Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-05-17
bEASLEY Seen
NEAR HIS Home
Greenville Advocate Tells of
Murderer Jumping From
Window in Mothers
Home.
IN SIGHT OF OFFICERS
Homes of Mother and
Brother Of Beasley
f. Searched.
IN SIGHT OF OFFICERS

q HI 4 NIAN - A"'
several times there, but has SO far
elnded the authorities. The Advocate
Of Thursday contains the following
account OF the man hunt:
Officers Of Bond and Fayette cOlln-
ties are closing in OF Harley Beasley,
alleged wife and child murderer and
his capture is .m~Omentarily expected.
At 10 AZ o'clock this morning Sheriff
Browning of Vandalia in Il telephone
message to Sheriff Wilson who was at
Mulberry Grove, asked him to form a
posse and start for the Beasley home.
Sheriff Browning stated that nc would
start with blood hounds and !. posse
from Vandalia in an effort to surround
the vicinity OF the Beasley home and
close in on the alleged murderer.
1t was reported at 2:3O this after
neon that eRasley was seen between
8 and 10 o'clock this morning In the
timber, about eight miles northeast
Of Mulberry Grove in Fayette county.
The timber where he is reported to
have been seen is near the home Ut
Roe Snow.
Seen Wednesday.
Beasley, who killed his wife and two
sons at Webster City, Iowa, Sunday,
it il charged, was seen at Fillmore
Wednesday but eluded the officers and
blood hounds and was later reported to
bp. in the vicinity OF Mulberry Grove.
Sheriff browning Of Vandalia, Sheriff
Wilson, Deputy Sheriff Tidwell and
Constable Joe Ragland and several Null
berry Grove e spent last night search
s.E s.. p,,t1-, .n.l .N.n rh hfc t1sn II
today.
Sheriff Wilson and Deputy Sheriff
Tidwcll went to Mulberry Grove this
morning at the hchest of Constable
Stubbleiield who sent a hurry-up call
for them.
Eeasley is said to have boosted that
he would never be taken alive.
Prior to the murder Beasley had been
in the vicinity of Hurricane township
for several days. 1t is said he was
wanted on Il warrant charging wife
abandonment aud when he found Of
ficers. we're on his trail he took his son
with him and; went to Webster City,
Iowa, where he killed his wife and
both sons.
He had been staying in Fayette
equity ANU Was LhVAC "ASu 50 wa
rant for wife abandonment was issued.
Jumped From Window.
Eeasley was seen to get of a train ut
Fillmore Wednesday. He walked DELHI
erately through the town and went to
Van Burcnsburg. The Fillmore officers
notified Sheriff Browning at Vandalia
who secured blood hounds and took a
posse to the home Of Beasley's mother
an Hurricane township late yesterday
afternoon. AS they neared the house
Beasley was e to jump out Of q
window and beat it for the woods. The
posse started in pursuit but Beasley
escaped.
After searching in that vicinity the
posse returned and all the officers IN
liond and Fayctte counties have been
notified and an all-night vigil was kept
hut without result.
Feeling is running high against
I:easley since the arrival Of the bodies
Of the murdered wife and two 0 II
ut Mulberry Grove today. All three
We're shot in the head.
At Mulberry Grove this morning the
officers searched the home Of Alma
I.easley, a brother. The house was
open and nobody at home. They found
nothing Of n suspicious character to
indicate the presence 0f the alleged
murderer. The officers stated that the
house had the appearance Of having
been unoccupied last night and Alma
1!easley has been away from home
since yesterday, it was said.
1t was also stated by the officers that
they had Information that Alma Beas-
ley had been making trips to Van
I,urenSburg. The sheriffs of Bond and
l'ayette counties are planning to throw
a net around that entire section Of
the country in an effort to capture
l!easley.
Triple Funeral.
Triple funeral services will be held
at 10 80 a.. NJ, Friday ut the Christ
ian church In Mulberry Grove by Rev.
Taylor Of Grcenville and interment will
lie made at the Bethlehem cemetery,
north Of Mulberry Grove.
Mrs. Beasley's maiden name was
Lucy KOOnce and she was n daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. NJ. Koonce, who re-
side at Mulberry Grove. She wls
aged 24 years and 2 days. The two
sons, Cecil Victor. aged four. and Lee
land. aged two, were born ut Mulberry
Grove.
BESIDES her parents, she is survived
Ivy four sisters, Mrs. Mamie Williams
of Mulberry Groye, Mrs. George Gould
Of Hettick. Mrs. John Donaldson of
Webster City, Iowa, and Mrs. Grover
Elan Of Hammond, III. She is ssurviv-
cd by four brothers. viii Of Hammond,
Il. +. of Webster City, John of Vera,
nd Robert of Iowa.
Made Home With Mother.
IL was stated at Mulberry Grove
Tuesday that Harley Bcasley was in
Mulberry Grove Thursday Of last
week. in company with the Oldest boy,
and that he went from there to Iowa.
The youngest boy was with his mother,
and they had been living in Iowa about
three months.
Beasley had been making his home
with his mother north of Mulberry
Grove this winter and Cecil had been
living there with his father.
The first news of the triple murder
was received Monday night In a tel
egram from Emery F.. Koonce, q broth