Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-22
mrs. MISSOURI RIlTENHOUSE
SISTER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF
THE INDIANA MOB.
She Was Once Notorious, but Belongs
to Church Notwithstanding His
tory of the Lewis and Their
Desperate Associates.

In the search for property stolen by the
five men who were lynched and hanged
at Versailles, the officers looked over the
premises of Mrs. Missouri Rittenhouse, sis
ter of Lyle Levi, and the wife of one of
the most notorious counterfeiterS on the
black book of government secret service.
Mrs. Missouri Rittenhouse has history
of her own, as well as that which attaches
to her as the wife of Jim Rittenhouse.
Lyle Levi was a member of the noted
Reno gang. There were four Levi BROTH
ers, the oldest being Ike, who in war days
in some way picked up an acquaintance
with a counterfefter. who was afterwards
killed in a fight with detectives, and in a
few years the Lewis were carrying on the
business of counterfeitng in a large way.
The old homestead, in a remote part of
the county. furnished them the necessary
secluslon In their work. Trading up and
Ripley, they disposed of great quantities
of spurious coin.
In the early. 7Os the Levi boys had gath
branching out into the horse stealing line,
raids We're made into neighboring counties,
and even as far away as Ohio and Ken
reK re On After IN tba ba @ nd TFs fh a
to a vigilante organization of farmers that
quickly stopped the stealing in Ripley
Shortly after the war James Rittenhouse
came out from the East and located on
forty acres near osgood; He courted Mis-
souri, Levi and married her His marriage
brought, him in the gang, and soon he was
the leader of it. He had been skillful
mechanic, and under his tutelage. of the
ing coin than his teachers. He discovered
a method of initiating gold that has been
marvel to secret service officers. The
famous Webster-head plares for making
the most dangerous counterfeit bill ever
known by the government seemed to have
been in use about this time, and the Lewis
| counterfeits. The gang formed an alliance
with the famous briggs gang at Dayton,
o., and the Pete Mccartney crowd. 1t
Webster pI plates. i' supposed I "G to have s' been
buried in a Mississippi river island, had
been dug up and conveyed to Ripley coun-
| now TO have different information, alth ough
| the government has never located the
| plates.
In the latter part of the '7Os Rittenhouse
was captured, having passed some spurious
| gold coins that led 10 his arrest, and Of
| ficers also found his outfit. His wife, Mis-
with dramatic ways, was also apprehended.
| She was sentenced to the female reform
atory at Indianapolis. and he was started
on Il fourteen years term at the Jefferson
| vile prison. During her trial she almost
won the sympathy of the jury by her little
theatrical plays. Once she tainted In
court. After her Imprisonment she per-
sua5ed the matron to bring her before
| Walter Q. Gresham, who was then on the
| fedora! bench, and there she pleaded for
| the release of her husband, who she
claimed was dying in prison. The husband
| was in the consumptive ward of the prison
hospital. Judge Gresham was somewhat
affected by the cunning woman's tears, and
| he took the matter under advisement The
next day the dying consrmptive escaped
from prison and is still at large. He
reached Mexico safely. recent attempt
Of the federal authorities to lure him into
Texas failed. While Mrs. Rittenhouse was
in prison her house was leased to a stran-
one day three years ago. discovered $500
in bogus gold coins. These were exhibited
in a store window at Osgood. Ind. and
then sent to the United States treasury.
where the spurious coin was ranked as one
OF the best limitations ever sent in.
Upon her release Mrs. Rittenhouse re,
turned to Osgood. Her brothers, Ike and
Lyle. had both been convicted again for
counterfeiting. the government holding the
family under close surveillance after its
two men both served two terms Lyle had
been out of prison five years. and Ike,
| now an old man. has been out only two
Six years ago William Murphy. a son of
Francis Murphy. the temperance evangelist
visited Osgood and held u revival. The
Rev. Francis A. Guthrie, Methodist
preacher who had but recently moved to
tie town, persuaded Lyle Levi to attend
the revival Lyle was converted and sig; signed ed
the pledge besides. The preacher called on
Missouri Rittenhouse. introduced his wife
TO her, and in short time had the queen
Church There sSe has remaned n till II this
day, and Mr.. Guthrie, in speaking of her
to-day, said she is thoroughly reformed and
is genuinely pious woman.
Lyle Levi. who WAS lynched, was admit
ted to the. church on probation, but was
soon backslider. The Rittenhouse home:
now remodeled. ceased TO be the hauntS of
counterfeiters and horsethieves. In the old
days it was a famous rendezvous. and at
night the farmers hesitated to pass the
place. The old house was log cabin,
weatherboarded and with additions shoot
| ing out in various directions. 1t set back
| about 200 yards from the road, with a
| creek on one side and wild shrubbery on
| the other