Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-07-07
l. ATE N + w S.


A msse BosTibls 0arder.
Nsyjsr ~ : Aotkw sad IN to- CAildke..-
Tie Fssksr PoisOssd ty Asir ksrGesr.
The Burlington Hssksys Of the lsh inst.,
which should have reached % Thur,tsy morn
log. but which did not ssrivs until yesterday
morning. contains partial particulars Of most
horrible murder committed near Batavia, in
Jederson county. A. fer - the Hssksys CORES
poDdsnt could learn, the particulars are - fol
lows:
FAInSHLp. July q, 1860.
EproR HAwKEyE-Desr Sir Late on Sat-
uraay evening last our ctisens we're stsrtled
with the report that strange family had been
mur Tered near Batavia, in this eounty-tbat
the bodies Of . mother, son and daughter had
been found in Cedar creek in the aftern oon BY
f,hermen. half mile north Of Bstavis. Our
Sheriff Robb and others started Immediately
for that region. where he learned that . msn
and boy. With two yoke OF oxen With closely
covered wagon. had passed along the road near
whore the bodies we're found late Friday eve
ming His singular. strange, excited manner.
attracted the notice Of thoes who happened to
see him, and suspicion st once marked him %
the murderer. sheriff Robb. David l. Huff
stuttsr sod others. promptly FOLLOWED afer
him and found that be had eross.d the Des
Mouss above Portland, thence to Lebanon.
thence four miles from Upton. Scotland coun-
ty, No. where they overlook him 10 the prai-
RE on Sunday evening and returned to this
place With the prisoner about o'clock r. n.
to-day.
John Kephsrt is the name Of the hosry
headed villain. He formerly lived near Trsn-
ton, in Henry county. and IL veil known in
Washington county, whore he has lived eince
he left Trenton. ten or twelve years ago
gather IN imperfect history Of tbs acts of
this old villain from the little boy Who WAS
found in his e"mpany: William Willis (carpen-
ter) the boys father, formally lived 10 Musca.
tine, Iowa The boy remembers that John
Kephart came to Muscstins 10 move the family
south. On the journey they stopped two
months in Cas- county, No.. Ut widow Sny-
der's. where Kephart helped to husk corn.
One morning soon after treakfast. his father,
Who had eaten breakfast we'll. took suddenly
sick and died In lees than an Lour' The boys
mother, the murdered woman, Ja7s Willis.
told him that Kephart gave his father strych-
nine in his food Alter the death Of Willis 1t
seems they went to the Cherokee country."
whore Kepbart kept grocery and sold wh's.
~ TO the Indians This GUNNER they moved
near Fort Des Moines. After living there some
weeks or months, they started for Kansas city.
On last Thursday, they stopped near the
bridge at Eddy vile camped out. Mrs. Willis
cooked supper, after which she complained OF
being sick. laid down in the wagon and went
t. sleep. Ia the night. sometims. the boy
awoke and saw that she had deep gssh 10
her head. The three children all got out Of
the wagon, and Kerhsrt chased Joseph T..
aged IL, and Maria Jane. aged 7. about half an
hour. under and around the wagon With the
axe in han1. until they too we're killed. lie
then placed them BY the side OF the mother
and pounded their heads with the wagon ham.
mer.
He left Eddyville soon after the mrrderous
deeds were finished and travelled over 80 miles
TO the place where he no doubt hoped TO hide
the unfortunate victims from human eyes A
grey headed old mAn. over 60 years old. trav-
cling day and night With 90 OK team so miles.
With the dsad bodies Of . mother and two
children in the wagon to find place OF con-
cealmsnt 1.-THE living boy, James Harvey
Willis, by bis side-and hen when the place
vas found, he stripped his victims. put their
garments into the wagon, tooA the mother fret
and then the children, and hid them under the
water, placing log upon them TO keep them
under the water.
The boy Jsmes. says that he has brother.
Sylvester Willis, living in Louisa county.
On Friday. after leaving Eddyville, be
looked again for his wagon-hsn mer and found
it sticking in the boys head! The clothes Of
the victim vsrs al found In the wagon
Kephart and the womsn had quarreled
about seme money. He charged her with
stealing his money. She elaimed that the
money 10 dispute Vas given to her BY her son.
Tho money vas found BY the officers hid in
kee Of sosp grease in the wagon.
The writer Of the above informs % that
there 10 intense excitement 10 JET rson county,
but that they are . Law abiding people and
vill leave the Law to take its course. Kephart
is entirely safe until be i regularly convicted
and hung by law.