The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-04-10
THE BRIGANDS OF THE WEST,
JOHN LONG,
The Wolf of the Prairies.

At the close OF the month OF April, 1916, Mr..
john Miller and his son-in-law, John Leicy
were with their wives temporarily located at
the house OF =. Burns in Lee county, Iowa.
about ~ miles distant from Nauvoo. They
had. ~ we before stated but recently emf
grated from Ohio, and were only reposing tor
a time until they could find good farm to
purchase. II was their intention to settle III
that paSt of the country till an opportunity
should present itself, and IN order to invite
the best terms IN the way OF price, Miller gave
out publicly that he was ready to pay cash
down. This proclamation, while ii fell with a
wholesome effect upon the minds of the honest
people OF the neighborhood, inspired different
feeling in some other quarters, and more than
one set OF robbers snuffed it with an eager
relish, as it gradually travelled to them at va
rIous points of the compass. We have seen
how 1t was received and speculated on by the
fierce Mormon kinsmen and we have now to
follow that prologue through Its various de-
gree5 OF progress until scene by scene 1t
reaches that terrible point which makes it
TRAGEDY OF blood.
few DAYS after the arrival Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Leic7 at the house OF Burns, two persons APP
peared IN tue neighbolhocd OF that dwelling
making inquiries for an OK which they said they
had lost. The animal seemed to give them the
deepest concern. They described it mlnutely,
and dweit with strong eulogum on its superb
poluts Nobody. however, had seen this para
gon OF tae pastures, but still nobody seemed
20 suspect that the distressed lnguirers had
any special motive in lingering out the time
WI pursuing their catalogue OF questions.
They represented themselves "a having but re-
Gently moved into the country, and upon that
b9sls took the privilege of neighbors to inquire
OF the coalition of this person and OF that in
the vicinity. They lodged at house one
night. NJ the distance OF about quarter OF
mile from Nillers and on the following morn
ing. at "a early hour, went to Miller's to get
bank note changed, on pretence that they
wanted small money to pay their lodging. BY
this means the OK seekers got peep IN Miller's
house. and By the glance which they obtained
through the crack Of the door as it stood ajar,
they saw the main room had six occupants,
aud that the beds OF the three couples laid
spread In different corners OF the room. The
OK seekers got their change and went away
with an expression OF satisfaction on their
faces but the smile which they exchanged, had
pleasure beyond the mere advantage OF hav-
ing obtained silver for small bank note.
These two men went back to their host and
paid tbeIr lodging, and then apparently con-
clud,na that their incompatible OK was not to
be recovered in that part Of the country, they
get out to return whence they came. Had they
been closely followed, it would have been dis
covered that they made directly to Nauvoo,
aud threading that city until they came to it's
obsc,Ie-t quarter, stopped at the door OF Amos
Hodges. The pious deacon Of the Mormon
church
Had we described in tue first OF the OK seek
ers splendid figure. highly indicative OF manly
strength. and in the second dwarf outline and
a dusty face, our readers would ere this have
cecogurfel them 70 he Tom Brown and the
younga, Hodges, and we should have been
spared the necessity. at this juncture, OF
stating !, was they, who the Mormon dignitary
received at lis door and applauded for their
success. Weapons were then collected, knives
sharpen5d aud pistols discharged and reloaded
out,and examined with regard to their capacity
to receive stowage Of plumber, and general
movement or preparation set on foot, which
told al important exploit was on the eve of be-
ius pelpetrated. Little, however, did these
men dream, when the afternoon OF the 10th OF
Nav saw them al ready for their enterprise,
that tins was TO be the last outrage OF their
wanton lives. aud the gallows stood behind the
false ,l1sioos which Low filed their minds
with tecu.cious hopes. Nevertheless they set
out Ia great ylee and Amos. in the fulness of
his confidence as they were ready to depart,
wished them good luck with as much fervor as
If he were delivering upon them pious bless
ing. Tie three marauders, Brown, and the
younger Hodges, did not leave the portals Of
the Elder all together but each with his special
burden went by himself to rendezvous upon
cave on the river bank short distance to the
north o. the city where Amos had provided
skiff for their conveyance to Devils Creek, an
inlet little north of Montrose, on the Iowa
shore. II was late when the three brigands
we're adoat, and when they landed. after long
row, tue darkness was nearly two hours old.
There was no moon, and as their three forms
clustered in close council on the shore one who
could have guessed their purpose might have
imagined them a triumvate Of demons who
we're debating death and destruction to man
kind. After securing the skiff IN little creek
ana TAXING with them close lantern, which
was not vet lit. they set out for the house
which was to be the object CT their ravage.
While those evil spirits were thus moving
forward. the inmates of the house Of Miller
were peaceably retiring to bed. Being all mar
RED people. and OF simple manners, they
lodged without violation Of their several senses
OF deGcacy, in the same room: Miller and his
wife occupying the northeast corner Of the
door the matrass of Mr.. and Mrs. Leicy being
spread out 10 the northwest corner, and
space on the other side being occupied in like /
manner by Burns and bis wife. BY nine O'Clock
all had retired and the darkness which had
'been adopted as the simple mantle OF their
preparottons to retire was not relumed after
tney were in bed. BY degrees the common
conversation which was natural to people thus
famlllariy grouped together, waned to mony-
sylaoles' aud AZ length went out leaving them