Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-07-15

The Copper Creek Tragedy.
Testimony taken at the Inquest on the body
Of Charles s. Bean, late Of Drury to,on-
ship, Rock Island county, State Of I'LL
nois, before s. B. Simpson, j. p.
DR.. h. W. Thompson being sworn says:
have made an examination Of the body and
find wound In the left shoulder, made by
a round gun-shot, which separated the sub.
clavian artery. The wound was sufficient
to produce death.
Drs. Reeder and Wrench concurred in the
statement of Dr.. Thompson.
Affidavit of Charles S. Bean. deceased,
testities that on tho 9th day OF July, A. D.
1859, Jasper Hampton, Turner Hampton,
William Hampton, Joseph Langley. and
Sa@uel Be" rdsley did wilfully, maliciously,
and without provocation attack the said
Charles S. Bean by shooting him with ri.
fle in the hands of Jasper Hampton, causing
severe wound in the left shouder-that
said Jasper Hampton, Henry HamotoO, and
Joseph Langley were all armed with guns.
(Signed Chas: s. BEAM
Joseph Langley depose, that he started
to Muscatine in company with and at the
request of Jasper Hampton and Turner
Hampton. Bean came after us with gun
Jasper Hampton said Bean had best not
come any farther. We were about IS yards
from Bean stool 2 or yards from Jas.
per Hampton when he shot Bean stood
half minute or more after he was shot.
Heard Jasper Hampton say two or three
days before that if Bean followed him he
would shoot him. Henry Hampton and
John Phillips have told me to shoot Bean -
said could not be hurt for it. There were
three guns in our company had one am
not in the habit of carrying a gun except
when passing Beams. Phillips told me not
to fear to shoot Bean-that he would see
me through did not want to shoot Bean.
Henry Hampton told me two or three times
to shoot Bean if lie followed me. Bean was
following US with his gun when he was shot.
Do not think that Bean was trying to shoot.
Hampton was in no danger of being shot
Bean was not in a position to- shoot. No
one else told me to shoot Bean. William
Hampton and Samuel Beardsley were along
when Bean was shot. (Signed Jos. Langley
j hn Love deposes that on Thursday or
Friday last Henry Hampton told witness to
tell Bean that he had taken counse! at Rock
leland and would follow it; that counsel
told him to 60 through-if Bean made bars
or gate to open and shut them, and if he
made fence to cut it down. Henry Hamp
ton said if Bean followed them they would
shoot him. Told me to tell Mr.. Bean this ;
that they would 60 through or there would
be blood. Bean replied, ''Let them come"
Hampton said Bean must shoot quick or he
would not get the first shot. Jasper Hamp.
ton told me he would shoot Bean if he fol-
lowed him when passing through his fields
and further, if Bean ever shot one of his
brothers, he would follow him to his house
and shoot him. The road over which Hamp.
toms passed is travelled some; don't know
that Bean ever stopped any one else from
travelling it but the Hamptons. Heard the
report of the gun and saw Hamptons run.
ming down the creek few minutes after.
wards. Saw Henry Hampton at his levee !;
he came to me in the road. Said the boys
had gone through thought that Bean had
shot but had not killed them, as he saw them
going away. The road on which they were
passing is now fenced in. Bean sent writ
ten notice by me to Hamptons, Langley, and
Beardsley to keep off his land. Hamptons
sent word to Bean the same day to open the
road. (Signed, John Love.)
Rachael Bishop being duly sworn, deposes
and says: On yesterday morning heard that
Hamptons were coming; ran out and tried
to get between them and Bean but could not
do so before Bean was shot. Bean said he
did not intend to speak to them until they
got on his own land, when he intended to
tell them to stop, and if they did not, to take
them up for riot. Beans gun was at arms
end. Hampton said something; could not
hear what. Bean said, s'Whale away"
Heard Bean say he did not want to shoot
any one; he only wanted to keep them of
his land. The reason he wanted them kept
off his land was he suspected them of steal
ing from him and committing other depre-
dations. Do not think one thousand dollars
| would pay Mr.. Bean for the damages done
him by them. Am satisfied Jasper Hamp.
ton shot Bean; he took deliberate aim.
Saw only Jasper Hampton, Joseph Langley,
and Samuel Beardsley at the time. (Slgned,
Rachael Bishop.)
William Smith being duly sworn, deposes
and says: Yesterday, July 9th, as we had
finished breakfast heard one of the family
remark that Hamptons were coming. Bean
got up, took his gun ard went cut; went
South into the lane-South of his garden
and dooryard; passed down the lane.
went out North of the garden, and down on
the North side, opposite to Bean. Saw
Jasper Hampton raise his gun and point it
at Bean. Bean stood near the corner of the
garden. Saw Hampton fire the gun. Could
see Beams head and shoulders nearly all the
time. Hampton held the gun for some time
after bringing it to his shoulder-as long as
person would to take good aim. Alter
firing all walked off: the others with Hamp-
ton walked of with him. The others stood
few steps from Hampton when he fired.
Heard no remarks after the shot; heard no
remarks by any of the Hamptons; did not
hear any remarks made by Bean at the time.
Suppose Bean took his gun because he was
going to his place and wanted to stop them
on the line Of his land Heard Bean say
something while Hampton was holding up
his gun; could not hear what it was. Did
not see Bean fall at the time-first saw him
walking in a Grip led condition towards the
house. Did not hear Bean speak after the
gun was fred until he was met BY Mrs.. Bean.
and Rachael Bishop. Walked out some time
afterward and saw Beams gun, shot pouch
and powder-horn lying on the GROUND gun
was not cooked. | had started to work for
Beam. uamptons walked up brisky, and
faster after than before shooting; did not
zee them run. Intended to work on the
farm that day. Was in the habit of going
the road he took; had not taken my team
with me. Bean had forbidden Hamptons to
come on his farm. felt bound to obey
Beams orders when could do SO without
violating any rights or the laws of the
Country: (Signed, W. B. Smith.)
The Jury, after due deliberation, rendered
their verdict: That the deceased, Charles
S. Bean, came to his death by shot from a
gun in the hands of Jasper Hampton; aud
they find that Jasper Hampton was the prin-
cipal in the murder, and that Henry Hamp-
ton, John Phillips, Turner Hampton, and
Joseph Langley were accessories before the
fact.
H. a. Sc I,,k