Vigo County, Indiana - Chapter 31: Notable Crimes, 1891

Beauchamp's Crime. - The first murder in Yigo county for which the death penalty was inflicted was the killing of George Mickleberry by Noah Beauchamp near St. Maryts, in Sugar creek township, in May, 1840. The murderer was hanged at Rockville in the winter of 1842, having gone to Parke county on a change of venue, and there convicted. Noah Beauchamp and George Mickle¬ berry were the owners of adjoining farms in Sugar Creek town¬ ship, and were in those days considered Avell-to-do farmers. The men were members of the same church, were friends of long stand¬ ing, and each of their families consisted of a wife and several daughters. On the dividing line between the two farms was a fine natural spring, which was used for watering stock. In the spring of the year a temporary dam was built in the little stream formed by the spring, and the latter backed up for the purpose of washing the sheep of the two farmers, preparatory to the annual shearing. Each of the men, when the shearing had been completed, spread his wool out to dry on the hillocks on either side of the spring. A short time after the annual shearing had been completed in May, 1840, and the wool spread out to dry, a report was current in the neighborhood that the daughters of Beauchamp had been stealing wool from the Mickleberry s' collection, while the owners were ab¬ sent. This report, which was said to have been originated by the daughters of Mickleberry,* of course came to the ears of the par¬ ties accused of the theft. On the day the story was first heard at the Beauchamps, the husband and father was absent. On his re¬ turn, about noon, his daughters informed him of the story, which had been started derogatory to them, and without stopping to eat his dinner, Beauchamp set out for the home of the Mickleberrys. The Mickleberry family was seated at the dinner table when Beau¬ champ arrived. The latter appeared at the door, and repeating the story he had heard, asked if it were true that the daughters of Mick¬ leberry had said this. Mickleberry responded that it was so, and that he supported every word they may have said. This brought on a quarrel, in the course of which Mickleberry lifted a chair to strike Beauchamp, but his wife prevented him from doing this. At this juncture Beauchamp drew the knife with which he had pro¬ vided himself, and Mickleberry, avIio was unable to defend himself from the weapon, was killed in his own yard, and in the presence of his wife and daughters. Another story is that it was Mrs. Mickleberry who had said this, and that 'the murdered man only spoke when Beauchamp commenced to abuse his wife, and then Beauchamp struck him to the heart with the knife. The latter gave an alarm, Beauchamp having fled immediately after the commission of the deed. The first man to reach the scene of the killing was Bice McCormick, the veteran carpenter and boatman.

Beauchamp made his way to the Wabash, which he swam sev¬ eral miles above here. Search was instituted for him as soon as the news of the crime had been spread, but the murderer succeeded in making his escape, and nothing was heard of him for several months. Handbills were struck off, giving a description of the murderer, and offering a reward of $500 for his arrest. These handbills were sent to all parts of the country, and a person going from this county to Texas, took one of them with him, and to this chance occurrence the capture of the murderer was due. The bill was posted in a rude country hotel, in a little place near the Bio Grande border, in Texas. A couple of young men visiting the hotel read the description and the offer of reward, and knowing a man em¬ ployed in a blacksmith's shop in that vicinity who answered com¬ pletely to that description, charged him with being the culprit. It was Beauchamp, who had escaped to that far-away and seemingly secure place of refuge, and when confronted with the offer of a re¬ ward for his capture, confessed that he was the man. The young men took charge of him, and set out on horseback to return the criminal to the scene of his crime. The great southwestern system of railroads had not been dreamed of in those days, and a journey from the wild Mexican province to the distant Hoosier State, on. horseback, over unfrequented and strange roads, fording rivers, with the accompanying perils to life and property, was the work of weeks and months. It was completed in safety, however, and the men turned Beauchamp over to the authorities here, re¬ ceiving the reward offered for him, and for which, rather than any desiie to see justice administered, they had made their long journey.

Beauchamp had a hearing before the Yigo court, and applied for a change of venue to Parke county, on the ground that there Avas such a public feeling and sentiment against him in this county that he could not receive justice. But this did not save him, as after a long and tedious trial before the Parke county court, at Bockville, he Avas convicted of murder in the first degree, and sen¬ tenced to be hanged. The death penalty was inflicted at Bockville in the winter of 1842, nearly two years after the perpetration of the crime, the execution being public, and witnessed by a large crowd of spectators. There was great interest in this county in the crime and the penalty, and great numbers of persons went to Rockville on horseback and in wagons to witness the last scene in the tragedy. This was the first murder ever committed in Yigo county for which the death penalty was inflicted, and the first and only hanging that ever occurred at Rockville.

