The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-12-10

! was supposed to have had considerable
money slowed away somewhere in his
| cabin as proceeds of the sale. In the
course of an evening as he sat reading,
and after young John Holden who was
assisting him with his corn-gathering
had gone to bed behind curtain
stretched across the room in lieu of a
partition, on which account his pres
ence was unsupported, their came
knock at the door, and not being sus-
picious of evil intent Dickinson pro-
ceeded to unfasten the door by remov-
ing large pin more than foot in
length from hole bored in slanting
direction in the timber that formed one
sldesof the framework. Upon the open
ing of the door very large man an
peared followed by smaller one. The
large man claimed to be an agent of the
Government deputed to gather up all
the arms found in the hands of the citi-
zens. Mr.. Dickinson expressed his sur
prise at this alleged action on the part
OF the Government, especially in his
case, as he was we'll known to be per-
fectly loyal citizen from whom the Gov
eminent had nothing to fear. During
the collolquy the old man seemed to
be totally unsuspicious, but to the
young man behind the curtain the move
seemed to be mere ruse on the part
OF the lntruders to get into their own
hands shot gun, rifle and a musket
which were kept upon the wall in the
customary manner, in order that the
obvious purpose of robbery might be
the more easily carried out. Finding
that the revolver which he usually car
ried was not within his reach, he sprane
from the bed and seized the leader by
the throat, who on account of his super
ior strength was enabled to shake him
off, but finding that Dickinson was not
alone, rushed through the open door
and made his escape with his fellow
burglar in the darkness, though one of
the pieces from the wall was fired after
them, Dickinson the while remaining
perfectly cool and collected, and after
the flight Of the parties making the re-
mark that he could easily have Drained
the fellow with the powerful door-pin
which he still held in his hand, if he
had been a mind to.
The hermit was very successful in
handling bees, having had perhaps as
many as hundred swarms at one time,
and also rendered the honey and wax
from forty hives, most of which was
shipped to st. Joseph, Mo-, but some
went as far as California. OF the honey
he was accustomed to make consider
able quantity Of methelgin, strong
spirituous liquor which he drank freely
as stimulant, also sharing it literally
with his callers, for he was fond of
company. Doing his own cooking he
became quite an expert in that line,
and many Of the young people of the
place liked nothing better than to have
NJ ~ oto Ii ~
DRY viands prepared by his hands, and
to their tastes.
The old gentleman was raised an
Episcopalian, but in mature life leaned
to the Methodist persuasion, and gave
freely Of his means to it's support,
though he never became an actual mem
Der of the church. He was a great
Bible reader.
Allen Scott, who lived on section 10,
one of the very first of the pioneers,
was remarkable character and includ-
ed in his makeup both the virtues and
vices OF the class and time to which he
belonged. He was somewhat Of an en-
terprising spirit, having the first store,
the first post office, and the first mill in
the township. Some of the timbers of
the framework of the old mill we're still
to be seen standing in field by Sand
Creek bridge as late as in the eighties.
After Mr.. Scott had lived in the
township some years he was visited one
winters day by wife and daughter
whom he had abandoned at the old In
diana home. After making the call and
receiving the blessing in the shape of
some silk dress patterns from his store,
they left his place on foot for the pur-
pose Of returning to the home of rela-
tive living beyond Davis City. While
crossing the prairie bottom land inter-
vening, they were overtaken by fierce
snowstorm and blizzard, and being
blinded by the it's force they became
bewildered and lost their way. They
wandered aimlessly about until, be-
numbed by the freezing wind and over
come by the stupor which affects per-
sons in such cases, they dropped in the
snow and after the storm was over were
found frozen to death. Their bodies
were buried in what is now the orchard
of this writer.
In those early times horse-racing was
one of the chief forms of recreation and
dissipation. Between Scott's house
and the river track was laid out, and
and his place became the rendezvous of
sporting men from all parts of the coun-
try in order to test the relative speed
OF their horses, gaining or losing money
in the betting that accompanies such
events.
Horse thieves abounded in those DAYS
and many times the best animals of hon
est farmers came up missing. The mat
ter finally became so grievous that it
was found necessary to adopt heroic
measures in order to put a stop to the
serious losses incurred in this way.
The farmers quietly banded together
and at night visited those known to be
engaged in this nefarious business, took
them out to the timber and treated them
to liberal application of hickory
switches. This method of procedure
etfectually cured the evil, the parties
receiving treatment speedily betaking
themselves from the country, one dose
being found quite enough.
On one occasion it was strongly sus-
pected that Scott knew more about such
things than he was willing to tell, and
it was proposed to use radical measures