Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-01-01
A Mountain of Crime.

Inc dctdl!s OF a series OF startling crimes which
hal their inception in Quincy, Ill, have come
20 light and constitute "A chapter of more per
Sistent and successful yillainy thaniS presented
IN Prof. DE Miles seemingly improbable story
of the "CryptOgram," though in its general out
lines similar one. In that place a wealthy
farmer named Golden lived with his wife and
two children, James and Clara, aged = and 10
years respectively. and up to the year 1869 thew
were model OF what happy family should be
AT that time an adopted son OF "A sister OF Mr.
Golden from Kentucky, named Ballou, came to
occupy place i'll the family circle, and by very
fascinating manners judiciOusly exercised won
all the family to an implicit trust in and ardent
affection for him, especially the young Lady,
who fell deeply in love with him a. lie pre-
tended to 10 with her and a cordial consent TO
their marriage was granted by the parents
DuIing this tire Baliou limited at extensive
speculatiOns, and when he had worked the inter
est OF his simple patrons up to the required point
he uniolded their nature. He said that he had
purchased stock Of goods i'll ST. Louis, worth
SIS, 900, OF which - OGO worth remained uunaId
for, and if his uncle would only buy out this
interest for his COUSIN Jim Golden, il would be
great benefit to both sides. The tempting nait
was closed with, and BdllOu received money aud
convertible paper which amounted to - "a oOa
and the two departed. Frequent letters came
from the young mCn-thOSe of the son telling of
the good fortune they were having and the
profits they weTe!mutually making. Finally there
long break iii the cUrrcspondencp and
then letter came from BallOu saving that Young
Golden had ahscOnded with all thcmOnry which
had been temporarily intTustsd TO him a few
days before his regular time OF departure.
The news was a fearful blow to the family bat
when the shock had had time to soften Baluu
arrived. He seemed TO have forgiven his de-
faulting partner, and was full of sympathy for
the afflicted parents. Meanw hile he pressed his
claim upon Clara, and in a few DAYS they were
married. While the honey moon was being en-
iuyed, the new sOn-in-law dclicately limited To
Mr.. Golden that it would be only right for the
latter TO give him "A farm, since he had suffered
80 much 10y the raScaity of his son. This also
was acceded to, like every previous demand.
W. q. Ewing, OF Quincy, the family LAWYER,
was consulted to draw up a deed OF gift VIII m
he was struck by the train OF circum stances
and his suspicious strongly aroused
that he communicated them to his client
Though entirely incredulOus, NJ. G.il-n
consented TO bringing BallOu to his Off CO.
when, by skillful CrOss-questioning, the guilty
wretch became so confused and made such
strange answers that he was arrested at
first for fraud, but finally evidence came thick
enough to warrant his detention for murder
The examinations and Investigations continued
through some months, until last Nav, when the
news came from Mckinney, Texas, tn 1t young
Golden's body had been discovered in a dense
chaparral, the flesh all eaten from the bones
with the exception of one foot, and there was no
clothing, but shirt and one stocking The re-
mainder of his wardrobe had been stripped from
him by his economical murderer, and some of il
used at his nuptials with the dead m ans sister
A requisition was made for the body OF Ballou
by the governor OF Texas, and he has at last
been condemned to the gallows. The wife of
BallOu, who was but a fortnight bride when
the blow fell a year ago, has ever since been a
gibbering maniac, nor has she seen her husband
since he was induced 70 60 to the lawyers office