The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-04-05

black clothes, low crowned silk hat, and a
wandering, uneasy look.
At the Jefferson House, the, short man
claimed the woman as his sister, and request
ed a room with two beds it. This request
was not acceded to, but lounge was as
signed for the accommodation of the man,
and he occupied the same room with her.
While there, conversation Of suspicious
character, between this man and The woman,
vas overheard and he was seen to count
ont to her S2S, accompanied with remarks
that she had better not grans}Ie aay more
Something was said about putting her out
Of the way, to which she replied, that they
certainly would not be 50 cruel. They re-
manned he e till Wednesday about two
o'clock; during which time they got their
horses Shod at Clifton e Atkins shop, and
one Of the mon got shaved and his hair cut
at VIM Ligins saloon They talked good
| deal about renting farm, and going into
other business. Proposed so GOOD horse
trade to Blodget that his si~piclons were
aroused, and declined. They called at
| Taylor's drug store, and requested him to
send for the Rockford Daily Ne,rs, from
! March 10th for two weeks; and copies Of the
Rockford Register, for the past two weeks,
to be forwarded TO Ellyvllr Iowa, hesita-
| ting to give a name when asked, but finally
giving VIM. Moore. They preSentcda 80
bill to pay for the paper, and Taylor took the
amount ont oft. No papers had come, up
to the time we go to press. On the whole,
the appearance and conversation Of these
men here, excited the suspicion of all who
noticed them particularly.
Wednesday afternoon they left for Eddy
vile, and stopped at the Barnes House
Here again the shortest man wanted a room
with two beds for himself and his sister,
Such a room could not be had at Barnes and
the short man and woman went, after sup
per, to the Slemmon's House, leaving the
team and the other man ut Barnes. At
SlemmonS they procured room. and lodged
there. Here, again, conversation WAS over
heared, by other dodgers, Of such character
as indicated that the woman was under con-
straint; that she wished to return to her
mother. from whom she Ind been stolen She
threatened to destroy herself if they didn't
folio bor y, oI-
Thursday morning they left Eddvville,
crossing the bridge, and giving out that they
were going only few miles on the other
side of the river to see a farm. Abou II
o clock of that forenoon, they were seen on
the Chillicothe road, olth Of Eddyville,
headed this way, travelling rs usual, two
horses in harness, and one following. They
were noticed again about noon near Chilli
Gothic, still travelling in this direction. This
is the last account we have of them until II
o'clock that night.
About II o'clock, Thursday night, Mr..
John Prosser, the proprietor oftha Ferry,
Mr.. Barnes, and two Others, were going home
fromTown. Thevhad led the river, and had
advanced some 30 rods, about half way to
Prosser'S house, when Wagon, drawn by
two horses, and one horse following, and two
men aboard, passed rapidly quite near the
party, driving towards the Ferry. Prosser,
thinking they might want to be set acrost,
hailed them, asking that question; but re-
cieving no answer, he went on home, the
rest of the party remaining behind. Prosser
sent his son to the Ferry to be ready to run
the boat over if necessary. The boy went
to the river, and saw the wagon o==e= Ia the
stream, I'd two men stoof;lg over the side,
looking into the water, as if'tbey ,c6re thro,0-
ing something into the rirsr. After q while
the men raised themselves up, bUtthe wagon
remained stationary until the boy, surprising
they intended to ford, returned with the
rest OF the men, to the house, and they all
went to bed. About an hour. aftcrwards,'a
wagon was heard passing PrOssc:'S House.
About six hours afterwards, the body of the
murdered woman was found, just below the
spot where the wagon was seen standing in
the river.
The identity of the woman murdered,
with the woman Of the party who stayed at
Oskaoosa, al Ottumwa and Eddyville, was
conclusvely established by numerous wit
nesses at an early hour on Friday Prossers'
testimany converted a suspicion into GER
tainty almost, that the team which drove
into the river the night before, was no other
than that team, and the same tall and short
men. This impression was confirmed during
the day by reports from Biakesburg, and
later from Moravia,- of such team and men
being seen, going toward Centervle, but
aoith0ut the aoomdle. After some delay to
make preparations, volunteers started out in
several directions, in pursuit, Elk Sheriff
Lewis, and r. II. Warden, taking the Cen
terville route. From information deemed au-
thentic, Warden and Lewis, Saturday morn
ing, were on the track. "a miles behind. At
this time, Tuesday night, further intelligence
looked for with intense interest.
We have barely time to acknowledge call
from VIM. Powell, Esq, the very gentleman
~ travelling Agent of the Chicago, Indlanap-
oils and Cincinnati, and the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroads, and to state that we shall