Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-08
KILLING OF CROF TON
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CONTINUED From Third Page.)
marked But that will take consider
able money. Where will you get it?''
My wife has been taking in wash
eng, replied Reynolds, "and we will
take that and go with 1t.
/ Paddock expressed his mind rather
freely about a man who would take
money for a holiday that had been
earned by his wife over the washboard
and told him to go If he so desired.
The state says it will prove that
Reynolds displayed considerable money
il Sioux Falls and admitted to a man
that he had money to pay off some
debts with when threatened with arrest
Il he did not do SO, but said he wanted
| to string the money around little.
II will also prove that he took his wife
and family and went away to the lakes
for a month, and in that time spent
money rather freely. He was seen to
take pouch from his pocket at one
time that appeared to have considera-
BILE money in 1t. He left for the lakes
with his family about Aug. 12 or ten
days after the negro disappeared.
| About sixty days after the old man
disappeared his body was found in
lonely hollow about half mile south
of Ireton. The body was lying fiat on
its back. Papers were scattered all
about. the old mans cane was lying
near him and his trousers and drawers
had been ripped open in the back, and
there had evidently been robbery.
There was hole mashed in the negro's
forehead about an inch and three-quar-
tiers in diameter, which looked as tho II
had been made by a blunt instrument.
There were two gashes over the right
eye and several in the back of the head.
AS soon as the body was found the
authorities began to look into the mat
ter. 1t was at once found that he had
been last seen with Reynolds. After
some time Reynolds was arrested at
Sioux Falls. where he is said to have
told conflicting stories. He finally was
taken over the route he said he travelled
that fateful day with the old man. He
said he had driven straight east until
he came to within a mile of Ireton,
where the old man had asked to be let
out to speak with a negro and white
man who were camped by the roadside.
How did the old man know they
were there, seeing he was blind?" asked
the sheriff.
"Oh, told him there was one of his
race there, and he insisted on getting
out"
This was on the main road to Ireton,
within twenty rods of house.
Where did you go them" was the
next question asked of Reynolds.
Il went south to place." he replied
What placer" was the next ques-
| ton.
We'll, I'll have to stop and think"
he said nervously. "I'll have to consult
my notebook. Oh. yes, went down to
Dan Montgomery's place. but there
was no one at home"
The state has many witnesses to tes-
tify that there were no men camping on
the road near Ireton that day, and that
no negro and white man were seen In
that vicinity until three weeks after
the occurrence. They also have wit
nesses to prove that on August there
was a missionary meeting at the home
of Dan Montgomery, and over sixty
persons were on the premises all the
afternoon.
When Reynolds was taken over the
route he is said to have gone. he made
no outcry until the TURF. was made to
go north to Ireton from Montgomery's.
Altho two miles from the place where
the old man was found, as soon as he
devined the intention of the authori-
ties to take him to the scene of the
murder he stood up in the buggy and
blanched with fear, said:
sNfx, God 1rpnv, what vO1Y aro svOir7p
to do. You are going to take me up
there where the old niger was found.
l won't go another STEP
Soon after the murder the authorities
started out to find the old mans grips.
One of them was found about four
miles west of Ireton thrown In the
weeds by the roadside. and the other
one was found two miles further west
in a ditch near a culvert. These grips
contained some Of the clothing of the
old preacher.
Mrs Crofton, the aged wife of the
murdered man, was placed on the stand
to identify the clothing. One of the
most pathetic scenes imaginable was
enacted as the poor old woman handled
her dead husbands clothing.
"Yessir. denis ma huns pants" she
sobbed. Denis ma POI huns pants
An OATS his cane. Many's de time Ise
dun handed ma po' huns cane. He
dun called me lub. an called him
hum" she went on in explanation.
The aged woman, who is a typical old
southern nanny, said she made the
drawers for her husband and put pock-
cts In them next the skin so he could
carry his money there. She identified
the drawers as the ones she had made.
II dun had er presentment dat he
would nebber come back erlive,' ex-
claimed the old woman weaving back
and forth pitifully as she sat in the
witness chair. II dun thought he would
nebber come back an when I didn't
hear from him 70 SO long jest said he
was killed.
The old preacher, as well as his wife.
were slaves and lived in Pike county,
Missouri. They were liberated when
Lincoln issued his emancipation proc
lamation and since that time have lived
.>.,+t,nr,, TlBrofc rrbov made their