Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-03-19
PIE MAXWELL-MESERVE TROUBLE.

WATERLOO, MO- March ID, 1851.
EDITOR ISTELLIGESCEg I'm comply ing with
your request OF yesterday, l will give you the
llcts as l received them from Mr.. Maxwell him.
self. MIR. Maxwell has ben absent from his
family some three months, on account of i'll
health. During this time Mrs. M, with her
two children, were at her mother's, Mrs. Hut
sons, near this place. Granville Meserve, a
blacksmith, for q while in z. W. Wright's en-
with Mrs. Hutson, and III this way became az
qua.nted with Mrs. Or Sunday evening.
March q, lie came 10 Mr.. L ID. WilIiamsDn,s
store TO ee. n box, a lie stated, to salt meat in,
but presumably 10 pach their traps in, prcpaia IL
tory to II hasly flight, and some time between
then and Monday morning they took n weslw ard
Course in u two-horse wagon Belonging to Airs.
HUtson, and driven BY Mr.. John Kiotz. The
above fscts are well known 10 the citizens Of
this community. The outfit consisted U: Il pair
OF mules and wagon, with Mr.. Kioiz rs driver,
Mes.rye, Mrs. Maxwell and her two children,
aud her brother, and Mr.. Wa schrimpsher. Mr..
Maxwell returned II lew days alter their depart
ure. and upon learning the STATE of ufflirs. de-
termined to follow and rer"res his lost children.
He tells me that he found Meserve, Mrs. Max
well and children, also VIM. Scirimpsher, in
Darlington, about forty miles above st. Joseph,
Nno' Aht I III u itstauI uiit. ne sAiul l was
not his intention TO harm any of the party If he
could get possession of his children peaceably,
but would have them or lo-e his life in the at
tempt 10 recover them. He went prepared to
defend himself. and before entering the room
he cooked his revolver in order to be ready for
the worst. as he hat been told Meserve WAS a
desperate character. On entering the room lie
said. THESE are my children, and | VIII have
them Mescrve. with AN oath, told him he
could not have them. and clinchcd with Maxwell,
who told him he dad not want TO hurt him.
Meserve erdeavored to get his knife. when Max
well shot him in the left breast, still Meserve
continued to show fight, when Maxwell, hndIng
another opportunity fired again, Mcserve crying
out, Don't shoot me any more you have killed
me- Maxwell and his friend. who accompun-
led him. then gathered up the two children and
left the room. In a few moments the eastward
bound train came In, and lie took his
worse than motherless children, and started on
his return home. At St. Joseph lie told the
officers IN Case he WAS wanted to telegraph to
him at Lexington and he would return on tirs,
train. Mr.. Maxwell has the sympathy of the
people here. Yesterday morning he came by
the depot and called me out and handed me his
revolver with the request that | keep il until h,
called for it. lit WAS the SAINT pistol lie shot
Neservc with } He wis on his way to LeXlng-
ton, | presume, to give himself up TO the officers,
but suppose they din not want him., as he return
ed about one O'Clock, at which time he gave me
the above facts. Meservc WAS a bad man brand
ed as Il released convict from the Missouri
penitentiary Tor horse stealing. He drew a
revolver on me in the presence OF three witnesses
and threatened to Kill me because | had dis
charged HIM from my employ some weeks ago.
He was a drunkard. 10. A. EDMONDs.