The Osceola times., 1876-12-02
MR.: BERGMAN Harry
BARELY ESCAPED THE
SAME.FhTE
Martin Vowel and WIND. i
Duncane.the- Wanderers.
1900 Reward offered for The
Arrest.

ming, is the most dastardly iat I
has ever been our duty u chronicle
which TO give the details OF in
full, and the circumstances that led
to il, we shall have 10 go back sew
cral days b1lorc the murder was
committed.
Some time during the two weeks
previous TO the murder OF Mr.. Nc
Collum, the shorilf of Green c0un.
ty tool; mp n jcwclry pcddlcr Tor
pcdjiing ia the county without Il
ccnsc. The pcddlcr WAS brought
for trial before Mr.. Berry II II
vcy, II insiicc OF the peace i0r the
upper township Of Greene county.
At the trial the murders, Vowel
and Qua, anc, were present. After
the trial was over (Which was late
IN TIE evening" the pcddlcr went
home with Mr.. McColium, who wa,
acting deputy sheriff, to stay that
right. Shortly after dark, Dun.
cane and Vovcll called at McCol-
lum's aud told the pcddlcr that tho
sheriff, who lived orl y n short dist
ancc away, wished HIM 10 come 10
his house. The peddlcr Of courre
thinking such wa, tho ease went.
Late that nigh; Mr.. Mccollum be
gan to suspicion tha,''s.>omething
was up and went TO the sheriff =
house to see ii he really sent for the
pcddlor. When on arriving there
/ tho sheriff informed him .hc had not
seen or heard from the pcdiler sine
Y the close of tho trial. Mr.. McCol-
4 lnm went homo aud next morning
in company with Mr.. Harvey pro-
cccdcd to investigate the matter,
MS they feared thai the pcddicr had
met with foul play. Their first ei
fort was 10 sec If they could find
the peddler, and so at once took
4 the road south. IN their search. AZ
ter proceeding TO ncar.y the south
end of the county, they overlook
the pcdIlcr who had travelled all
night, aud who made the statement
that Vowel and Duucane had after
taking him some distance from the
house the night before, told Kim
/ that the sheriff had sent them to
carry him to jml, but that il he
would give thcm 50 and so, they
would release him. lie protested,
but finally agreed to z vc them all
they money he had, il they would
release h,m. They accepted his
proposition, and telling him to get
out OF the county, at once, they
turned him loose.
Mr.. McCollum and MIR. Harry, as
officers OF tho law, believed 1t their
duty to have these men punished
and consequently had the peddlcr
to swear out n wrrant for their ar.
rest. At their trial they 50 intimi-
dated the pcddltr that he was
afraid to swcar..against them. So
they came clear. After their release
Duncan and Vowel became very
wrathy toward McCollum and Ilar-
vcv, and made threats against thom
and they knowing the character OF
Duncane and Vowel, knew that
ulcss they satisfied them, that
they, (McCullum and llarvy) did
only what tho law required o.
them, and that it was no wish OF
theirs to iniure them (Noweil and
| Duncan.) That there was no tel
ling what minute Duncan and
Vowel wonld take the advantage
of them, and perhaps use them
pretty roughly. SO they tried cv-
ciy plan seemed to fail, ana things
ran on this way until the evening
OF the 2lst, wien, as Mr.. McCollam
Mr.. Harvey and several other of
the ncighbors were engaged near
Mackville in burying u deceased
lady. these parties came up and
without InaniieStung any hostility
TO any Of the parties present, assist
el IN filling up the grave. After
( the work was completed on the
grave, Duucano handed McColllm
Il paper. McCollum read the paper
and handed 1t back to Duncane
without saying n word, whcrcupon
/ Dancanc drew his revolver aud
shot at McCollum. Harvey W $
standing near McCollnm at the
time, and knowing that Vowel
would assist Duncanc, looked
around aud Vowel was IN the act OF
shooliog at him (Harvey). Vow
oil shot but missed Harvey. liar.
vey at that time had a grubbing hoe
on his shoulder aui an axe in his
hand. lie threw the hoe at Vow
cl, striking him on the front of the
lett shoulder, knocking hum baca.
wards, he then at once turned on
Duncane and throwing the axe at
him (Duucanc) struck him on the
ribs which Knocked him down. BY
this time Vowel was again on his
feet, and Harvey seeing that he
could not do McCnllum an, farther
service, and being unarmed, that /,
he wished TO save his own life he
must yet away from there and i'm
aedla,ely jumped into The bushes
and ran off. Then both Vowel
and Duncane turned on McCollum
I Who was shot dowa at that time.
They empticd their rcvolyers at
him, shooting him three times after