Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-10-01
CAME near TO
BEING LYNCHEO
John Blades, a Woodbury.
County Farmer. Tries
to Destroy Family.
ne WOULD MURDER WIFE
She Would Not Earn Him Money by
Immoral Practiees-He Declared
He Would Sacrifice Their
Daughter.

Sioux City, Ia, Oct. Enlarged
with an attempt to rape his own
daughter and to murder his Wife, John
Blades, farmer living two miles east
Of Smlthland, WAS brought to this city
Tuesday by Constable NJ. f. Sullivan
and Justice c. NJ. Clark of Smithland
and placed In the county Jail.
In his trial before Justice Clark yes
terday at Smithland, Blades was bound
over to the grand jury for investigation
on the two charges, his bonds in each
case being fixed at $4,000.
Blades was arrested Saturday after
noon at Mapleton by Constable Sulli-
van and taken back to Smithland and
landed in Jail. The feeling was so
strong against the prisoner that he had
to be guarded With care. EARLY Satur-
day morning when the neighbors heard
of the outrage, q mob of threshermen
organized and with a rope headed for
the Blades home with the evident pur-
pose OF lynching him. A number OF
the cooler-headed men, however. met
the mob and dissuaded them from their
purpose, although it required mucn ar
Sument.
Would Have Murdered Her.
: According to the testimony before
Justice Clark, Blades attempted to
force his wife to accompany him to
town Friday night and consort with
other men for immoral purposes, in or
der that he might get money with
which to buy whisky. When she re-
fused he set upon her with knife,
slashed her across the bosom and beat
her almost into insensibility. The two
children, Ethel, aged l6, and George,
aged IA, came to their mothers rescue
and were finally able to beat their
father Off They took their mother to a
neighbours. Blades, evidently realizing
that he would be sought for. mounted
his bicycle and had managed to reach
Mapleton Saturday afternoon, where
he was intercepted and arrested.
Saturday morning Mrs. Blades was
able to go to town and file informa-
ton against her husband. She filed
two charges, that of assault with at
tempt to commit murder on the night
previous and one of assault upon his
daughter, Ethel, with attempt to COM
NIT rape on August %.
An Appalling Story.
Tho story which the wife told the
court was almost Incredible. She says
that her husband had a tiendish passion
for whisky and that he had beaten and
abused her and the children for the past
two years. On the evening of August
Is, he had attempted to force his wife
to go to town for immoral purposes, and
not being successful had seized the
daughter and declared he would see that
she would earn money for him. He
dragged her to bed and attempted to
accomplish his purpose. The wife said
that on August is he had beaten her
into insensibiity with buggy whip and
then left for town. At one time last
winter she alleged that he drove her
from the house and made her remain
out in the cold and snow all night, with
insufficient clothing upon her.
The greatest excitement prevailed in
Smithland throughout the trial for
Blades is a we'll known character there.
The feeling against the man was so
strong that 1t as feared mob might
form and an effort be made to take the
man from the officers, but no further
demonstration of mob violence was
made.
Blades has lived in that community
for about ten years. He is a hard drink
err and is noted for his atrocious tenn
per. At various times, it is said lie has
pulled gun on his neighbors. He rents
farm and until lately has been con-
sidered fairly good farmer. lie has
some live stock and some personal