Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-10-14
TllR DASTARDLYA AFFAIR IN
POW KSHIKk COUNTY.
Particular OF the shooting or two
Omcers by CODDerhoads
From ths oskaloosa Herald extra--oct. s.


From The oskalcosa Herald-extra--oct 81
On Saturday, Oct. lst, in Sugar Creek
township, Poweshick county, Deputy Mar.
shals j. N. Woodruff, Of Knoxville, and j.
L. Basllore, Of Centerville, were waylaid and
in cold blood murdered. The particulars Of
this dastardly affair as We get them are as
follows
Several drafted men Of Sugar Creek having
failed to report at the Provost Marshafs Of,
tice, Deputies Woodr.!: and Basho,e were
sent TO inquire the reason, or something to
that effect. On going to the neighboi hood
they met Mike Gleason, and, after some con
versation leading them to believe that he was
all right, they disclosed their business aud
he proffercd to assist them in finding tho
men. The Marshals made an arrangement
for him TO 60 with them, after they hnd fed
their h rses and obtained some refreshments
themselves. But while the Marshais were
feeding, Gleason went to M!ller's saw mill
where the Copperhcads had met to drill, rs
was their custom on Saturday. The militia
company soon dispersed. After feeding.
Woodruff and Bashore started out to huut
the drafted men. AS they were passing along
the road, they were suddenly fired upon by
squad Of men concealed in the bushes
Woodruff was killed instantly, having two
balls through his head and n number in his
body. Bashore was but slightly wounded.
He jumped out Of the buggy, but was i'm.
mediatcly surrounded by the Cotpcrheads.
and several guns were levcled nj liin, and
among them was Gleason, who had betrayed
the Marshals. Bashore appealed TO them to
spare his life. lie told them that they were
strangers to him - that he had nothing
against them-was simply dischareing his
duty as nn officer, and begged them n't to
kill him. At this point he was shot in the
back, the ball entering near the kidneys. Ba-
shore then shot Gleason, breaking his leg.
Bashorc fell, whether he was shot again or
not does not appear. But after he was down
Gleason, who was not so badly wounded but
he could walk, came up to him and struck
him terrible blow on the head with his gun.
inActing frghtful wound and breaking the
gun. BY this time the other Copperhends
had left. thinking doubtless they had sue.
ceeding in killing both the ofl.c, rs. A half
MI hour later neighbor who heard the fir
ing came that way md ths wounded men
were carried of and Gleason put under ar.
rest Bashore lived four or fve hours, and
told all the particulars Of the assassination to
James S. Cravens, at whose house he died.
and others. John Flcener, Samuel Fleener,
and Perry Mcfarland, supposed to be tho
principals in this cold blooded crime, have
escaped and are still at large. Hon. J. l..
Grinnell has offered o reward of $500 for
their arrest and conviction.
On Sunday three or four hundred citizens
were collected at Crayens. The murdered
men, both Of whom had been soldiers, Wood.
ruff Of the Srd cavalry, and Bashore Of the
9th cavalry, were lying there with all their
CHASTITY wounds pleading for justice and re.
vcngs. Il was with difficulty the exasperat-
ed crowd were restrained from stripging up
Gleason without judge or jury. Our info'.
mant left the scene ut four O'Clock Sunday
afternoon, when parties were securing the
neighborhood for the Flcencrs aud others,
and arrangements were n,ado f0r bringing
the bodies Of the slain and the prisoners TO
Osknl0OSa. 0t 45t .s..
Sugar creek is one Of the hardest and most
notorious Comprehend holes in the State
The Feencrs are brothers in law to Myers
who killed Alloway last autumn, and they
were also implicated in that horrid murder.
There can be little IL any doubt that these
assassinations are in accordance with ths
plan already adopted and sworn to by the
secret order Of Copperheads in Iowa. They
have sworn that no officer who goes out even
to notify them Of the draft shall peturn alive.
The time, II it ever existed, for dealing lnni-
emily with such men IS these, has past. Tho
officers Of the law should at once determine
to visit swift and terrible punishment on
those who resist their authority. aE