The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-05
ARREST or A MURDERER Four YEARS

ARREST OF A MURDERER Four YEARS
AFTER THE COMMISSION OF THE CRIME
Yesterday afternoon Capt. Egbert, Marsh
al Means and officer Severance arrested at
small saloon on Brady street, opposite
the Post Office u notorious william and
murderer, who, among many other crimes,
is said to be guilty of the shocking MUIR
der which took place near Ottumwa, Wa
pellO county, in this State, some four wears
ago, the victim of which was Young girl
whom this man, McCombs, and an accom-
pllce named Lawrence, had abducted from
her home in Rockford, Illinois. The cir
cumstanCes accompanying this atrocious
crime are yet fresh in the memory of MANY
OF our citizens. Large rewards amounting
to $2,OOO in all, were at the time offered fo1
the apprehension of the criminal, but with
out avail. Although he was at different
times tracked by detectives very closely, he
always managed to escape, and the hopes
OF ever getting him had of late almost
vanished. The circumstances that led to
MS discovery and arrest are somewhat sim
guar and were purely accidental. A young
soldier who is AT present stationed at Camp
Mcclellan, and who knew this man Nc
Combs previous to the commission of the
murder referred to, happened to meet him
IN the city and recognized him. McCombs
had been in the employ OF this young sol
dier's father for three years, near Rock
ford. Illinois, and was recognized by him
instantly. The young soldier being
cognlzant OF the details of the murder and
the fact that McCombs and the girl left
Rockford together, immediately informed
Capt. Ward, at Camp Mcclellan, OF these
facts, and messenger was sent down to
Capt. Egbert, who, accompanied by the
oung.soldier,an the two officers above
mentioned, started out to find the individ-
ual. He was found at the saloon just as
hal .aA a
horse for which he paid $3.50. When arrested,
he quietly asked "what for?' but made nc
resistance. He was then taken before JUS
tlce Wheeler and ordered committed for
examination. The man who had sold him
the horse agreed to give him back $40 and
retake the horse, which was agreed upon.
McCombs seems flush with money, and
when arrested evinced not the least uneas-
mess. He said nothing about the affair,
ana only remarked that all he wanted was
= fair trial. His business of late is said to
have been enlisting and DESERVING. He
would enlist at certain place, receive the
bounty and premium, and then desert as
soon as possible, in order to re-enact the
proceeding at some other place. He is also
reputed to be a dealer in counterfeit money
and, to judge from his looks, he seems
good action. His examination will proba
nesses can be procured.
His accomplish, Lawrence, has not been
heard from since the time of the murder. =
1t was at one time reported that he had
also been found murdered somewhere, bul
Of this there is no certainty. The young
woman whom these two scoundrels alb
Quoted from her home, seduced and then
murdered. was the daughter of respectable
parents at Rockford, Ill. She fell into their
meshes by means best known to them.
selves. The trio travelled together in q
light spring wagon from Rockford through
Illinois and Iowa, and We're last seen to-
gether at Ottumwa IA the early part OF
April, 1860, where at the hotel at which
they stopped one of the men pretended that
she was his sister. Shortly after their de-
parture from that place she was found in
the Des Moines river, short distance
from the village. and an inquest holden
over her body revealed the fact that she
had been brutality murdered. Her skull
was broken in and other marks of violence
were visible about the corpse.
1t is indeed to be hoped that the perpe-
traitor of this horrible crime has at las,
been apprehended and that he will receive
the punishment the enormity of the deed
Davenport Gazette.