The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-07-26

from that moment old man Clark's doom
was sealed. Patterson and the old man
camped out, Notwithstanding the extreme
cold. Patterson had decided to murder
the old man the third night out from Sc
dalia, ON stream known as the the Tebo,
but Clark, who had been suffering from
chills, went to neighbOring farm house
to spend the night. The next day they
passed through BrOwingtOn. Patterson
was only awaiting his chance. 1t came
Just after passing Coles Store, in the south
west part Of Henry county. The old man
had been suffering from chill, and was
living on the lumber sound asleep. Patter-
son took
AN OLD RATCHET.
from the mess box, and with the handle
struck the old man 4 terrible blow across
the head. crushing the skull. This was
not enough. They were alone on the prai-
RE, no human being was near who could
witness the damnable deed. The murderer
then took the hatchet and cut and hacked
the old mans face Not content with this
mutilation, he wanted to dis6gure the body
as much a. possible, as though he had not
done enough already to cause death. He
CUT THE THROAT.
Of his aged victim with the blade OF the
hatchet. He then searched the dead body,
but found only about 800 in money, Clark
having short time previous to leaving
Sedalia, deposited about thousand dol
lars i'm the bank. Patterson had now
small fortune. He had 4 team, wagon,
a load OF lumber and watch. He also
had another piece OF property which did
not seem SO desirable, that was the mutt
lated body Of old man Clark. 1t was
necessary that he should get rid Of it, and
he drove of short distance on the prairie
and
ROLLED THE CHASTITY CORPSE.
Of on the ground and left it lying in
pool Of clotted gore, the stony eyes upturn-
ed i'm mute appeal to the blue dome above,
while the Gaping, ragged wounds seemed
CRYING fiercely for vengeance. lie drove of
calmly leaving the traces Of his bloody
work behind him. He headed his team
for Sedalia, over the same road he had
travelled with his victim. At Brown
ington he unloaded the lumber. He also
tried To trade of the watch Of the murder
ed man. He wrote and mailed a letter to
his father, devout old man who
LIN I'D MAR
and then went on toward the city rs though
nothing had happened.
Blu, murder will out" and the deepest
schemes Of criminals To avoid the slow but
sure avenging Nemesis find that IN invisible
hand plainly points to the author Of the
crime. Some children while on their way
home. espied a pair of boots living on the
open prairie, which had fallen from the
wagon. They told their fathers Of the find
and the next day the parents started out to
search for them Instead of the boots he
found
BLOODY CORSE.
The news flew on lightning wings. The
excitement was intense, and the cilizens
started out To trail the murderer. This
was easily done. is the wheels of Patter-
sons wagon had broad tires. and was
plainly di>;inguishabie. The pursuers
found where the wagon had LETT the main
road and where il had been turned TO 90
Bloomington. where the lumber I'M
loaded bv Patterson was found, some of it
being still covered with cloited gore. The
old man and the Young had passed through
Bloomington together, and the latter re-
turned without the old chap. No doubt
was felt Is To- who.
COMMITTED THE HORRIBLE CRIME
The postmaster then thought of the letter
the Young chap had mailed and it still
remaining in the office, il was opened and
the name of the writer ascertained. 1t was
signed John W. Patterson" and address,
ed to Hezekiah Patterson, his father
Among other things the letter stated that the
writer was on his road to Sedalia. The
posse lost no time i'm following the still
warm trail, the broad track Of the tire
being plainly distinguished all the way to
Sedalia. As soon rs the trailers arrived in
Sedalia they notified Capt. Paff, who had
JUST BEEN ELECTED SHERIFF
Of what had occurred and then went to
Senator Vest to secure the necessary pa
pers. He at once set out in search of
Patterson, and found where he had put up
his wagon and team at 4 wagon yard.
Patterson, himself, was found at the Nc
kissOck House, where he had put up for
the night. He was taken to the Sheriff7s
Office and searched. Only a few dollars
Of the amount taken from the body of
Clark was missing. Members of the pur-
suing party recognized Patterson as the
NAN SEEN WITH CLARK
at several points along their journey, and
the crime was thus traced to him. The
day after the arrest, Capt. Paff, with the
posse left Sedalia with the prisoner, for the
scene Of his crime. On the way Patterson
told member of the party that he had
killed Clark in self-defense, but afterward
admitted that he had murdered the
man for his money, saying that he
intended to have killed him the night
before, but failed for the reason mentioned
above. The murderer then begged two of
his guards to shoot him, as he would rather
die than be taken back to Clinton.
He was taken before a Justice of the
peace at Leesville, where he had prelim-
mary hearing, and was then conveyed
TO THE CLINTON JAIL.
On the way there he was threatened by a