First Hanging in Vigo County occurred on July 5, 1844, at the foot of Strawberry Hill. A man named Dyas had brutally murdered George Brock, an Illinois drover and cattle buyer, in Nevins township, this county, in the fall of 1843. This was the first death penalty ever inflicted in this county, and being public the place of execution was adapted, like a great natural amphitheater for the grewsome show. The crowd that gathered to make a holi¬ day of it was estimated at thousands who came from all the sur¬ rounding country - even some considerable distance into Illinois - many coming a distance of fifty miles, or even more. It was a memorable day, and possibly Dyas never realized that he was of any importance in this world until the day of his exit out of it. The man rode from the jail, on the corner of Third and Ohio streets, to the gallows, seated on his coffin, which was placed in an open two- horse wagon. He was dressed in his white shroud, and he headed the great procession to where the performance took place.

William Ray was sheriff and Marvin M. Hickox was his deputy, who fixed the rope around the man's neck while the sheriff sprung the trap. In adjusting the rope the knot slipped, and instead of breaking the man's neck he was strangled to death.

As stated the murder was committed in Nevins township, and was unprovoked and brutal. The scene of the crime was the cabin of a notorious old woman, Mrs. Brady, with whom lived a daughter as disreputable as herself. She lived near the old Brooks' mill on Otter creek, three-fourths of a mile west of the station formerly known as Milton, on the Indianapolis <fc St. Louis Railroad, about a mile north of the present station of Grant where the Chicago & Eastern Illinois coal branch crosses the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad.

The place was then sparsely settled, and the old woman kept whis¬ ky to sell, and here the hard characters met and danced and caroused on many occasions. It was a low resort, and among those most welcome to the place was Henry Dyas, who had a family but was at the old woman's cabin frequently, and stood well in her and her daughter's favor.

with George Brock, who had been stopping at the house, about a whisky bill she had presented. She used violent language, and it was said, threatened his life. The next morning (Sunday) Brock saddled his horse preparatory to leaving for his home, and returned to the house to bid the occupants good-bye. This cost him his life, for while seated before the fire conversing with Alexander Mars, Dyas entered the door, and before Brock was aware of his presence, Dyas struck him in the back of the head with the blade of an ax he carried in his hand. Mars who had noticed the murderer enter, but not suspecting his intention, when he saw the fatal blow fled precipitately in great alarm for his own safety. When Brock's body was found, it was discovered that he had been struck three times with the ax, one blow severing the spinal column. Either of the blows would have produced death.

Dyas fled to the woods, and Mrs. Brady gave the alarm and soon people began assembling. As Mars fled from the house, he had been stopped by the old woman, whe explained he need have no fear, that no harm was intended him, but this did not quiet him, and he concealed himself in a hollow tree. From his hiding place he saw the woman emerge from the house and going to the corner of a rail fence, change the dress which she wore, and which was covered with blood, for a clean one. She then gave the alarm. Dyas concealed himself in the woods, but a guard was placed around his house and during the night he was captured as he attempted to enter.

This crime was a year's excitement to the whole surrounding country, and you may now chance hear some man whose head is whitening with the fleeting years, tell that he "saw Dyas hung," and remembers it although a child in his mother's arms. ' Many peo¬ ple reckoned things from the day that "Dyas was hung."

Mars - " old Alec " lived many years near old Fort Harrison, and except in his cups he was loth in after life to tell again the story of the horrid murder, where upon his testimony a wretch was executed. He was a little dried-up old man, one of that kind, as he was often seen on the streets, that would cause the boys to gather about and sometimes jeer at him.

Asa Fenton was one of the witnesses iii the case. He became insane during the progress of the trial and remained so till his death some years after. The conviction of Dyas occurred in the Vigo Circuit court June 4, 1844.

Old Mrs. Brady and daughter it was believed had hired Dyas to do the bloody deed. They left the State soon after, or about the time of the execution, and the rumors came back that she had been mobbed and killed (hanged) in a Southern State.

Second Hanging. - A man named Morgan was executed in Terre Haute, December 23, 1869, for the murder of John Petri. The sentence was pronounced by Judge Crain, and Sheriff Stewart con¬ ducted the execution. The gallows was erected in the center of the crossing of Walnut and Third streets, near the jail.

At the same term of the court that convicted Morgan, another murderer, Stevens, was sentenced to death for the murder of John Reeves. A new trial -was granted, and he was imprisoned for life.

In 1862 Oscar Grovefield was shot in his saloon, on the east side of the public square, by William Kirltey. The wounded man lingered some time and died.

A. C. Mattox a prominent citizen was murdered on the street in the early twilight. This occurred on Chestnut street, and although several persons were soon on the spot, the murderer could not be found. This was a murder for robbery. Mr. Mattox was proprietor of the Prairie City Cooper shops.

Dr. James B. Armstrong was assassinated on the street, August 7, 1877, while returning home after visiting a patient. For this crime two men, Flowers and McKenna, were given life sentences in the penitentiary.

A criminal who was noted as the "Young Bandit of the Wabash " was run to the ground in Terre Haute, by the same officer he had at one time seriously wounded while trying to arrest him.

C. W. Brown and Maj. O. J. Smith, editors and proprietors of the Evening Gazette were shot and both wounded on the corner of Sixth and Main streets, July 6, 1869, by E. D. Ernev, a day police¬ man. This grew out of some comments in the Gazette.