will and pleasure.

Among these deserters were Wilso, Law, Frank, Higby, Foster, and others, who determined to put the world in possession of their grievances, by publishing a long train of corruption and crimes, countenanced and practiced by the Prophets and heads of the Church, in which they had long been accomplices or accessory.— In order more effectually to accomplish their designs and bring themselves into notice they at once set about establishing a prin¬ cipal office at Nauvoo, in direct opposition to the will and special edict of the Prophet.

In the month of May, A. D. 1844, the new press was put in ope¬ ration, and the prospectus and first number of a newspaper pub¬ lished under the title of the “ Nauvoo Expositor.” It contained a

OR, THE MURDERER’S DOOM.

series of charges against Joseph Smith, and the leading men in the church, including bigamy, adultery, larceny, counterfeiting, &c. — In repl^ to this, the “ Nauvoo Neighbor,” a newspaper printed un¬ der the direction and control of the Prophet, charged the dissenters from the Mormon faith with the same crimes, and sustained many of the charges by the publication of numerous affidavits, made, without doubt, by the Prophet’s standing witnesses. Each appear¬ ed determined to out-do the other in the promulgation of slander and abuse, with which, according to their own stories, each had long possessed a knowledge of. If either were guilty of half they were accused of, the gallows had long been de.rauded of its just dues, and earth was teeming with the base, the vile, and the blood¬ stained.

But while the surrounding Country was suffering by and remon¬ strating against the perpetration of these crimes, and charging them justly upon the Mormons, they with one united voice echoed the cry of “ Persecution for Righteousness’ sake.” Then was it that the old adage was freely proved, that when “ rogues fall out honest men get their dues.”

Upon the issue of the first number of the “Expositor,” the Prophet and his adherents determined to at once silence them by the destruction of the press, and the total annihilation of the office. The subject was brought before the City Council, and many inflamatory speeches were made, in most of w hich the members of the said Council participated. Smith, the Prophet, told them “ that the time had come to strike the blow! That God no longer re¬ quired them to submit to the oppression of their enemies, and that he should vote for the destruction of the press ; that it w r as a nui¬ sance, and he should order it destroyed as such! ”

Hiram Smith spoke in substance the same as his brother, and also denounced in unmeasured terms, Sharp, the editor of the War¬ saw Signal. He said “he would give any man five hundred dollars who would go into the Signal office with a sledge and demolish the press. That it should be done at all hazards, even if it took his farm to pay for it! ”

Upon calling for the vote, eleven voted for, and one against, declaring the Expositor a nuisance, and immediate measures were taken for carrying the ordinance for its destruction into effect.—

THE BANDITTI Or THE PRAIRIES:

This dissenting vote was a Mr. Warring, and the only anti-Morraon in the Council, and little was he regarded by the hot headed ones who were bent on destruction.

The City Marshall, acting under the orders of the Council, rais¬ ed a force of several hundred men, headed by Gen. Dunham of the Nauvoo legion, armed with clubs, &c., and proceeded to the print¬ ing office. Meeting with no resistance, they entered the office, took the blank paper and other materials and burned them in the streets, pied the type, and taking the press into the street, broke it into pieces with hammers.

This done, they repaired to the house of the Prophet who addressed them in terms of praise, applauding them for their ser¬ vices, and telling them that they had but done their duty and up¬ held the law. In return he was loudly cheered by the mob, after which they quietly and immediately dispersed. Some of the lea¬ ders, however, remained and congratulated each other upon their success, and the downfall of the power of their enemies. Fore¬ most among them was the Marshall, who thus addressed the Prophet:

“General, this is the happiest hour of my life !”

“ Thank you, my good fellow,” was the reply, “ you have done well, done your duty, and shall be rewarded for it.”

This outrage upon the public press helped to fan the flame already kindled against the Mormon outlaws, by their repeated depredations upon the citizens of the surrounding country, and plainly foreshadowed the storm that was to burst with startling fury.

The dissenting Mormons at once united with those opposed to that sect, and various meetings were called, and all parties urged to arm and prepare themselves to resist any further aggression: to be ready at all hazards to protect themselves and meet the worst. Warrants were issued against the Smiths, and other leaders, in the destruction of the printing office of the Expositor, and though served by the proper officers, they refused to obey the mandates of the law, and laughed at its power !

As in all former cases, the writ of Habeas Corpus was resorted to, and all the arrested at once set at liberty and discharged from arrest; the same persons that were arrested acting as officers of

OR, THE MURDERER’S DOOM.

the Courts that discharged them ! Thus effectually defeating the ends of justice, and compelling the officer to return to Carthage without a single prisoner!

This mock administration of law, added new fuel to the flame. The public being convinced that Nauvoo was the headquarters of nearly all the marauders who were preying upon the surrounding comm'unity, together with the full belief that the Mormon leaders were privy to their depredations, and the resistance and defeat of justice, now became enraged, and determined to rise in their might and enforce the law, even though it should be at the point of the bayonet or sabre. Determined to rid themselve» of the harpies that were gnawing at their very vitals, and if need be, rid them¬ selves of the whole Mormon population. Thoroughly aroused and conscious not only of their power but also the justice of their cause, they fearlessly avowed their purposes, and though still defy¬ ing, the most secret recesses of Mormondom trembled in view of the bursting of the tempest they had raised, but could not avert.

The officer, from whose custody the Smiths and others were discharged, proceeded to summon a posse and renew the arrest from the adjacent counties, rallied under the banner of law and justice. The Mormon leaders learning this fact, gathered also their forces. The Nauvoo legion, organized at the call of the Prophet, fully armed and equipped and numbering nearly four thousand, with their pieces of artillery prepared for a desperate resistance.