Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-10
MAY CLEAR UP AN
OLD Time MURDER
Continued From Page ~
Collins Is supposed to have told the
James boys Of the treasure.

JdIlcS DOyS OF the tTcuSuT0.
John and Henry Damewood were
brought to Bedford shortly before
noon, and arraigned. They plead
ed not guilty and were then re-
leased on bonds OF $4,000 each. No
further action was taken during the
day on the part Of Huntsman and
Scrivner.
Scrivner. the most prominent Of the
quartet is Is years old and reputed to
be very wealthy. He Is leading men,
Der of the Masonic order In this sec
ton. Huntsman ia white bearded
man Of II years OF age, who is said to
have lost much of fortune he once
had in attempt to locate the hidden
treasure. The Damewoods are not 80
we'll situated financially. All four men
vigorously deny the charges against
them They have been respected and
popular citizens for nearly half cen
fury. Among their friends and &C.
quaintances there appeared today to be
a tendency to treat the whole AFFAIR a.
joke.
! Assistant Attorney General Robbins,
however, insists that his investigation
shows that the case will prove q
strong one when 1t Ia called for, trial.
villisca, July .. The assistant At
torney general here today In connec-
| ton with the Bedford murder case, an
nounced today that Maria Collins, who
is now Mrs. Maria Porter, and who
lives in Quitman, Mo-, will be at Bed
ford next Tuesday to testify for the
state against Bates Huntsman, Sam
Scrivner and John and Henry Dame
wood. She is the woman. who as
young girl, is alleged to have witnessed
the killing of the wealthy cattle man
and his son, by the counterfeiters
gang.
Charlton, July Especial to The
Courier with the arrest OF four men
In western Iowa Thursday at 81 p m.
the mystery surrounding double MUIR
der committed In 1868 may. be cleared
up.
Recently the services Of Attorney W.
w. Bulrnan Of Charlton were enlisted
by Samuel Anderson Of Lucas county,
who desired pay for work done twelve
years ago when he was residing on q
farm in Missouri. He stated that he had
been employed by several men to search
for hidden money which they claimed
was buried during the civil war. Mr..
Anderson located the box with the
money but the men compelled him to
quit work and took possession OF the
treasure and never paid him for his
trouble. Attorney Bulman investigated
the matter, and finally unearthed what
Is probably one Of the most cold blood
ed murders ever committed. The scene
Of the crime was in Taylor county,
| Iowa, near Siam. In 1868 a wealthy cat
tie buyer, accompanied by boy per
haps fifteen years old, went to that
place with about $4,000, to buy cattle.
and feed them there, taking the boy to
help care for them. The man was muir
Gered, presumably by gang Of outlaws
and according to the story of woman
now residing in Missouri, the body
was thrown in q well. The boy, who
witnessed the deed, wa skilled with an
exc, although he begged for his life.
The woman who will be the chief wit
ness In the case, was girl at that time.
and saw the men carry the dead body
and throw it into the we'll. She was
told that II she ever divulged the Sc
cret they would wash their hands in
| her blood. They also compelled her to
wash their bloody clothes.
The boys body was buried in To-
Gust grove near by, and the big box OF
money which the murderers stole from
the cattle buyers, was also buried
| "A
! but it was afterward destroyed In a
fire which burned the home OF the man
who had the plat and the gang Of men
were unable to discover the hiding
place.
! Ground Changes Hands.
| In the meantime the plot of ground
changed hands, and finally became the
property Of Samuel Anderson. who got
it from his wifes father. Mr.. Anderson
was hired about twelve years ago by
the outlaws to search for the money
claiming they had sold big tract Of
land many years ago, and had buried
the money for safe keeping. fearing
the bands OF outlaws who were numer-
Gus at that time. Mr.. Anderson spent
several weeks digging in different
places, and running plows In an effort
to locate the hiding place. At one time
he found spot where the ground APP
peared safe, but was told the treasure
was not there. The next morning how
ever, he found the soft spot had been
evacuated and bones. believed to be
those OF a lad about fourteen years DID,
were found. At later time Mr.. Ander-
son dug deep trench along the farm,
under the direction Of the men who en-
ploycd him, and finally came to box
The men ordered him to quit work and
took possession OF the money. AS he
| mas never received his pay He StdFtSu
the suit, which has unearthed this
strange story. The woman whose life
was threatened II she told Of the muir
der, moved to Missouri, and there made
| the acquaintance Of the James brothers
Jesse and Frank. 1t Is thought that she
told Frank James Of the murder. for he
was seen several times in the vicinity
Of the hiding place. but he never secur-
ed the treasurer. One Of the gang Of
outlaws Jonathan Dark hearing that
she had told Of the murder. started to
Missouri to kill her. but tho woman's
sister saw him coming, and shot him,
killing him almost instantly.
+, Four Are Arrested.
The men arrested in connection
with the case are Bates Huntsman. Of
Siam. In Taylor county, Sam Scrivner
Of New Market, Hank Damewood OF
College Springs, and man In Shen
| andoah. who was but lad at the time,
and who 1t In said :,eld the OK team in
the woods while the men committed the
crime All have been prosperous men,
and have been well thought Of In the
communities where they reside. At
torney Bulnner was accompanied on the