The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-06-15
A MIDNIGHT MARCH.
The Brutal Work of an Aged and
Leehereus SeOundrel i'm
Chicago.
How He Corrupted and Polluted
Young Girls of Very
Tender Years.

night, and not only exposed citizen but
banished him from his home and family.
On May last there moved TO Irving Park
from Montrose, near by a man OF emf
nently respectable appearance and dignl-
fed bearing. He gave the name OF q. A.
Colby. 1t was known that he had lived In
elegant style in MontrOse. In Irving
Park Mr.. Colby rented the Bruce property
and settled down to enjoy lie. He Is not
known to have been engaged IN any &C
tive business for several years, and the
fact that he dressed well, lived at his
ease, and seemed to have nothing To dis
turb his mental faculties, caused The
opinion to be accepted that he was well-tO-
do. Further than this hut little OF him is
known.
LOVED LITTLE ONES.
One Of the traits of Colby character was
his fondness for children. A pretty child
never failed to attract his attention on the
street, and s1on the little ones began to.
call at his house, where they always found
a welcome Ir fact this continued until
there was a suspicion that olby was alto
gether too fond of little girls, and soon ru-
mors began to float around among mothers.
A few days ago a little girl was taken sick.
l.
young child and she became anxious.
Numerous and persistent inquiries brought
out answers that convinced the mother that
Colby was not what ne should be. She
straightway visited him and it is alleged
that Colby admitted the charges, but re-
piled: "You needn't make a fuss about
this or / may tell something about your
dead child which you would not care to
hear" The lady informed her husband,
who is an honorable well-to-do citizen. In
stead OF taking the law into his
own hands he informed several promi-
nent men in Irving Park of COlby's con
fession and defiant remark. The result
was that last night secret call was given
out that meeting would be held to take
action on the matter. About fifty of the
most substantial men in the town collected
together and stormy session was the re-
suit. Not only the case in point, but
many other stori,s of Colby's conduct, were
divulged by parents who had been afraid
to talk in dread of q scandal, and Prof.
Cook, the superintendent OF the public
school, who presided at the meeting, had
to use his most earnest endeavors TO pre-
vent incendiary utterances. Many insisted
that Colby should be
| TARRED AND FEATHERED,
and at least a dozen persisted In this
course, but the majority carried the day by
voting for a committee to visit Colby and
bring him before the committee.
The members of the committee were
drawn by lot. They were Tom eager, c.
A. Day, Prof. Cook, Morris III Paige, F. j.
Wilson, s. L. Vanness, III. l.. Lathrop and
Mr.. Stevenson. About 10 O'Clock the COM
mittee reached the house occupied BY
Colby. He had already retired, and the
regulators pounded loudly on his door.
| When he finally came to the doc :. he was
informed that he was wanted by meeting
of citizens, and without further ado was
forced to accompany the committee. From
the solemn bearing of the men about him,
Colby evidently felt something unpleasant
wss about to occur. When he entered the
meeting his face was ashen pale, and beads
of perspiration stood out on his brow. His
appearance was greeted with groans and
cat calls. He was ushered through the
hall to front seat. The president of the
meeting informed him in plain language
of the purpose of the meeting and charges
against him. Colby sat quietly until the
end, when he acknowledge the bulk OF
the charges and said he would
LEAVE THE TOWN
by the first train. Then he sat down,
buried his face in his hands and cried like
a coward. The men who were there to
protect the innocence of their little chill
ldren were not softened by the mans tears
upon a vote being taken it was decided
that his offer to leave by the first train
should not be accepted, but that he should
be marched out of town by the committee.
Colby was not even permitted to return to
his house, but with his hands behind him
} and his head hanging forward on his
breast, he was placed in the centre of the
committee and marched out of town. He
was taken as far as ClaybOurn place,
where the committee warned him against
returning and then left him. The last
seen of Colby he was sitting on the side
walk sobbing loudly. He had not uttered
q word after leaving the meeting. Colby
has a wife and son, who are still at Irving
Park Said one of the men who attended
the meeting last night: "The wife we all
respect and raise our hats to her as she
passes, and the son will receive the right
hand Of fellowship and be respected. They
are both above the shadow of reproach,
, and are not at ell to blame for Colby's in
famous conduct"
WHO HE Is.
. What makes the case more interest ing i:
the fact that Colby and his family have
been regarded as the bon ton of the place
Colby was once very wealthy. He wa:
bformerly in business in Miles, Mich, where
he owned a mill. There he lived in 8
house costing $4,000. In 1870 he failed
in business, but in q short time started
again in Missouri. He lived in st. Loui.
I and operated several iron mines. In 1874
he went under again, and, although he
made several business ventures, he va,
never able to regain his former 6nancia
: standing. He lived in Chicago eigh
years, moving to the suburb of Montrose 9
, year and q half ago. He has been living
at Irving Park only since May last