Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-12
TREE HAS EVENTFUL LIFE
Old Cottonwood on South Bank of Des
Moines River Has History.

city, Sheriff Derby and Hi Baker,
were in the vicinity of the old tree,
watching some horses that were tied
to the tree. They were watching the
horses for they belonged to man
who had committed a revolving crime
and the sheriff was waiting until he
came after them with the intention of
arresting him
After waiting until near midnight
the party left the tree and started
south for home. 1t was after they had
left the river for short distance that
they met two men driving a team
hitched to wagon. They were driving
rapidly and heading for the ferry. Mr..
Prosser being the ferryman, instruct
ed his son to go back and ferry the
man and his team across, If they de-
sired to cross the river. John Prosser
left the party and returned to the
river. AS he arrived in the vicinity 1T
the tree, he saw the team and wagon
! standing in the river Just as he ar
rived on the river bank, he heard
splash in the water as though the man
had thrown something from the
wagon. They then turned the team
and drove out from the river and
headed south. Seeing that they were
not going to use the ferry. Prosser
rejoined the party he had left.
On the morning of March 80, the
next day, the body of young and
beautiful woman was found few feet
below the ferry. crossing. When found
the body was nearly covered by water
and to some extent by sand. 1t had
been thrown into the channel Of the
river, but coming in contact with q
root. it had lodged.
On examination it was found that
the woman had been murdered ss
there were wounds on the head and
face and on the throat were marks in.
dicating she had been choked.
Lawrence Meets Same Fate,
1t was learned afterwards that the
girls name was Laura Harvey and
that she came from Rockword, Ill.
me mems names were George Law
renee and Benjamin A. McComb. It
seems that Miss Harvey had been re-
ceiving the attention of Lawrnce for
some time aaginst the wishes of her
parents. Some ten days before the
murder they had been clandestinely
married at Beloit Wis. They came to
Iowa with man by the name of Ben
Jamin McComb. Lawrence had $500
which he had stolen before leaving
Illinois. After the murdered girls
body had been found, 1t was the gem
eral opinion that Lawrence and Nc
Comb were both guilty, but it was
learned subsequently that McComb
i alone was guilty for he also murdered
Lawrence. His body was found sever
al months afterwards in ravine near
!. IL -r-
ed at Davenport March O. 1864, and
brought to this city. At one time he
was very nearly lynched by mob. He
was finally hanged in the .is;luaIiih;
ruar IL, 1864. McComb had nidfdeTeds
the girl out on the country road south
of the city and as Lawrence knew IT
him, he met the same fate as that Of
the girl.
Man Hangs Himself.
Among the other incidents that the
old tree looked down upon in
. silence, as the shades of darkness
i, mantled the earth and while the river
breezes sighed plaintively through its
stately branches, was suicide case
which happened in the seventies.
Again the exact date of the event
and the name of the party is lost. 1t Is
{, y1v1dly remembered, but none of the
older residents can recall the exact
date or tle name. This was the case
of man who went to that side of the
river, one cold and sleety night and
hanged himself on the roots Of fallen
three which extended out over the
water. This happened on the bank of
the river short distance up the river
. in the vicinity of the old cottonwood.
When the body was found in the morn.
ing 1t was one mass Of ice
In the active days of traffic across
the river by the ferry boat there stood
near the tree, little above II on the
bank Of the river, what is known as
: the ferry house. 1t was built as a
tavern by John Prosser, the owner
of the ferry. 1t WIS burned down
and the insurance companies rebuilt
1t, duplicating the building In every
? way. The house was a great meeting
place for the early settlers and many q
Notification was held in its old fash
Toned parlors.
u Later the building fell into the
> hands of some men named Ban Hout-
' en-, who turned the tavern into a dis-
! orderly house. For long time the
l old tree heard the babple of midnight
) carouses and drunken debauches The
J infested place was swept from exis.
8 tence by one of the great floods. The
building was never rebuilt for the
: reason that with the flood the river
. bank was washed away inland and
! completely changed.
D Cannot Advertise.
With the growth of the city and the
7 large amount of advertising done in
3 recent years, numerous Of the enter.
! prising merchants had the trunk Of
the old landmark plastered with signs.
They had gotten SO thick that 1t be.
' came an eyesore to the public. Final.
: ly the city park commissioners took
) up the matter and at present there Is
J only one sign on the tree, this ona
r warning people not to place any more
r there.
$ And now, as the old monarch stands
F,4--