Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-15
Two Deputy Provost Marshals in Iowa Mar.
dered by COpperheads.

The 0skaloosa Qowa) Herald gives the fol-
lowing particulars of the recent murder of
two Deputy Provost Marshals of the 4th dis.
trict in Iowa by Copperhead mob.
Both the murdered men were veteran
wounded soldiers, and men of high character.
The transaction is legitimate fruit of the
treason preached at Chicago and elsewhere
by the Copperhead leaders:
On Saturday, October 1st, in Sugar Greek
township, Poweshiek county, Deputy Marshals
J. NJ Woodruff, of Knoxville, and j. L. Ba-
shore, of Centerville, were waylaid, and in
cold blood murdered. Several drafted men
of Sugar Creek having failed to report at the
Provost Marshal's office, Deputies Woodruff
and Bashore were sent to inquire the reason
or something to that effect. On going to the
neighborhoOd they met Mike Gleason, and
after some conversation leading them TO be-
Iieve that he was all right, they disclosed
their business, and he proffered to assist
them in finding the men. The Marshals
made an arrangement for him to 90 with
them after they had fed their horses and OBJ
tanned some refreshment themselves. But
while the Marshals were feeding, Gleason
went to Miller's sawmill, where the Copper
heads had met to drill, as was their custom oil
Saturday. The military company soon dis
persed. After feeding, Woodruff and Bashore
started out to hunt the drafted men. As
they were passing along the road they were
suddenly fred upon by squad of men con-
cealed in the bushes. Woodruff was killed
instantly, having two balls through his head
and a number in his body. Bashore was but
slightly uvuHIvd. He Jumped out of the
buggy but was Immediately surrounded by the
l. Id
at him, and among them was Gleason, VINO
had betryyed the Marshals. Bashore appeal
ed to them to spare his life. He told them
that they were strangers to him, that he had
nothing against them; was simply discharg
ing his duty as an officer, and begged them
not to kill him. At this point be was shot in
the back, the ball entering near the kidneys.
Bashore then shot Gleason, breaking mis- leg.
Bashore 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 the butt
eff his gun, inhicting a frightful wound and
breaking the gun. BY this time the other
cOpperheads had left, thinking doubtless they
had succeeded in killing both the officers. A
half an hour later neighbOr who heard the
firing, came that way, and the wounded men
were carried off and Gleason placed under ar
rest. Bashore lived four or five hours, and
told all the particulars of the assassination to
James S. Cravens, at whose house he died,
and others. John Fleener, Samuel Fleener
and Perry Mcfarland, supposed to be the
principals in this cold-blooded crime, have es-
capped and are still at large. Hon. j. B. Grin
nell has offered reward Of $500 FOR their
arrest and conviction.
On Sunday, three or four hundred citizens
were collected at CraVens. The murdered
men, both of whom had been soldiers, Wood
ruff, of the Sd cavalry, and Bashore, OF the
9th cavalry, we're lying there with their
CHASTITY wounds, pleading for justice and re-
venge 1t was with difficulty the exasperated
crowd were restrained from stringing up
Gleason without judge or jury. Our inform
ant left the scene at 4 o'clock Sunday after
noon, when parties were securing the neigh
borhoOd for the Fleeners and others, and
arrangements were made for bringing the
bodies of the slain and the prisoner to Oska-
loOsa.
There can be little if any doubt that these
assassinations are in accordance with the plan
already adopted and sworn to by the secret
order of eopperheads in Iowa. They maze
scoT7s that no officer aOhO goes out egels to notify
them of the draft shall return aliUe The time,
if it ever existed, for dealing leniently with
such men as these has past. The officers OF
the law should at once determine to visit
swift and terrible punishment on those who
resist their authority.