Cooper County, Missouri - Chapter 23: Miscellaneous, 1919

MEXICAN BORDER TROUBLE - GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC - UNITED VETERANS OF THE CONFEDERACY - OTTERVILLE TRAIN ROBBERY - SHERIFF CRAMER MURDERED - A. B. THORNTON KILLED - THE PROHIBITION QUESTION.

Mexican Border Trouble. - Company B, 3rd Infantry, National Guard of Missouri, was called with other National Guard units for service on the Mexican border on June 18, 1916. Capt. R. A. Johnston, who was in command, left Boonville with sitxy-seven men for the mobilization camp at the government reservation near Nevada, Mo.

The departure of this organization caused much sorrow among the relatives and friends of the men. The citizens turned out in masse, escorted the company to the train, and gave the men a rousing send-off. After being in camp at Nevada a few days the citizens sent a committee headed by the Mayor and presented the company a beautiful silk United States standard.

On June 30, 1916, the men were examined physically and formally mustered into the service of the United States. There were now near ninety men in the company as Lt. Carl F. Scheibner had been left in Boonville when the company departed and had gathered in several recruits. Also several men recruited in other places had been assigned to Company B.

Organizations of Civil War Veterans. - A Grand Army Post was organized in Boonville, on Aug. 19, 1885 with seventeen members and with the following officers : Col. Joseph A. Eppestein, Commander ; Judge T. M. Rice, Senior Vice-Commander; Capt. George Meller, Junior Vice- Commander; P. H. McNulty, Quartermaster; Dr. John B. Holman, Surgeon; Sylvester Young, Chaplain; W. C. Culverhouse, Officer of the Day; James Mitchell, Officer of the Guard; Franklin Swap, Adjutant; R. W. Whitlow, Sergeant-Major ; and W. W. Taliaferro, Quartermaster Sergeant. Capt. E. J. Smith, of Sedalia, Mo., was the special mustering officer on the occasion. This organization was named John A. Hayn Post No. 240, Grand Army of the Republic. The Boonville battle having been the first land battle of the Civil War, and John A. Hayn having lost his life in that battle, this post was properly named in his honor, he being the first soldier who gave his life for the Union in a land engagement.

Judge T. M. Rice was elected Commander of the Post on Dec. 21, 1888, and appointed R. W. Whitlow, Adjutant of the Post, who has since continuously served as Adjutant of the Post and holds that office at this

In all this post has had 234 members. Its present membership consists of only 27 as follows: Joseph Leiber, Commander; R. W. Whitlow, Adjutant; C. C. Bell, Chaplain; Peter Trester, Officer of the Day; John W. Rudolph, George W. Rudolph, Mathew R. McDowell, Walter Bai-ron, George W. Drennen, James P. Tally, John F. Wassmann ; William T. Tally, Officer of the Guard; Joseph Memmel, Charles R. Cartner; F. J. Boiler, quartermaster; Gottlieb Baumann, George W. Piper, Junior Vice-Commander; John F. Dilthey, Senior Vice-Commander; Daniel Muntzel, August Stegner, Sergeant ; Henry Hoppe, George A. Jacobs, James H. Wilkinson, Henry Roesler, Gilbert L. Wilson, Martin L. Weekly, E. H. Rodgers.

The George B. Harper Camp No. 714 United Veterans of the Confederacy was organized in the city of Boonville, Aug. 17, 1895, with the following roster of attending veterans:

Gen Robert McCulloch was elected Commander of the camp. He appointed the following gentlemen to constitute the staff for the eastern district for Missouri:

The last meeting of this camp of which we find any record was held at Otterville, Mo., on Aug. 10, 1915. At the present time Dr. R. E. Howlett is Commander-in-Chief; James Speed, Second Commander; R. T. Draffen, Third Commander; and the following appointive officers, C. N. Zollinger, Adjutant; Arch George, Quartermaster; W. G. Streit, Commissary. Some of the younger officers are sons of veterans.

