Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-06-10


time
Probably no man living knows s.
much of the case as Luther Basford
and his recollection Of the events is
remarkably clear and accurate and
was 30 entertaininglv given 10 the
writer that he repreduces it here as
nearly rs possible in Mr. Basford's
words
Il got acquainted Nth Oliver in '36
or 81 He was located at the mouth
OF Turkey river ond opened up 4 farm
there known now think, as the John
Moore farm lived in Cassville He
was living with awoman whom we all
supposed was his wife but later his
wife and children came from louisiana
and he had to let the first woman 60
1t was learned later that She was
dissolute character named Dorcas,
Oliver was fine looking man about
6 it. in. tall and well proportioned
He was about IS years old and always
dressed well in blue broad-cloth Of the
finest kind He never worked but al
ways seemed to have plenty OF money
He drank too much aud had few
friends because Of being dsagreeable
1t was common remark Of his when
drinking that he was of OF as good
a piece Of cloth as any mai
He was no doubt a rich planters
son who had been reared in idleness.
There was a rumor afloat that he had
killed a man in the south.
Jack Russell was working at the
hotel think Forbes kept it. Russell
was 80 Or IS years old He was
peaceable and well liked but drank
too much. He had been married but
his wife was dead He had one child,
a little boy
1t seems that Russell had borrowed
a canoe Of Oliver and neglected to re-
turn it to its proper place. This an
gered Oliver and they quarreled about
it.
Jaceo at that time kept a saloon
and sort OF store at the head Of thei,-
land a mile below town. He gotup
shooting match aud nearly everybody
went. Not being a sporting man |
staid uptown, was working for the
company that built the Deniston
house. saw Russell going down and
said Jack. don't 60 down. you'll get
into trouble. He said. oh, I'll go
down but will be back in couple OF
hours.
About shutdown word was brought
that Jack Russell was shot and to get
a doctor got my horses out as
quick as could and jumped on one of
them and the doctor took the other.
We ran them to JACOBS where we
found Russell dead. shot through the
heart.
Oliver and Russell had quarreled
and clinched. John Allen stepped be-
tween and tried to stop the fight.
Oliver reached around Allen and put
ting the muzzle 9th revolver against
Russell's body fired.
We had cornor's inquest. | was
one of the jurors. The justice made
out q commitment and I took my
team and brought Oliver, the consta-
BILE and another man to Lancaster and
we had our man in Jail between IL and
/ o'clock that night. On his way up
he told me to tell his wife that he
would be back the next week.
While he was in prison his wife
took sick with bilious fever She had
no near neighbors at the time. the
high water having driven them away
from the river. A man by the name
Of Beasley, Beetown miner. happened
along and found the woman ia a help |
less condition. He came to Cassville |
and gave the word and we got some
women to 90 and care for her. But
in two DAYS she died She was buried
il the old Furnace Branch burying
ground. made her coffin Bea,ley
staid with the children until Monday. |
when we brought them over to Cass-
vile and notified the dead woman,
relatives. They came and took the
three little girls to Louisiana. The
boy were turned broadcast They |
were bad boys The Oldest went to
California. don't know what be-
came ct them. jim. the second one.
stole shot gun in Lancaster the da
his father was hung and threatened to |