Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-27
CACKLEY RELEASED
THOUGH GUILTY OF MURDER
WILL NOT DIE BEHIND THE
RARa,

Broken Man, ProVes Theory ihat
"Murder VIII out"-kllled Marehal
Fenetsnmaker, Of Pennington, Many
Yeap Ago.
Fl. Madlson, Oct. rs. = (spe.
| cIaD-charlee caokley, after oerv.
Ing a feW nonths Of hle sentence
4 for the murder Of Marahall Fen.
etenmaker. at Farrlnston, neary
| forty years ago, was released on
parole from the penltentlery here
today.
Keosauqua, Oct. 25.-(special.)-
Has Charles Cackley, who was liber.
ated from the Iowa state penitentiary
for the crime he committed? Cackley
murdered a man at Pennington In
1867, escaped from the Keosauqua Jail
the next spring while awaiting trial
and for thtrty-six years cheated JUS
tice. He was apprehended this year.
brought back to Kecsaucua and plead.
ed guilty to the charge. He was SEN
fenced to ten years and after serving
SAA 4AAoAAShAo anu LWCllly-LTo uGso, GetS
been released under parole by the gov
ernor.
4 Most Unusual Case.
The Caclley case is indeed re-
markable one and has but few paral-
lels in criminal history.
At the age of SIS years, he was finally
caught to answer for crime commit,
ted in his youth. The blood of his vic.
tim had remained unwashed from mis-
hands for thirty-six years and his wife,
eight children and three grandchil-
dren never knew Of their fathers deed
until the sheriff took him away from a
peaceful home, where he lived, re-
spected by all.
Murder Of Fenstenmaker.
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
vi Cudl Sc vi SItdllHE d pOuy Willie
intoxicated. Cackley shot the marshal
with revolver and made his escape,
while the officer was taken to his
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 Keosauuua Jail and
three times he was returned. But the
fourth attempt was successful and
when he left Keosauqua in the spring
of 1858 he was never seen again by
those who knew him until thirty-six
years later
Begins Life Anew.
He worked on farm near Fairfield
for two days and then made his way
to Burlington. About a mile below
the town he found sl1iff which he
appropriated and started down the
Mississippi At Hannibal he overlook
a raft and secured employment at
$3.50 per day.
he had s22 in money, bought suit OF
clothes and walked out into the coun
try. finally locating in Washington
county Mo-, where he has lived ever
since. He married, raised a large
family and lead peaceful, respected
life. his new acquaintance little
dreaming Of the skeleton in the mans
closet. He was John Beck having
taken the name of a comrade in the
war. AnG this was the cause of his
j capture for he applied for a pension
under that name. supposing that his
friend was dead
Arrested for Old Crime.
The government was already paying
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. Together with the
sheriff of the Missouri county, they
drove out into the country tWenty-fv
miles and found Cackley chopping
| wood. He was manacled and brought
back to Keosauqua where on April 3
4 he plead guilty, was sentenced to ten
| years in the penitentiary and taken to
Fit. Madison.
His victims widow was dead, the of.
flcers who took part at his preliminary
i trial were dead. His case was like q
voice out of the grave, for but few
were living who remembered the in
cident which had caused such excite
ment thirty-six years ago. "Who is
Cackley?" asked the people, when he
was returned to Keosauqua.
Friends in Missouri, relatives, citi
zens Of the southern part of Iowa. anG
| others besieged Governor Cunmins tt
parole the man, and today he was SCI
| free. The question remains unan
| h.