"Ah, Postumus, the years, the fleeting years Still onwards, onwards glide; Nor mortal virtue may Time's wrinkling fingers stay, Nor Age's sure advance, nor Death's all-conquering stride."

Otterville Train Robbery. - On the night of the 13th of July, 1876, a passenger train on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, was robbed about one mile east of Otterville, in Otterville township, by a band of eight men. Their names were Frank and Jesse James, Cole and John Younger, Bill Chadwell, Clell Miller, Charley Pitts and Hobbs Kerry.

After opening the safe of the United States Express Company and the safe of the Adams Express Company, the robbers proceeded the same night to a point on Flat Creek, where they divided the treasure, which consisted of about $22,000 in money, and other valuables, such as jewelry, bonds, coupons, and exchange, which were being carried east by the express companies. They, however, took nothing with them but the money. At the point above named, on Flat Creek, Hobbs Kerry, one of the band, separated from his companions. Hiding his saddle and bridle in the woods, he turned his horse loose on the prairie and walking to Windsor, took the Missouri, Kansas and Texas train to his home at Gran by, Mo., where some weeks after he was arrested. He confessed the crime and guided the officers of the law to the place where the robbers had divided the money, and where was found much of the jewelry and other valuables taken by them, being such property as they could not well use, and were afraid to have on their persons.

Immediately after the train robbery at Otterville, the robbers were joined by one of the Younger brothers, the youngest, who supplied the place of Kerry, and all proceeded to Northfield, Minn., where on the morning of the 7th day of Sept., 1876, in the attempt to rob the bank at that place, Bill Chadwell, Clell Miller and Charlie Pitts, were killed outright and the three Youngers were wounded, captured, convicted and sentenced to the Minnesota penitentiary. The James brothers made their escape and were engaged in many robberies subsequent to that time. Jesse James was killed by the Ford boys (Bob and Charley), on the 3d of April, 1882. Frank James, afterwards, and in Sept., 1882, surrendered himself to Governor Crittenden, of Missouri, in the executive office, in Jefferson City. He quietly walked into the governor's office, announced who he was, unbuckled his belt, containing his pistols and cartridges, and handing them to the governor, surrendered.

Sheriff Cramer Murdered. - On the night of March 21, 1890, an incident occurred which evolved a train of events culminating in the murder of a noble officer, and a hangman's noose for the murderer. A man who gave his name when arrested as William E. West, and his comanion named Temple were ejected from a freight train at Otterville, on the night of March 21, 1890.

Upon being ejected, West, who after proved to be Turlington, shot at the brakeman and when he arrived at Sedalia, he was arrested, and served a term in jail for carrying concealed weapons. When his time had expired, he was brought to Cooper County on a charge of felonious assault with a deadly weapon, the shooting at the brakeman having occurred in Cooper County.

Turlington's personality was pleasing, rather than forbidding, an:'. he gave no appearance of being the hardened character and criminal he was. It was at this time that the warm heart of Thomas C. Cranmer went out in sympathy to his prisoner, and it was upon his insistent request that the firm of Cosgrove & Johnson, both warm friends of Sheriff Cranmer, undertook the defense of Turlington. By reason of their efforts and the intercession of Cranmer Turlington pleaded guilty and received a small jail sentence.

On Satui-day evening, June 14, 1890, after supper had been given the prisoners, Sheriff Cranmer entered the jail and stood at the door of the lower cell where Turlington was confined, while a trusty removed the dishes. He was standing with his left hand resting on the door, when Turlington suddenly appeared and said, "Come on, throw up your hands." Mr. Cranmer steped back and drew his pistol. West sprang through the door and fired. The bullet passed through Cranmer's left arm, just above the wrist, entered the left side of the abdomen, passed through and struck the left kidney, and lodged in his back, just beneath the skin. Almost at the same time, Cranmer drew his pistol and fired at Turlington and shot at him a second time before Turlington got out the door.

