The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-12-20
IT RECALLS OLD TIMES
How [. P. Sigler lost and Recovered
q $500 Bill More Than Thirty
Years ago in a Peculiar Way.

A few days ago George Wadsworth, of
Center township, while looking over
some old papers belonging to his de-
ceased brother, Frank Wadsworth, found
the following unique order, which will
be read with considerable interest by
the older residents of this county, and
many smile will creep over the MEM
bers of the old guard when they read it,
for it will bring back recolections of
stirring times of more than thirty years
ago:
HEAD-Qu ARTERS OF DECATUR STATE GUARDS
General Order No. 8.
To the officers and privates of said COM
mand:
1t having been communicated to me
at headquarters that Corporal Bullock
has been attacked by Colonel r. H. Nc
Bee, of the enemy's forces, at Terre
Haute, and driven from the field with
great loss, you will be prompt and
ready to march at o'clock p. M, with
three days rations, in full uniform, and
with One Hundred Rounds of Ammunition.
The following will be the order of at
tack:
Lieutenant Mather will march at the
head of his command and take possess
sion Of Decatur City and hold the same
as base of supplies.
Corporal Bullock will march at the
head of the skirmish line and engage
the enemy, being at all times careful to
avoid the main force under Colonel II.
H. McBee, and knowing the reckless
daring of the officer last named without
wishing to disparage his brother Of
ficers,) | desire to particularly caution
him to indulge in no overt deeds of un-
necessary bravery, as the loss of so
brave and valuable an officer might en-
danger the success of the whole cam
paign.
j. W. Harvey and L. P. Sigler are as
signed duty in the Quarter Masters de-
partment as the position most suitable
to their military taste and genius.
Colonel James ii. Summers will march
with his forces upon the enemy encamp-
ed on Dickerson's Branch, attack the
Citadel in the night, capture the in
mates and remain in possession of the
field until released by me in person. BY
order of E. w. HAsKETr,
Lieut., Brevt. Brig. Gen. Commanding.
Away back in the seventies when five
in this country, l.. p. Sigler, who was
bank lost five hundred dollar bill, but
after considerable skirmishing around
recovered it. One day Col. McBee came
into the bank on some business and the
big bill was lying on the counter. When
Mr.. Sigler's back was turned McBee
picked it up and put it in his pocket
and the loss was not discovered for
some days as it was thought the bill
was lying snugly in the bank vault.
The, loss was kept quiet and a quiet in
vestigation started to find out what had
become of it, for they thought it could
be traced whenever the person who had
it tried to use it. Several months later
Col. McBee, who was one of the veteran
poker players of those days reported
that he had won $500 from some young
fellows who were travelling across the
country, and it was found that the
money was single five hundred dollar
bill. Mr. Sigler was satisfied that it
was the bill he had lost, so he sent
lawyer Bullock and Uncle Sol Penniwell
down to Terre Haute to secure posses
sion Of it. They called on the Colonel
but met with a warm reception for when
they demanded the bill Colonel grabbed
his trusty old musket, and they say he
chased Bullock and Uncle Sol across the
Terre Haute bridge on the double quick.
The bridge had just been built and was
not yet foored, but the Leon fellows
orawled across on the stringers. The
next morning when Bullock came up
town Henry Lunbeck, who afterwards
became one Of Americas great cartoon
lists, had sketched their fight across
the bridge with Col. McBee after them
on a large strip of muslin which was
nailed across the front of Bullock's Office
building, and Gen. Haskett had the state
guards a hundred strong lined up across
the street. This was lots of fun for
Haskett and the rest of the gang, but it
didn't get the money back for Mr.. Sigler.
The money was afterwards recovered
through the aid of Uncle Andy Scott
1t seems that at the time McBee was
under indictment for some charge and
Scott was on his bond, and as he was a
great friend of Siglers it was easy to
persuade him to demand the bill from
McBee as security that he would not
skip across to Missouri and leave Scott
to pay his bond. When Scott secured
the bill he turned it over to Judge
Harvey and by him returned to Mr..
Sigler. Col. McBee did not show up in
Leon for some months after that, but
S6tbtO III UVIu all dUOuU
it, saying that when he saw the bill ly-
ing on the counter in front of him he
thought it would be good joke to put
it in his pocket and hear Sigler get ex-
cited over the loss. When he did not
notice it and nothing was said for some
time he concluded he might just as we'll
keep it, and so concocted the story
about winning it in poker game to ac-
conut for having such large bill in his
possession.
Time has dealt heavily with the
parties mentioned in Gen. Haskett's
order, himself, Col. McBee, Lieutenant
Mather ana Col. Summers having all
passed to their reward, Corporal Bullock
has been living in Oklahoma for several
years, and Judge Harvey and L. p. sigler
are still residents of this city.
Methodist Church Services ,