Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1897-09-09
ty. Missouri. Thursday. September 9, 1897.
WERE THE CATTLE sroLENa
7. j. Hoxsey Has q Narrow Escape
From Beng Beaten Out of Quite
q Sum-Harry Jones
q Daisy.

| From Beng Beaten Out Of Quite
| Sum-Harry Jones
q Daisy.
Tuesday afternoon a young fellow,
who gave his name as Harry Jones,
came into T. ]. Hoxsey's butcher shop
and made arrangements to sell Ave
head Of cattle. This morning about Z
o'clock he returned, bringing with him
three roam heifers weighing 700 lbs.
each, which he claimed to have
bought from r. ]. Reid, 91s miles
southeast of Mexico, on the Hannibal
and Mexico road. He said that he
himself was from New London.
The fellow claimed that the cattle
weighed 900 lbs. each, and when Mr..
Hoxsey told him that he knew they
did not and asked him to knock of Is
cents on the hundred he agreed at
once. He was so easy that he aroused
MIR. Hoxsey's suspicious, and when he
wanted to collect the money the up
to- date butcher told him that he
doubted the validity of his story.
Each agreed to pay half the expen-
ses of livery rig and go out to see
the man from whom Jones claimed to
have purchased the cattle. Accord
ingly they went to Graham's livery
stable and ordered a buggy. Jones
requested that he be allowed to 60 to
the Western Union office and send a
telegram. Mr.. Hoxsey consented, but
started to "shadow" him. He did not
prove a good detective, however, for
his man eluded him in that short dis
| tance.
About $3.50 Wednesday afternoon
Jones came to John Grabam's livery
stable and hired horse to ride after
the cattle. Hetold Graham they were
on the Moss place this side of Rush
Hill, about five miles out.
AS told in Thursdays LEDGER a
man calling himself Harry Jones,
claiming to be from New London,
called on T. ]. Hoxsey Tuesday after
noon and contracted to sell him some
cattle at $3.50 per hundred. Thursday
morning the alleged Jones came to
town with three 700 pound heifers and
offered them as the cattle which he
had contracted to Hoxsey. The cattle
were very small and MIR. Hoxsey
dropped quarter of a cent per pound,
Jones readily agreeing. The mans
actions were so suspicious that Hox-
sey wanted him to drive out to Reid's
and see whether he got them legiti-
mately. In the trip to Graham's livery
stable Jones, by saying he wanted to
send telegram, got out of Hoxsey's
sight and ran away, admitting by his
actions, that he stole the stock.
Constable Price johnson was told of
the occurrence and, in company with
John b. Graham, drove to Littleby
and Rush Hill, returning by way of
John Meyers place AZ miles north
| east of town. Here they informed
Mrs. Meyers that they were looking
for a man calling himself Harry Jones
and that he was suspected of stealing
cattle. She said that if he called there
she would send boy to town for the
officers. johnson and Graham then
drove home and Constable johnson
hitched up his own team and drove to
Benton City and Martinsburg. He
was informed at Benton City by the
station master that man of jones'
description had gone east towards
Martinsburg short time before. Con-
stable Dix at Martinsburg was tele-
phoned to but failed to make an ar
rest. Constable Johnson arrived home
about O'Clock this morning.
About Z O'Clock Thursday night a
hired man working for John Meyers
came to town and informed the off,
GERS that he thought the man they
wanted was at Mr.. Meyers place and
that Mrs. Meyers was treating him
nicely in order to hold him until the
officers arrived. Marshal Lane and T.
]. Hoxsey at once got buggy and
drove out, finding the man Jones out
IN the lot talking to some of the farm
hands. Marshal Lane arrested him
and he YVES lodged in jail at 9 O'Clock.
Friday morning at O'Clock he
pleaded guilty to the charge OF steal
ing the cattle and was remanded to
jail to await the action of the grand
jury. The cattle we're stolen from Jno.
Mudd and James Quinlan, five miles
north of town, two heifers belonging
to VIM. FREDDIE were also taken out of
the same pasture but got away from
Jones before he got to town.
JONES' STORY.
When seen at the jail by LEDGER
reporter Friday morning the man, or,
more properly speaking, the boy, told
the following story:
"I left my home in Illinois about
two years ago and came to Missouri.
l have worked at various places In this
State and Kansas during that time. /
spent harvest near Mt. Leonard, GO
ing to Kansas City after run out of
work. Last week worked ON q rock
bumper on the levee. 1 arrived in
Mexico Tuesday. When / reached
Mexico L was blue and discouraged
and when / tried to steal it was for
the first time in my life. 1 have q
mother and father in Illinois and /
know it would break my mothers
heart to know that was In Jail and
would 60 to the penitentiary."
The boy finally told the reporter his
fathers name and address but he
seemed SO credulous and begged 30
hard that the name and address be
not used in print that it is kept out.
He further said:
al am guilty Of the charge and ex-
pect to receive penitentiary SEN
tence, but want to talk to the Judge
before I am tried. am nearly p years
old.o
| The young fellow nearly broke
down several times, but frightened
up when he told how the other prison.
ers had initiated him by stealing