Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1858-05-20
INDEPENDENCE ITEMS
INDEPENDENCE, May IL, 1853.

INDEPENDENCE, May II, 1863.
Mn. EDITOR In the absence of any
local excitement worthy of mention, /
will take the liberty of giving you an ac
count of the murder committed in Liber-
ty Township, this county, some four
weeks since, but which has just been dis
covered. My information is CLEANED
from the Coroner's report. which is Off
cial, and may be relied upon. II would
appear from the deposition of IL. c. Ma
son, that the deceased, FRANCOIS Braneck,
native of Belgium, was at his house on
the 18th day of April last had been
there off and on for several days. One
Jean Dulanoy, Frcnchman accompani-
ed him for the purpose of acting as in
terpreter, for which service he had his
expenses borne by Branch. On the
same day they left Mason's house toge-
Their, Dulanoy carrying gun. A short
time after they left Mason heard the re-
port of gun in the direction they had
taken towards Quasqueton), and as he
thinks near the spot where the body was
found. The body was distinctly recog-
nized as the deceased, by two or three
witnesses. He had on his person, as Ma
son testifies, about $500 when he left his
house in company with Dulanoy. OF
course his body was stripped of every
thing valuable, when found.
The Coroner's Jury, consisting of j.
B. Gleason, Harley G. Mason and Chris
topher Uteg, returned verdict "that
the deceased, Branch, came 10 his death
on the 18th day of April, 1853, by a
gun shot from the hand of person who
called himself Jean Dulanoy, French
man, and that it was done feloniously"
Some further evidence has come to
light, which coroborates and establishes
the supposition arrived at by the coroner's
jury. This Dulanoy was met by French
brewer, who has lately moved into this
place., near Collins Grove, on the
morning of the 18th of April, on his way
to Dubuque, in a great hurry, and hav-
ing in his possession the gun and other
property of the murdered man. He was
in so great hurry, that although he was
we'll acquainted with the brewer, he
would not stop long enough TO take a
drink of lager. 1t has also been ascer-
tanned that on his arrival at DUBUQUE,
suspicion of foul play on his part was
manifested among Branech's acquaintan-
ces, and they SO frightened him with
their close questions as to Branech's
whereabouts, that he slopcd Immediately
to parts unknown. The circumstances
. together, make out case sufficient to
secure Dulanoy's conviction for the MUIR
der, and it is to be hoped he may be ap-
pretended A reward Of $3.50 has been
offered by Sheriff Martin, which will
probably secure his arrest.
Permit me, while thus DEPRESSING from
the original design Of my letter, to men
ton one other matter, which may inter-
est people generally throughout the
county. l refer 10 the present unsighdy
and inconyenicnt shape of our civil
townships. understand that Judge
Tabor is favorable to the establishment
of the townships upon the original plan
of the United States survey, and eventu-
ally Cat no distant day either) this plan
will be adopted. With view to the
change, it would be we'll for people 10
locate their school houses in such posi-
tons that they would not be unfayorably
affected thereby. The change is one
that everyone is in favor of, and it will,
and ought to be soon effected. Yours,
MONCRIFF.