The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-05-07
From the Missouri Republican, May |.
The Tragedy Of the lssh..--Fiye Thousand
Dollars Reward.

have been engaged in investigating some
recent Developments connected with the
murder of Messrs. Baker and Weaver.
and the burning of tire store Of hfessrs.
Collier q Pettus, and we have rcIrained
from giving any of the pa,tic,!ars, lest
our doing so might impede their opera
tons. The objects of secrecy being over,
in the opinion of the officers, we feel at
liberty to state the particulars so far as
they have been developed.
negro man named Edward II. Ennis,
who has been for some time past in the
employ of barber named Johnson, on
Market street, opposite the National llo-
tel, made the disclosure. The commune
cations, it seems, were made to Ennis BY
one of the parties, that Ennis being unea-
sy about it and yet afraid, because of the
excitement, and also Of the murders, to
tell what he knew, went on Friday last
to Butcher, yellow man, who resides in
Brooklyn, on the opposite side of the
river, and told him what he knew and
asked his advice. Butcher refused to
give any advice; On Sunday, he went
over again and went to Alton, when But
cher communicated the facts to two con-
stables who arrested Ennis, and after
taking his statement, came here with the
expectation of catching one of the parties,
(Warrick,) but he had left before their
arrival
The circumstances of this horrible affair,
as detailed by Ennis, are as follows {:
About 10 o'clock on Saturday night, En-
mis- went from the barber shop to his
boarding house, kept by Leah, free
yellow woman, and Peter CharlcvIIe, a
free man, on Third, between Market and
Walnut streets. Shortly after he had
gone TO bed. a negro slave named Madi-
son, came to the door, knocked and was
admitted. Soon after being admitted,
Madison exclaimed, CD d-n the
luck, and on an inquiry why, he stated,
Il have done more murder tonight than
| ever did before and have not been paid
for it," and after remarking that there
would be an alarm of fire shortly, he sta
ted in substance, that he and three yellow
men, viz James Seward, alias Sewell
Warrick and Brown, had gone on that
night to Mr.. Pettus' counting room, that
the door was unlocked; Madison entered
alone, Mr.. Baker was sitting down with
his boots off, reading newspaper, Madi-
son walked up and presented bank bill
to HIM, and asked him if it was good, and
as Baker turned to look at the bill he
struck him over the head with short bar
of iron which he had concealed under his
arm; the others then came in, and they
repeated the blows until he was quite
dead, his skull and one side of the head
completely mashed, after searching the
body for the keys, they rolled it up in the
bed clothes and placed it in the bed
They secured the door and went to
work on the vault to open it. Whilst at
this work, Mr.. Weaver came to the door
and knocked, and called to Jesse, (Mr.
Baker, to let him in. Some dispute en-
sued between Brown and Madison, which
should kill Weaver; and it was insisted
that Madison should, as he had killed
Baker, but he refused, saying that he had
done his share and would do no more.
Brown opened the door and placed him
self behind it, and as Weaver passed into
the room, struck him over the head with
the bar of iron; on the second blow he
fell and attempting to rise Brown thrust
a sharp iron bar through his head. Ennis
in his statement, does not confirm the
report of the freng of the pistols, bu,
says, that having heard that Weaver was
shot, he asked Madison about it, and he
told him that no pistol had been fired and
that they had no weapons but the bar of
iron mentioned. From the statement it
would seem that all of th9n had beaten
Baker.
After some further effort at the vault.
finding they could not get into it Madison
left; Warrick, Sewell and Brown remain
ed short Time, then fired the house in
five different places, came out, locked the
door and went up the alley north from
the house, and threw the key away.
Brown took with him gold watch and
blue cloth cloak, which he said he had
thrown away for fear Of detection, but did
not say where.
1t seems from the statements, that En-
mis-. on the morning following, was in
company with all of them and many of
the facts he got from others besides Madi-
son. Warrick and Sewell said but little
nhnnt II -Mnlisnn hnL u.iIh Lin, o., liz