Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-05-29
KING AND HIS rim
Mansfield King and the Deeds
He C0nfesses.

needing a hand, he hired King,
who had applied for work. He
proved a good man about the place
and conducted himself in every
way correctly, but his record was,
to some extent, known to his EN-.
ployer, whose eldest daughter and
King began to go together a good
deal, and finally declared that they
were going to marry. Mr.. Swan
tried in every way to induce his
daughter to forego the alliance,
which he felt sure would not prove
a happy one, but with no avail,
She was determined to unite with
King, let the result be what il
would. They married in ] une las
and went to Kansas City, where
they only stayed a short time:
soon returning to Mrs. king'i
father. King worked about the
farm a few weeks, and quietly
left, going nobody knows where
He stayed away until the latter
part of last March, when he sud
denly put in appearance n even
ing. He seemed to have plenty o.
money, and gave his wife quite 6
sum. He did not stay all night
but left early in the morn
ing, and that was the last his wife
or friends heard of him until the
news of his arrest in St. Louis fol
horse.stealing came. 1t nearly
crazed the poor woman who hac
always stood by him and woule
believe naught against him from
any source. The news of his ar
rest did not surprise the people
who knew Mansfield King, for HI
had always been considered
ne'er-do-well, and predictions of
bad end had been frequently made
His parents are worthy folks anG
highly respected in the neighbor
hood of Newport where they live
Since he has been in Jail Kins
has told some most marvellous
tales, and so voluble has he been
that the officials have placed but
little credence in many of hi:
yarns. That he has been the
principal in some of the most dar
ing cases of horse-stealing evel
committed there is, however, nc
doubt and that he is possessed O
iron nerve is indisputable. Hi:
methods were peculiarly his own
Something over a year ago he Wen
into a livery stable in st. JOSEPH
and told the proprietor that he hae
a bay horse he wanted to sell ano
that he would bring him in the
next day. He was told to do SO,
Going out into the adjacent coun'
try he looked over the farms and
sighted about for an animal thai
would about fill the description he
had given to the liveryman. He
found it on a farm about three
miles from the city and that nigh
stole the horse. The next day he
rode up to the livery barn and tolo
the MA there was the horse he
had been talking about. The ami
NAL was looked over and King
placed the price at 500. The
horse buyer said it was too much
and they did not trade. Thai
morning hand bills were circulat.
ing in st. Joseph describing the
stolen horse and offering a reward
for it and the apprehension of the
thief. For three days King rode
each morning up to that livery
stable TO make his trade and or
the last one made the sale for $50
Then he leisurely went out of town
and was never even suspicioned.
A queer recognition occurred
since he has been in Clayton jan
regarding one of his horse stealing
affairs. Last fall a stranger rode
up to Mr.. Redmon's farm, which il
north of Clayton, and asked to see
that gentleman. He told Mr..
Redmon that he had a valuable
horse he would like to trade, Civ.
ing some plausible pretext. After
considerable dickering a trade was
made, King, for it was he, getting
a mare with foal and $3.50 in
cash. Mr.. Redmon had to appear
before the grand jury in Clayton
some weeks ago, and while in town
he asked to see King, of whom he
had heard SO much. Sheriff Dosen.
back took him to the cell, and the
minute his eyes rested on the
prisoner he said: "Wby. that il
the man who traded the horse to
me-" King also knew him, and
laughingiy said: 81 got $3.50 Of
your good money, didn't II" The
horse he stole in the neighbcyhood
of Rolla.
His stealing of the horse of Mr.,
Schaeffer, who resides near Clay.
ton, and for which he was arrested
in St. Louis, ID still fresh IN the
minds OF newspaper readers.
When he was jailed for the crime
the people of St. Louis county were
considerably agitated over numer'
GUS crimes of various kinds that
had been committed, and feeling
ran SO high that some people
thought that Judge Lynch would
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