Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-11-19

BY the arrest, Oct. 3d. of Perry Rich
ardson at Kendalls, Wis, short
time ago the officers of the law hope to
clear up the mystery surrounding the
murder Sept. 10, 1869, of Schuyler
Gates of Kilbourn, Wis. Richardson
has been a fugitive from justice ever
since the crime was committed and
while there is NO absolute proof of his
having been guilty of the murder the
officers hope to convince a jury by cir
cumstantial evidence that he had a
hand in it.
The morning of Sept. 10, 1869 Gates
started at daybreak for Prairie du Sac
to pick cranberries. He was last seen
crossing the bridge over the Wiscon-
sin river on his way to the cranberry
marsh. Later in the day a MAIN who
was driving over from Reedsburg saw
what proved to be his body lying on
! the fiat little below the bridge. The
appearance of the ground and the con-
dition of Gates body indicated that
the murderers had had severe strug-
gle before they succeeded in killing
their victim. Gates undoubtedly had
fought desperately for his life, for he
had been shot through the hands while
resisting his ASSISTANTS and them, when
he had broken away and attempted to
escape by flight, they had shot him in
the back, giving him his death wound.
The footprints made by the murderers
We're carefully measured by Mr.. Arm
strong, the second man to arrive on
the scene after the finding of the body.
Before daybreak the morning Of the
murder Perry Richardson and Hugh
Smith, who had been plotting RATS
through the Dells, left their hotel, 60
ing toward the bridge, and were seen
mo more 1t developed soon after they
left the hotel that they had committed
criminal assault there. On this ac-
count and because they belonged to
the Wildrick gang of thieves and
thugs, and further because of their
sudden disappearance, a reward of $3.50
for each man WAS offered. Richardson
admits the crime at the hotel, but de-
clares neither he nor Smith is guilty
of the murder of Gates.
When asked for a motive for the
murder the officers say it is necessary
to go back to a year prior to the CRIME.
For years previous to 1868 kilbourn
and vicinity had been harassed by
band of deSperadoes, known as the
Wilrick gang, the leader of which, Pat
Wildrick, was notorious and much
feared man Repeatedly this gang
held up stages and drays between kll-
bourn and Baraboo, and ON one occa-
sion Barab0o drayman WAS shot
through the hat in a fight with Wild
rick near Dcltom. In the fall of 1868
Gates sold his property in kilbourn
and with his wife started down the
Wisconsin river in a flat beat, intend
ing to go to Kentucky. lie had with
him $2,30O-all his worldly possessions.
One night while camping on an island
the party was attacked by band OF
masked men who gave Gates Il terrible
beating, took all Of his money and then
assaulted his wife. Mrs. Gates rec
ognized Pat Wildrick, despite his dis
guise, as one of her assailants, and he
was arrested but later released. MI
Gates came very near dying from his
injuries, but the family succeeded in
getting back to Ktlbourn.
AT the time of the murder Wildrick
was in Jail for robbery at Portage. He
was still to be tried for tho robbery OF
Gates and the assault on lhe latters
wife, and it IS the belief of tne officers
that he induced Richardson and Smith
to do away with Gates, thinking his
chances of acquittal would thereby be
/ increased.
The people of Baraboo, kilbourn and
! Portage We're greatly incensed at the
Wildrick gang on account OF its law
less acts, ana when the Portage rob
berry and the murder of Gates were
committed they concluded that it must
be broken up. Going to the jail they
took the ruffianly leader from the
4 prison and lynched him.
Richardson says that after he and
Smith committed the crime at the
hotel they hid in the vicinity OF XII
bourn for several days and them
started for Grand Rapids, intending to
catch raft and SO down the river. On
their way to Grand Rapids they passed
through Mansion and there they heard
of the reward offered FOR their arrest
They then changed their plans ana
went west Five years after Richard Z
son and Smith had fled they parted
company at Dallas. Tex, Sn. TIL couI-
ing home. On Smiths ARRIVAL at Kill
bourn he was also ly1 ched.
After parting company with Smith
Richardson wandered aimlessly over Il
greater part of the United States under
the assumed name of Bourke. working
for 4 time in Minnesota, Arkansas
twhere he was sheriff one term), Texas,
California. Utah, Montana and Alaska,
and finally married and settled down
in Portland ore. where he Las nov
two children living, his wife having
died On ae death Of his wife he
went to Australia deserving lis chill
dren. but STAYED only five months