The Oskaloosa herald., 1901-11-07
CONVICT DIES RICH.
Story of the Life and Crime of
Andrew Thompson.

AnamOSh, 10 ever WrltUeu ~ Will form
one of the romantic and interesting
chapters in the larger history OF the
state of Iowa, for convict though he
was, Andrew Thompson was one
whose life was varied to remark
able degree. He had served longer
than any other convict in an iowa
penit entiary; he had made q good
prison record, but being lifer, could
not get any "good time" credit; he
was rich and prosperous, but his
body, like that of a pauper's, went
to the dissecting table and not to the
hillside where he had fondly hoped
to rest at last.
The correct story Of his crime is
now 80 old that it is fresh to the
public. He had come from Indiana
or Ohio and settled in Clay county
in the beautiful Turkey river valley,
where he owned farm of 29O acres.
He had a wife and family and ought
to have been content with his lot,
but he became entangled with a
grass widow named Maria Haggerty,
who lived not far away, and in rash
moment thought he could end his
troub es brought upon himself by his
own wrong acts by placing her out of
the way. In December, 1869, Thomp-
son induced the widow to go with
him for a ride in a sled. Her three
children accompanied her-two boys
and a young girl. Thompson was
desperate and determined that all
should perish. He either killed them
in the sled or smothered them in
some way, and drove on toward the
Mississippi river. The river was
frozen over and he crossed a short
distance below CassvilIe, Wis. where
he found an air hole in the ice. He
cast the bodies of his victims into
this hole under the ice, then burned
the bows OF his sled and the straw
and blankets, and returned home 1t
was an all night job, but he was not
detected directly at his nefarious
task.
The family was missed from the
neighbOrhoo0 and great was the won
der, but not until the bodies were
found in the spring and recovered
was it known that a murder had been
committed. Suspicion fastened upon
Thompson because of his known in
timacy with Mrs. Hagerty. Circum
stantial evidence accumulated and
Thompson was indicted for murder.
His trial was in West Union, the case
having been transferred from Clay
ton on the ground of prejudice against
the defendant. 1t commenced on
June 81 and lasted nine days. Thomp-
son was found guilty and sentenced
to be hanged. He was taken to Du-
buque. Appeal was had and defect
in the trial found. But there was also
some talk of taking the case over into
Wisconsin, inasmuch as the bodies
were sunk in the river near the Wis
consin shore. At any rate, Thompson
preferred, rather than to have an
other trial, to accept imprisonment
for life. He dreaded hanging and
escaped it narrowly.
The case was a notable one in the
law ann ais of northeast Iowa. tt
trial judge was Milo McGlathery.
Charles T. Granger, late chief justit g
of Iowa, was the district attorney
and pr osecuted the case. He was
assisted by Judge Murdoch and John
T. StOneman. The defense was by
x-Congressman Tom Updegraff,
Judge Noble, E. Odell and L. L.
Ainsworth. Thompson finally ad
mitted the crime and gave the de-
tails. He was sent to the Fort Madi-
son penitentiary late in 1870, about
thirty-one years ago.
Thompson's family continued to
live on his farm and his children
grew to maturity. He had a small
bank account which he kept in his
own name when he was at Fort
Madison. When the new penitent-
iary was opened at Auamosa sixteen
years ago Thompson was removed to
that place. He had $500 in the bank
and he wanted it taken to Anamosa
and placed in the bank there. Bust
ness transactions were usually tran
sacted by the clerk of the prison.
The money went into the bank of
Niles & Waters, on certificate of
deposit for $500. This is the money
over which a controversy was had
which was finally carriedito the su-
preme court. Clerk Gilbrath had
drawn the money out on his own &C
count for the prisoner. Thomp-
son sued the bank for the money,
claiming that the clerk was not his
agent and had drawn the money with
out his authority. The bank resisted
and in the lower court won the case,
But Thompson was persistent and
took the case to the supreme court.
At the term just closed his case was
finally disposed of, and the supreme
court took his side and reversed
Judge Remley. The Esupreme court
held that the convict has the same
right to his private property as the
free man, that the bank should nc
more pay out money belonging to q
convict without the express order OF