The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-12-12
The Dnvcnpors sIu,drrcr..

The following particulars relative
to the murder Of Col. Davenport, ia
ken from a pamphlet lately publish
ed at the Gazette and Advertiser of
tice, GalGna, may be relied upon as
correct. .......r..r. ~. ....
at seems that the robbery of Col.
Davenport had been long in contem.
plation, and was favorite scheme
with many members of "Me gang"
He was known to be immensely rich,
and it was supposed, kept large
amounts of money on hand at Rock
Island. Birch, however, who had
been good deal about Rock Island
and Davenport, had obtained some
knowledge of Col. DPS monetary al
fairs, and was of opinion that he
kept his money in st. Louis, and
never had much at Rock Island.
Birch, therefore, with his usual eau
ton and calculation of chances aud
profits, was at first opposed to the
enterprise, but the arguments drawn
from the fertile imaginations of his
coadjutors, who pictured in glowing
colors the certainty ofmaking raise
of thirty thousand dollars, in Amer
lean gold and Missouri paper, as the
result of this "ruIge" upon Colonel
Davenport, finally brought him over.
Robert Birch, William Fox, John
Long and Aaron Long, with others
confederating with them, having
talked this matter over at Nauvoo,
and finally determined upon the en-
terprisc at old Redin's, on Devil
Creek, went to Fort Madison to take
a boat going up the river. On the
9th day of June they took the steam.
boat Osprey, and proceeded up the
river, above Rock Island, and land
ed at Albany, Illinois. They imme-
diately proceeded out back of Alba
ny eight or nine miles and encamp-
ed in the woods. They had heard
OF man by the name If Miller, out
there, who was supposed to have
money, and Fox went there and
staid all night. In the morning, he
offered Miller a ten dollar Missouri
bill to change, but he had not mon
ey enough to change it, so that en-
terprise was given up as bad spec
ulation. They therefore came back
to Albany in the night and stole q
skiff and came down the river to the
island of Rock Island, and landed or
the Illinois shore, and encampcd or
} the bluff, opposite to the ISLAND
) where they remained until the 4th
Aaron Long went to Rock ISLAND
and purchased the provisions which
they consumed during the three O
l four days they wele encamped
= John Long was in town on the Sd o
July, and purchased Whiskey. The,
t sent one of their number for JOIN
$ Baxter, who lived at Rock Island
: He met them on the bluff, back O
t J. w. Spencer's, and there the,
e talked the robbery over, and FINAL,
n matured their plans. ....l.
y The 4th of July was the day fxc
I upon for the consummation Of til
: act, as it was supposed the famil
G would on that day all be gone fror
: home. Baxter was to ascertain thi
: and inform them. At IL o'clock o
the 4th, Baxter went up and toll
6 them that the family had all left, an
S that the old Colonel was alone on til
: Island. At one o'clock, Fox, Bircl
9 John Long and Aaron Long wer
!, down to the River, took the ski
S they had stolen at Albany, and pas.
ed over to the Island. Birch, Fo
. and John Long proceeded to III
house. Aaron Long was left behin
: to watch out. The house is tus
Q ted on the northern slope of the I.
4 Hand and Comm pdc full ,,;ou