The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-08-01
ERRING HENLEY.
A Bold Cattle Thief and
Would-be Bank Robber
That Should be in the
Penitentiary.
A Crooked" Character.
Spec.al Correspondence to the BazOo.

!
APPLETON CITY, July 30.
A bold snd su ,cessful attempt at cattle
stealing has just come to the ears Of your
correspondent. La aoolness and dispatch,
it eclip,es anything in the way of crime
that has been perpetrated in this section
Tor many day.
In the southeast portion of this county
there resides very respectable snd we'll
to-do farmer, by the name OF Henley, at
che time county Judge, which Office he
filled and discharged the dHties thereof to
the credit Of himself and honor to his con-
stituents. A more honorable and gener-
ous-hearted man than Henley is seldom
found in any community. Unfortunately
for him, he is compelled to be called father
by SON that is wholly unworthy
OF his respect or cOuntenance, who,
on several occasions has caused his faith
er's heart to bleed in the sons craving de-
sires TO become a thief and outlaw, not
withsianding his fathers entreaties and LEM
iency in buying MIN out of trouble Jas.
Henley is young man about "a years of
age, quiet, unassuming in appearance, and
on first acquaintance would be taken for a
man OF honest intentions and good mean
ing. Some seven or eight years ago, an
unsuccessful attempt was made To bur-
glarize n bank ut OsceOla. Investigations
showed that James Henley was implicated.
On account of his age, and the good stand
ing of his father aud family, the matter
was compromised, and young Henley was
not prosecuted. A few years after this he
repaid his fathers kindness, while Mr..
Henley, sr. was confined to his he'd with
severe attack of fever Young James aud
an accomplice drove from Mr.. Henley's
pasture thirty or forty head of ine cattle
and sold them. Again was Mr.. Henley's
sympathies prevailed upon, and his erring
son shown leniency in the law.
Time passed on and young Henley
seemingly repented the error he had COM
mitted, and Tor few years carried him.
self straight, and to all appearances had
reformed. In May last he married
young and respectable lady in the neigh
borhood, and his future looked bright and
prosperous. But the longing desire ID steal
>eeins to have chung To him through all
these years.
About two weeks ago several farmers in
that neighborhoOd missed a number OF
their cattle in way they could not easily
account for, and they began TO look the
driven out OF the county. liz was a>cer-
tanned that James Henley had shipped two
car loads of cattle, answering the descrip-
ton OF those missing, from Montrose.
Further investigation shows that the day
before the stock was shipped young uan
arrived at Montrose and engaged two stock
cars. The next afternoon Mr.. Henley
went to Montrose and put up at
restaurant. Some hours later two young
men, supposed TO be Henleyis pals. came
10 town with about i5 head of cattle, aud
put up at the same house where Henley
was stopping. But Henley and the two
Young men acted as though they were
strangers to each other, and Henley made a
proposition to buy the cattle, which was
accepted, and the cattle apparently passed
into the hands of Henley, who pretended
10 give his check on some bank To the
other two parties. Henley then took the
cattle 10 ST. Louis and the market being
low left them In the hands of 4 commission
merchant To ne sold, with Instructions To
forward returns to him through the First
National bank at Clinton, and returned
home. \ few days later he went to Clin-
ton and received his money. BY this time
things were getting warm with those who
had lost the stock. but on account OF
the high standing OF Henleys family
connection they were inclined to
keep the matter dark to the
law. On being approached, in regard to
The matter NJ. Henley claimed he had
bought the stock of a gentleman living in
Hickory county. But that is undoubtedly
not true. The stock were stolen mostly
from Simeon Bruce, Levi Taylor and
others, by Herley, Will Younger and
another young man, whose name We have
not learned. This is a sad affair, indeed,
for Mr.. Henley and Younger belong to
the best families in this neighborhood, and
the blow falls heavily on the parents of
the young men. The sympathy of the
people generally Is in behalf of Judge
Henley, but many condemn Jim bitterly.
The three yonng men left the country as
soon as the affair began to leak out, and