The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-10-27
RELEASED FROM
A FEL0N'S CELL
PRISON DOORS SWING OPEN FOR
CHARLES CAcKLEY.
STORY OF AN UNUSUAL CASE
Murdered the City Marshl of Farming
ton, Iowa, Nearly Forty Years
Ago, But Avoided Justice
Until Recently.
Special to Daily Herald.


F't Madison, Oct. 26.-Charles Cack-
ley, after serving few months of his
sentence for the murder of Marshall
Fenstenmaker, at Pennington, nearly
forty years ago, was released on pm
role from the penitentiary here today.
There is an old saying that murder
will out" and here Is the proof Of it..
Cackley was born in Ohio in 1S49
and moved to southern Iowa when a
boy. On March z, 1868, he enlisted
with Company G Of the Seventh Iowa
cavalry and served three years, re-
turning to his boyhood home in Van
Buren, county. He was arrested on
September 9 by the city marshal OF
Pennington, Reuben Fenstenmaker,
on charge of stealing a pony while
intoxicated. Cackley shot the mar
shall with revolver and made his cs-
cape, while the officer was taken to
his home where he died, the bullet
having pierced his abdomen.
Four Jail Deliveries.
Two days later Cackley was caught
and brought to Keosauqua where his
preliminary was held and he was
bound over to await the action of the
next grand jury. Three times he es-
capped from the old Keosauqua Jail,
and three times he was returned. But
the fourth attempt was successful and
when he left Keosauqua in the spring
Of 1868 he was never again seen by
those who knew him until thirty-six
years later. 4.#e
Begins Life Anew. r
He worked on a farm near Fairfield
for two days and then made his way
to Burlington. About a mile below
the town he found a skiff which he
appropriated and started down the
Mississippi. At Hannibal he overlook
raft and secured employment at
$3.50 per day.
Arriving at st. Louis aboard the
raft he had $22 in money, bought a
suit of clothes and walked out into the
country, finally locating in Washing
ton county, Missouri, where he has
lived ever since. He married, raised
large family and lead a peaceful, re-
spected life, his new acquaintances
little dreaming Of the skeleton in the
mans closet. He was John Beck, :"
having taken the name of comrade
in the war And this was the cause
of his capture, for he applied for a
pension under that name, supposing
that his friend was dead tE
Arrested For Old Crime. M
The government was already paw
ing john Beck pension and Cackley
was made to divulge his real name.
The officials of Van Buren county
were notified and Sheriff Ramsey
went down and found the man. To-
gether with the sheriff of the Missouri
county, they drove out into the coun-
try twenty-five miles and found Cack,
ley chopping wood. He was mana
cled and brought back to Keosauqua
where on April 3 he pleaded guilty,
was sentenced to ten years in the
penitentiary and brought to Ft Madi.
son.
His victims widow was dead, the
officers who took part at his. prelimi-
nary trial were dead. His case was
like voice out of the grave, for but
few were living who remembered the
incident which had caused such ex.
citement thirty-six years ago. "Who
is Cackley?" asked the people, when
he was returned to Keosauoua.
Friends in Missouri. relatives, citi-
zens Of the southern part of Iowa. and
other besieged Governor Cummins to
parole the man, and today he was set
free. The question remains unan-
swered-"Has he been punished for
the crime?"