The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-18
FREE THIRTY THREE YEARS,
Chicago Tribune.

A crime committed thirty three years ago has just been revived by the arrest of the principal in the affair, who for more than twenty years has been an unsuspected but thriftless Ross county farmer. There s good deal of romance in the story.
 In 1855, when the canal was still & novelty in the state, Richard Cassi- boon, captain of the Helen R., " on the Muskingum division, one day quar- relied with his wife, and was about to strike her when a man named William Hyde intertered. In the quarrel which followed Hyde was killed.
 Cassibeon was promptly arrested, and if he had been at once tried would scarcely have escaped hanging. But the trial was deferred, and the pris- oner was at last sentenced to six years hard labor in the penitentiary.
 Between the time of his conviction and the day set for his removal to Co., lumbus, Cassiboon escaped from the Muskingum county jail. Four other prisoners who walked out at the same time were speedily apprehended, but Cassiboon evaded all efforts not only of the officers, but of brother of his victim, who has never ceased to search for the fugitive.
 Cassiboon set out for the hills and made his way, after several days, to Hamden, in Vinton county, where he obtained employment in small coal bank. After time he grew suspicious of his fellows, quit Hamden and went to work at McArthur. Again he grew apprehensive and again he set out across tine hills, finally settling in the scarcely explored back lands of Ross county.
 When the civil war began he en- listed in the Eighteenth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry and for three years bat tied for the Union. Near the close of the war he was wounded an,. he has since drawn pension of twenty -four dollars a month.
 One afternoon last week two gentle men of official bearing arrived inf Chil- licothe and made inquiry for Isaac Brown. One of them was Russ Bethel, sheriff of Muskingum, the other Chief of Police Weaver of Zanesville.
 Regarding the man about whom they made inquiry, they only knew that sometimes he got his mail at Waller postofiice. They drove to Massieville, where they were directed to the hills back of Franklin. And there, in a country known as Snake Hoilow-as repulsive spot as ever the sun shone on-they found their man.
 Isaac Browns home was hovel on the hillside, and his farm, l00-acre tract, so unproductive and so un- promising that it's title is still vested in the government, no one ever having cared to lay claim to it. And there Isaac Brown, the soldier, but in real ity Dick Cassiboon, the murderer, has lived as secure from observation and detection as in the mountains of the west. His poverty has been patiently shared by his wife-said to be his third-and three children, the eldest an adult and the youngest child of five. The old man was startling picture of misery and want. A little, weazen- faced, grizzly bearded man of three score and ten, half blind, half starved and destitute of even comfort able clothing, he appeared scarce worth the trouble of arrest. The great whitewashed walls of the Ohio penitentiary enclose heaven compared to the hovel that for a quarter of century has been the home of the fu- gitive-Dick Cassiboon
 Brown was inveigled from the house on the pretcnce of going to Massieville on business bearing on his pension papers. When told that he was under arrest he uncomplainingly accompanied the officers, and after a good supper at Chillicothe he ap- peared almost glad that he had been found, and asked to be speedily taken to Zanesville.
 Hyde's brother, who still lives at Dresden, insists that punishment shall be inflicted, but there is a general feel ing that Isaac Brown, by over three years of valiant service for the Union, has atoned for the sin of Dick Cassi- boon. There seems to be no disposi- tion on the part of the officials to put into execution the sentence of court of thirty three years ago, and 1t is more than possible that before the end of this week Governor Foraker will be asked to pardon the prisoner.
 
 MR. JACOB s. MERRELL: Dear S,r- T f