Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-29

an imposstbilitY, presuIntng that the
burial was not OF recent years.
Many Of the old residents OF Helena
are gone. The Bohemian farmers
have moved into the neIghborhood ana
now practically own or tenant all OF
the surrounding land But those VINO
still remain who can recall the days OF
the old stage. are confident that the
finding Of the bones OF a man verify
old reports OF murder.
House for Years Haunted.
After the stage days had passed and
the old building fell into disuse the
story gained credence that the spirit
of some one who had met foul play
kept nightly vigil over his bones at
the stage house. That the place was
haunted no one doubted. Children
would not go near the old building al :
ter night fall and even Stunned 1t IN
day time. Grownups held the place
in the same superstitious awe and took
the far side OF the road In passing.
Even the dogs were seen to give the
place wide berth and as they SUNK
by behind the farmers wagon the9
were strangely silent
With the coming of the Papesh fam
lily the story Of the haunted house
lost much of its weight. Papesh ala
not fear spectres that prowl at night
and his family slept soundly without
being disturbed by strange noises or
the sight of wandering spirits.
History Of the Old Stage.
The Iowa legislature authorized the
old stage route just sixty years ago
this summer. The route was laid out
in the year of 1853, and the legls-
lature approved the route on July l.
OF that year, from Marengo to Fort
Dodge. The Helena stage house be-
came one OF the many famous stop
ping places along this route in the
late ffties and for years was one OF
the leading taverns in central Iowa
Helena never prospered, however. anc
was never more than a hamlet with its
country stores, a postoffice and hall
dozen houses. OF late years the post
office has been abolished and two
houses now mark the site of the Ole
village short distance east Of the ole
stage house
The Helena road house was large and
roomy and on many occasions housed
dozens of people over night 1t had It's
years of responsibility and its periods
! of decadence. At times, according &c
the old settlers it bore A bad reputa
ton and sad tales are told of the gam
ing and lighting that were carried on
under its roof.
That several guests had registered at
the old place and never left it again
was the story told by an old lady. who
died short time ago, and who resided
Of
years
These unfortunates, according 70 the
story, stopped for the night, but were
never seen to leave They dropped
from sight mysteriously and were never
again heard of. The finding OF the
bones has led some 10 believe that they
are all that remains Of some poor trav-
eler who stopped at the tavern but VINO
never left it.
Old Settlers Meet.
A short time ago NUMBER or the
old settlers of the Helena neighborhood
gathered az Toledo in reunion and many
"reminiscences of the old stage coach
days were told Among these survivors
Of the ante-bellum days in frontier
Iowa are James Crossrnan and his son
William Crossman, Mrs Ebersoie. and
Miss Hattie Smith, of Toledo; William
Mckeen, of Tama; L. Q. Deeter. OF
Helena: Otto Redheld, Of Redtield, S
d.; Louise Deeter Vorner, of Kansas
and r. L. Clay, of Marshallrown.
| L. Deeter runs the cross road:
store at Helena today, just forty rod:
| east of the old stage house. His fam
! lily once conducted the old stage house
! J. P. Glen. of Marshalltown. was reared
I in the neighborhood and at one time
! his family conducted the place.
| R. L. Clay, OF Marshalltown. was
born on the road house farm and lived
there during his early life.
| There were periods when the house
passed into hands of people who did
not, or could not. maintain the house
on moral basis and the action OF
! both guests and the employees were
questioned.
In the period when the banditti OF
1 the prairie held sway over stage roads
and frontier trails the character of the
roadside taverns was demoralizing ow-
| ing. no doubt, to the action of tho
landlords in trying to entertain theil
rough visitors so as to retain their
good will. Oftentimes these outla
took possession of the road houses fol-
the night and made m cry at the ex-
pense of the landlord, both morally
and financially.
Coming of the Railroad.
With the advent of the railroad the
stage lines passed into history and tbs
old road houses fell into decay. The
Helena tavern, like many others, fel
into disuse and the deeds Of tragic
character enacted under its roof were
uppermost in the minds of the people
of the neighborhood.
1t is now many years since the
Helena tavern was actively operated
and what may have transpired there Is
left largely to suppostion. The ole
residents recall many incidents but If
many cases these are vague or are
founded on hearsay evidence
The connection between the bone:
found in the Papesh home and the
midnight revels Of the guests Of the
old road house would be difficult If
all possible to determine. The bones
no doubt are human but the identit!
of the mortal who once claimed then
proba bly, will never be determined.