Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-07-13

maze QeT WASH tnelr ClOCnluS, ina
had become blood stained in thu
committing of the double crime.
Told James of Chest.
This woman now is living. The
vicinity of Siam became too warn
for her after the double murder, ant
with a sister she moved down into
Missouri, presumably near Hickman
THE James gang raided near her new
home frequently, and it is said she
told Frank James of the burieC
treasure chest. At any rate, FRANK
James was seen frequently, in the
days he was in power, mounted or
his famous Muscatine pony, in the
vicinity of the murder scene.
Members of the Siam gang are
claimed to have learned that the
eye witness to their crime had not
kept entirely quiet about the affair
and one Jonathan Dark was sent tC
make whatever arrangements he
thought necessary to assure that the
tale would not get into embarrass-
ing hands. Dark was shot by the
woman's sister, before he could use
his own gun.
Neighbors Wanted to Dig.
Some time after the murder, the
land upon which the trunk full of
money had been buried passed by
purchase into the hands of the faith
er-in-law OF Samuel Anderson of Lu-
cas-, Lucas county. Twelve years
ago, thirty-fve years after the crime
three Taylor county residents ap-
preached Anderson with proposal
to dig for the money supposed to be
buried on the farm. The facts of the
treasure by this time had become
legend, and the Taylor county men
represented that the money had
been taken from a safe during the
war, and buried for safe keeping.
Anderson entered into the employ
ment of the three men, and extern
|sive searching operations were be-
gun. While blowing one day, An
derson struck soft spot in the
ground, and later the bones of a
boy were exhumed at this spot.
Anderson Starts Trench.
Under direction of his employers,
Anderson set to digging trench in
a likely place. When the trench had
been partially completed Anderson
was driven off the job, and the three
men continued the labor alone.
There is one story that the money
was recovered by them, and another
that it has not yet been recovered.
R. T. Burrell, Taylor county attor-
ney, said yesterday afternoon the
money, has not yet been found.
Angry because they had not liv-
ed up to their agreement with him,
Anderson put the matter in the
hands of w. W. Bulman, attorney of
Charlton, for civil action against his
mysterious employers. Bulman start
ed to investigate the case.
Quitman, Mo-, July 1O.-Efforts
yesterday failed to induce Mrs. Ma
ria Porter of this town to recount
the story of the murder Of a wealthy
cattleman on a farm near Siam, Ia,
in 1868.
Beyond admitting that she was
Maria Collins before her marriage,
who was mentioned in Bedford, Ia,
dispatches as witnessing, when a lit
tie girl, the murder which has caus-
ed recently the arrest of our men
near that place, Mrs. Porter refused
to talk.
She said she had been advised by
her attorneys in Iowa to refrain
from discussing the case and said it
was her intention to return to that
state to testify at the trial of the
men under arrest.
In order to avoid questioners, Mrs.
Porter yesterday afternoon went to
the home of her daughter, Mrs.
John Anderson, several miles from
Quitman, and denied herself to visi-
tors.
Mrs. Porter has but one child,
Mrs. Anderson, who is not related to
Samuel Anderson, mentioned in the
Iowa dispatches. She has lived here
thirty years. She and Porter were
married in Iowa Her husband said
yesterday he had never heard his
wife discuss the Iowa tragedy.
Bedford, Ia, July 10.-Mrs. Ma
ria Porter, who is the most import
ant witness for the state in the case
against the alleged murderers of a !