Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-03-25
Audubon County
Early History
HON. H. F. ANDREWS


TO the thieves That the one who en-
tered his room came near the head of
his bed and took up a leather grip,
which was i'm a chair there, contain
ing the money and started to carry it
away. The doctor sprung from his
bed and caught the rctreating robber
around the legs and lelled him to the
floor, but still held his grip and shout
ed for help. The only other persons
in the house was the wife of the hired
man and two boys. The latter fled,
but The lady was pluclly and came to
the assistance of the doctor, beating
the fobber with something she had
got in her hands. But the robber was
fortunate in kicking himself loose
and escaped with the booty. After
relating his adventure the doctor said
that i'm his struggle with the robber
he had torn off his suspenders with
button and strip of cloth attached,
which he still had, and proceeded to
produce them from under his pillow.
We examined this trophy and con-
Guided that it might help to identify
the guilty parties. Next morning,
early Mn. Griggs and myself discovered
the tracks of the robbers, and with
the team drived by Mr.. Doner started
to follow them. We traced them to
Ed Gingery's place in Cass county.
When snow storm set i'm and covered
the tracks so we could follow them no
longer, and we came back to the doc
tors place. again examined the
captured suspenders and bit of cloth
attached. The latter looked familiar.
| remembered that the doctor had
some pants of similar material of
black basket cloth, which usually
hung in the room near his bed.
looked for the pants, but they were
not there. Then | asked the doctor
where they We're and he said they
were hanging up, pointing to the
place. No, | said they are not there.
Then search was made without sue
cess. at once concluded that the
thief had also stolen the doctors
pants and that the latter had ONLY
captured his own suspenders, which
proved true, as the pants were after
wards discovered where the thieves
had left them, at some distance away
from the house.
ltle robbers were not known to per-
sons in the house but were afterwards
identified beyond reasonable doubt.
They soon left the country and the
money was never recovered. The doc
tor soon went to Council Bluffs and
died. Other serious affairs occurred
in the County about the same time.
which attracted attention from the
Ballard robbery and nothing was done
in the matter, except to collect some
evidence.
About this time the doctor Inform
ed mn that cattle, hogs. timber and
other property to the amount of
fully $50, GOO had been stolen from him
whilehe had lived in this county. He
said: Andrews. am living among
the wolves
remember during that winter Or.
Ballard talked about his son "Bolly'
and like David of old lamenting over
his son, Absalom grieved about him;
saying that he could be a Prince if he
would; ntimating that he would be
glad toS see him have the home place.
but feared that he would squander it
II he should give it to him, and then
suggested that there might be some
OF his descendants some time. who
would make good use of his estate, if
he knew to whom to leave it. The
terms OF his will subsequently made
indicates that it was framed upon
that idea
believe the home place has passed
out OF the family with single excep-
ton. He was interested with Can't.
Perry and the Hendersons i'm contracts
for the subdivision of several of the
townships of Government land in
this county; he and his son Byron
personally took part in the actual
work, the latter as fiagman and chair
man. think the doctor was proba-
bly, overseer of the working party.
He was at one time U. S. Receiver
OF public monies at the Land Office at
Council Bluffs. Is said that he once
conveyed a large amount of public
funds in specie, from Council Bluffs
to Iowa City in a false bottom in his
buggy.
CONTINUED Next Week.