Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-11-13
The Davenport Murdercrs.

be relied upon as correct.
4. seems that The robbery OF Col. Dav.
export had been long in contemplation.
and was a favoriie scheme with many
members Of sfhe gang" tie wa known
10 be immensely rich. and ii was suppos.
ed. 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 knowl-
edge of Col. D's monetary affairs, aud
was OF opinion thai he kept his money IN
81 Louis, and never had much al Rock
Island. Birch, therefore. with his usual
caution and calculation of chances and
profits. was a, frs, opposed to the enter
prise, but the arguments drawn from the
fertlle lmaginallons Of MS coadjntors, VII,
pictured in glowing colors the certainty of
making raise Of thirty thousand dollars,
in American gold and Missouri paper. as
the result of this '.ruigp" upon Colonel
Davenport. finally brought him over.
Robert Birch. William Fox, John Long
and Aaron Long, with others confederai
ing with them, having talked this matter
over a, Nauvoo. and final, determined.
upon The enterprise al old Redin's. on De
vii Creek. wen, to Fort Madison TO take
a boat going mp the river. On the 9Th
day of June they took the steamboa; Us-
prey, and proceeded up the river, above
Rock Island, and landed at Albany, Hi
nols. They Immediately proceeded out
back of Albany eight or nine miles and
enc amped in the woods. They had heard
Of man by the name of Miller. out there
who was supposed 10 have money. and
Fox went there and stald all night. In
the morning. he offered Miller ten dol.
lar Missouri hill 10 change. but he had not
money elorgh to change il, SO that enter
PRISE was gwen up as bad speculation.
They therefore came back 10 Albany in
the night and stole skltf and came down
the river 10 the island Of Rock Island. and
landed on the Illinois shore. and eucamp-
ed on the bluff. opposite the Island where
they remained until the 4th. Aaron Long
weni TO Rock Island and purchased the
provisions which they consumed during
the three or four DAYS they were encamp-
ed. John Long was in town on the Sd
of july, and purchased whIskev. They
sent one of their number for John Baxter,
who lived al Rock Island. He me, them
on the bluff, back of J W. Spencers.
and there they talked the robbery over.
and finally matnred their plans.
The 4 h of July was the day fixed up
on for the contamination Of the act, as il
was supposed The family would on that
day all be gone from home. Baxter was
to ascertain This and inform them. AT III
O'Clock. on The 4th, Baxter went up and
told them that the family had all left, and
that the old Colonel was alone on the Is
land. At one o'clock. Fox, Birch John
Long and Aaron long went down to the
river, took the skiff they had stolen at
Albany and passed over 10 The Island
Birch. Fox and John Long proceeded 10
The house Aaron Long was left behind
to watch out. The house is situated on
the northern slope of the island, and com
mands full view If the river on the To-
wa side of the Island. and Also of the
beautiful town Of Davenport. The old
gentleman was Suing III his pSrlor lie
what IL was. Three men Birch. Fox
and John i.ong-came right upon him.
Long said to Fox. Fake ban, Chunk
ey." (Chunkev beng the lame by which
Fox was known among his companions
in cflme.) Fox then advanced and shoi
him through The left lhigh-lhe ball pass
ing en- rely through. They then bind
folded him with Fox's red handkerchief,
and bound him with some bark. They
then demanded his money. took him BY
his stock and collar and dragged him up
stairs. traces Of his blood being ieit all The
way. They then took him INTO rlasel
where his safe was, and made HIM unlock
il. They thought he had more money
than they found there and choked him TO
make hun tell where 1t was, until he faint
ed. /fhev then threw water upon him.
and brought him to. lie then pointed 10
a secret drawer, in which there was more
money, but thew could not find it. They
then chuked him, and he tainted again,
and was again brought TO. A consulta-
zion was then held whether they should
kill him One proposed to kill him, and
dHOtHeI ploppsCd w MIL Hiui hia o"'h NV
house. but the man who shot. (Fox.) as
Col. ID. thought. opposed it. They then
left suddenly, from seeing >kiff. as Is
supposed. approaching the house. /They
took about six hundred dollars IN cash, a
splendid gold watch, seal and chain,
gun and pistol. They then went back TO
their skiff crossed back TO the Illinois
shore. andl went up to where they had en-
camped, They there buried two coats in
the leaves. That,nlg they passed over
to Wilson's Ferry, on Rock River, ele-
ven miles There they stole a skiif went
down Rock River some distance, and
took over 10 New Boston by land. At
New Boston they stole another skh. and
proceeded in ii To Nauvno. From thence
they passed over Ia old man Redn :, on
Devil Greek. where they arrived on the
9Th Of Julv. four DAYS after the murder
Tho next dav Harry Redin and Granville
Young went over TO NauvoD 10 hear the
news about the murder. They returned
The same evening. and reported that they
had seen an adverllsement stating that
Davenport had died, giving an accurate
description of John Long and Fox, and