The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-10
HANGED AN INNOCENT MAN.

HANGEU AN lNNUCENI MAN.
1HE AWFUL YORK OF a MASKED
COURT IN I0W.t.
Murderer MINER. on ms Death NED In
Texas, Coafdvwes tho Crime FOR whsch
Anderson Was Lynehed Years Ago
From The Chicago Herald
oTTu1rwk. Ia. Dec 27.--o One Emo day in the fall
OF 1881 Christian MoCsllister drove into Abba
and drew from the Monroe County Bank q
sum'of money Ths began series of TRACE
| dies as strange rs we're ever recorded.
McCallister lived near Blakesburg with his
| wife and hia father and mother. He returned
home from Albiadireotly The next evening
he was called to tho door by knock. He
stepped out and was never seen alive by his
relatives atterward The next morning his
headloss body was found about twenty feet
from tho door Of the house. and the head itself
was discovered some hundred feet farther on.
The skull had been crushed by blow from
some blunt instrument, and the head was sew
cred from tho trunk by nm axe.
Biakesburg at that time was not the most
enlightened community known. and the resi-
dents had some very pronounced ideas con-
corning the proprieles. But, with all their
moral idiosyncrasies. tina tragedy Of tho Nc
Callister farm, aroused, such excitement as
had never been folt there. eva during the
most stirring revival times. Young McCallis-
ter was q general favorite. and to avenge his
death was generally accepted as the true duty
OF Blakesburg. During tho carly morning
hours after the discovery Of the body the
scene attraotsd nearly. every able-bodiod
man in, the community The only things
which seemed to offer q probable clue to tho
murderer's identity were. preserved in the
slightly frozen soil, clear and distinct the foot
prints. made the evening prior by tho MUIR
deror as he walked from the iane to the house
and around the body. These were numerous
enough. and singular enough-the murderer
having worn peculiarly formed boot-to Mt
tract attention. and some Hawkshaw made
plaster east Of one Of the tracks. It was after
! ward used In evidence in one OF the most
noted murder trials in the annals Of Iowa
Among the earliest arrivals at tho Mccall
lister farm on the morning In question was
Plea SAINT Anderson. He was one Of the numer-
Gus tribe Of Andersons who had lived long
enough in that section to gain decidedly
unenviable reputation. But Pleas was huge
brute. builtApd pusclod like giant, with
bad disposition. a general contempt for other
men. and q dsagreeable habit of visiting
condign punishment on those who incurred
his displeasure. 1t was this that subsequently
got Anderson into deep trouble.
0uOcISous wiz was Shlteu DNttCS uSputy
marshal and Cedar Rapids detective. took
general directions. the search for the MUIR
siderable amount were offered and many
guesses were made. but no murderers were
confined in the schooihouse. They easily es-
tablished their innocenGe and were released,
@ a they Be sRen
and hanged u little while in order to accelerate
IT, IT,. ,-,,,r f,I,o,r, b,J ,,;nod khot
liberty tho matter apparently siuinbersd, for
put te was heard hs OF IT. Hnd aairs at Bakes
Snd no gkd
about except now and then as the local Vidocqs
got together and wondered why their efforts
time Pleas anderson added to his unpopular
ity in various ways. and tho Monroe County
been. " At no time had the search for o' Nc
CaIister,s murderer 9e died out entirely
Pleas and " lillian Anderson with the murder
IL h syy decp was FE tbs and
fe!t that the hearing Of the case was had in
the main court room at the county Court
@ een sSs
we're consumed IN the preliminary hearing. A
sSSY ssaA WI
plaster cast and the boot Wore
them 6 6 M SSS IFS Sssn syn
81 a, billy carried, Gy Anderson; and finally Bill
he sat in the road, holding his horse and the
one plens rode. while Pleas called McGallistes
@ both they the
conversation between their son and his slayer.
5ns hn srSast s w y %ss ta hsy as
elonl 81 with crises an anxious to testify to An
d q. bad character was the unPuaihI led
and child 70 the sses that the husband s sna
c COMM sna eonsIdsrabe ' testimoa e " e
show Illl Anderson general untrustworthy
Bill An derson eswere that Pleas had prom
to give HIN & In return for his
man to the door. Pleas had taken a shot at
man Phinnney." Pleas had said. and he O. had Hd
given BIZ a harrow as reward for his COM
by ss ps hea as
out bail to await trial on the charge of murder.
During the next six m1nt h Andersen was
whom he invariably protested his his innocsnce.
although on several occasions tacitly admit.
Woa pubo ee No
orally held TINT the murderer Of Chris Mccall
While this was in progress at Ottumwa. up
At Abba the farmers and others who had been
we're making things mighty interesting for
Don Miller: the cashier. and Sam Miller.
Miller was under arrest, charged with forgery
and was held In Jail at Ottumwa awaiting trim
on some ninety-seyen counts. He and Ander-
son had uninterrupted communication with
each other for, more than two months. when
Miller was tried on three counts and sem
tonced to seven and one-half years imprison-
mont ut Fort Madison.
Dan Miller had been Sunday school super
worker His wife was u gentle lady Of refine
ment, and he had two rs sweet children an
was felt for him in his trouble. as II was almost
universally believed that Sam Miller was re-
Millert name was frednently mentioned in