Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1900-06-29
THE ROGERS ROBBERY.
DR.. ]. s. Vandsvsnter, Joseph and Arthur
Mcsparren the Robbers.
Over Eleven Hundred Dollars Recovered.

Fount Wilson, Dave Chrisman and
Frank Clark, the three men who were
first arrested for entering the house of
John Rogers OF near Lagonda, in Bee
Branch township, Tuesday night of last
week on the charge of stealing nearly
So 900 belonging to Rogers, have all
been released, there not being a
scintilIa of evidence against them.
At different times within the past
two months DR.. J. S. Vandeventer,
who lives on farm about six miles
northeast of Salisbury, made propo-
sition to two or more citizens of
Salisbury to rob an old son of b.,
who was drawing pension and living
off of the government. and who always
kept large sum of money about the
house. So far as is known neither of
the Salisbury men gave Vandeventer
any encouragement in becoming one
of his confederates However, the
bait was too tempting for Joseph and
Arthur McSparren, two brothers who
live in Cockrell township, and they
agreed to help Vandeventer rob Rog.
ers but it is said that neither brother
knew the other had consented to take
part in the crime until the three men
met at the appointed hour and place
the night the robbery occurred.
After holding a caucus, at which
their plans for robbing Rogers were
laid, they proceeded to Rogers
house, which they reached about II
o'clock Tuesday night, June 19.
Joseph McSparcn aroused the family
by knocking at the door, and when
Mrs. Rogers inquired who was there
and what was wanted, McSparien en- told
her that her brother, w. B. Clark
of Marceline, had been thrown out of
a buggy and almost killed, and that
he (the messenger) had come for her.
After Mrs. Rogers got up and went 20
the door, McSparren told her he had
note her brother had sent, and COM
menced fumblIng in his vest pocket
FOR the missive, but failed to find it
and said he must have dropped it in
the yard. Mrs. Rogers got lamp in
order that McSparren might look for
the note, but when she unlocked the
screen door McSparren pushed by
her into the house and at once de-
manded Mr.. Rogers money, and was
quickly followed in by Arthur McSpar-
ren, who took charge of Mrs. Rogers.
She said they could have the money,
but pleaded for them not to hurt
Mr. Rogers and the children
two little boys. She was given
the assurance that they only
wanted the money and did not come
to do any of the family violence, but
warned her to keep still, showed her
into an adjoining room and threw
quilt over her as she squatted down
on the floor. But old man Rogers
did not propose to give up his filthy
lucre so readily, and arose from the
bed and reached for his pistol, which
was lying on table only few feet
away, while shotgun also stood
near the bed in corner of
the same room. Joseph Nc
Sparren, realizing that he had fight
on his hands and that he was in dan
ger of being shot. struck Rogers with
club he carried by his side when he
entered the door and felled the old
man to his knees. As Rogers got up
he grabbed one end Of the club. At
this critical juncture Vandeventer
rushed into the room and struck Rog-
ers across the head with club, which
momentarily stunned him, and then
Vandeventer ran out of doors again.
The fight between Joseph McSparren
and Rogers was renewed and was a
desperate one, but finally McSparren
got the best of it, and, after Rogers
was whipped into submission, Vande-
venter came back into the house and
went into the room. where Mrs. Rog-
ers and the trunk containing the
money were, and kicked the trunk a