The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-30
THE ILLINOIS BENDERs.
A STRANGE FAMILY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
DIsAPPEARAyCFcS


DIsAPPEARANCEs.
The Chicago Times of the 26th INST. thus
brings to light tragedy in that state. A
correspondent writes from Tallusz;
The Reams family-of Cass county, and
belonging to Ashland and not Tallula, Of
Menard county, as has been erroneously
stated by the papers of Chicago and ST :.
Louis-have gleried in wholesale murder
and larceny for the last two years without
suspicion or detection. The first case of
murder or poisoning was done by an older
sister, who poisoned her husband some
two years ago in Virginia. Cass county.
Her object as was proved by her letter TO
her paramour. was to get rid of her hus-
band so as to marry this second love.
Thousands of doff8rs were spent by the
family in procuring her acquittal. About
the same time sarm hand disappeared off
the Reams farm in a mysterious manner
and up to this date has not been seen or
heard from. The Reams brothers owed him
for years work, some $500. Nothing was
thought of it at the time, as the family were
members of the Methodist church Of the
neighborhood, and highly respected by those
who did not know them too well. Since
this time they have been accused Of stealing
watches money, and hogs from their rela-
tives and neighbors. The last CT, wning act
and the most dastardly murder that has
ever OCCURRED IN 060Lr6l 1llnOlS, was cOm-
mitted by Albert Reams on Thursday af-
ternoon, June H.. He and hired man by
the name of e. Parr were cutting small brush
that was growing around stumps In q corn
field. About o'clock Reams came to his
house and kissed his wife and child good bye,
saying he was going out to hunt hand, as
the one he had had left. Nothing was sus-
pected until late that night. His wife, be-
coming alarmed at his not returning, aroused
the neighbors, who searched the remainder
of the night for him. As Parr bad disap-
peared, suspicious were rife that Reams had
been foully dealt with. His whereabouts
were not learned until Friday nooa, when it
was ascertained that he had taken q freight
train at Ashland fer Jacksonville, with the
intention OF SECURING a hand Nothing
more was thought of it until Sunday, when
his wife received letter, without date or
name, saying what he bad done was
DONE IN SELF DEFENsR-.
Mrs. .Reams recognized the writing as that OF
her husband. Search was again made over the
premises, and bloody axe was sound, with
hair on it, near by where Reams and the
man had been at work. The ground did not
indicate that there had been any struggle
bat marks and blood were found
indicating that body had been
dragged along the ground for some
distance. and then thrown over the
renee INTO an aOJCfHl0S WOODS, owned Dy
Samuel Sinclair. The remains of man
were found, but beyond reeognition-as
there were hogs in the field, and
the body was nearly eaten up by
them The head was entirely sew
cred from the body and part of the skull
gone. What was left of the skull clearly
showed it had been cut open with an axe.
| The only evidence that the killing was not
done in f-detsnse was tho mark or i'm
print of the fees in the mud, as il had rsined
lin the morning. The man employed wore
Imoceasins, and, in the working and cutting
at the stumps, stood in the same tracks
with his toes, pointing toward the stump,
whilst behind his were tracks pointing the
same way. Blood and hsir were found on
the stump. Beams was last seen in Spring
field and had ample time to make his escape
Had it not been for the letter, II Is not proba.
ble the Rurder would have been
discovered. Cass county has offered
a reward of $500 for his arrest
Rumor hassit that since the above murder
on last Saturday, the e. eushorities have been
hunting for the remains of the man who
disappea. ed so mysteriously. An old well
bad been filed up in day or two after bis
disappearance, and hay stack built Ovel
the filled well. Levi Reams, an Older
brother, learning of the authorities inten
tion, fed the country. and was arrested al
| Beardstown, some thirty miles from hi,
home Should the remains of man bs
| found 1t will go hard with them, as the citi
zens OF this neighborhood have taken grea
interest in the unraveling of this lnys cry
1t is to be hoped that the governor Will offe
an additional reward of $1,000 for Alber
Resms' arrest.
IL cyo~ob Rx;<~<~r frao<!;,r tha looolN-tsCo q l. %