Cranmer, although mortally wounded, deliberately turned, closed, locked the jail door and went into the residence part of the jail and reported to his wife that he had been shot. Immediately the alarm was given and pursuit was instituted. Quite a number of citizens, among whom were Joe Green, John Thro, Alex Frost, William Koenig, Frank Stover succeeded in locating Turlington, but as they were unarmed, and he still carried his large pistol, surrounded him and sent word for arms. Marshall W. W. Taliaferro and policeman Frank Stretz were soon on the ground, well armed and at their command, the prisoner surrendered and was returned to jail. He was out of prison less than an hour.

When the dying sheriff heard of the capture, with a characteristic desire to see the law respected, he requested that no violence should be done his assailant and that he should be dealt with according to the laws of the land.

Death closed the eyes of Sheriff Cranmer at about seven-thirty o'clock Sunday morning. The news that Mr. Cranmer was dead spread quickly. Men gathered in groups on Main street and discussed the terrible and sad affair. The indignation so generally felt through the night was more bitter than ever, and the feeling that justice should be meted out to the murderer at once became intense.

About noon, great crowds of friends of Cranmer from different sections of the county were gathered at the Central National Bank corner and as they looked toward the jail,' their faces were stamped with anger and the talk was of taking the prisoner out to his death.

At this time the Rev. Doctor Broaddus ascended the bank steps and attracted the attention of the crowd for a short time. He spoke feelingly of he sorrowing family of the deceased and pronounced pleasant encomiums upon the character of Cranmer. He told how the widow and children had been left in straitened circumstances and that as the husband and the father had been slain, while in the services of the community, if the people there assembled desired to do something in memory of a worthy officer, it became them best to raise funds for the assistance of the family, rather than wreak their vengeance upon one whom the law would punish.

His appeal was eloquent and touched a responsive chord in the hearts of his hearers and had much to do with curbing the feeling of those who might have eventuated into a mob.

While Turlington was confined in the jail at Sedalia, he met and became acquainted with West Hensley, of Sedalia, a youth of some eighteen or nineteen years. Turlington promised him that if he would secure for him and bring to Boonville, a pistol, he would pay him three hundred dollars, and after he had escaped from jail, would take him into the business of robbing and stealing. And thus playing upon the imagination of Hensley, he elicited his interest. Hensley came to Boonville the Friday before the murder and slipped the pistol to Turlington, using a ladder to reach the window in the upper tier of cells, through which he passed the pistol. Hensley was convicted for his part in the crime and sentenced to the penitentiary.

On Monday night, after the tragedy, Turlington confessed that his name was not William E. West, but John 0. Turlington, and that his partner's name was Temple. He also confessed of having robbed a passenger train at Prior Creek, I. T., assisted by Temple. Temple was at the time serving a term in the Arkansas penitentiary. Turlington had served several terms in jail and two penitentiaries and when arrested in this county, was eluding the officers of the Tennessee State Prison.

Turlington was convicted of murder in the first degree and the penalty of death was assessed against him. His case came up for trial at the July term, 1890, of the Circuit Court, and on the 25th of that month, the jury found him guilty of murder in the first degree and he was sentenced to be hanged Sept. 11, 1890. His case was appealed to the Supreme Court. That court on the 27th da yof January, sustained the decision of the lower court, and Friday morning, March 16, 1891, was the time for his execution.

While his case was before the Supreme Court, on the night of October 31, he made his escape from the jail under peculiar circumstances, while two guards were on duty. He placed a dummy in his bed and by this means deceived those who were guarding him. He was recaptured in Caseyville, Ky., and once more returned to Boonville.

Sheriff A. Hombeck, who succeeded the dead sheriff, kept his prisoner in a cell day and night, but had no guards. This plan worked well until on the morning of Dec. 26, 1890, when the sheriff found that his prisoner had once more escaped. He cut out the top of his cell and went through the trap door of the roof and by the aid of a rope, descended to the ground. He stole the sheriffs horse and was once more at liberty. He was recaptured the same night at Otterville by Messrs. George Potter and John Hayner. This was his third and last escape from the Boonville jail. He was hanged in the jail yard.

Thus ended the career of a desperate man that had brought death and sorrow to the county and had tested the loyalty of our citizenship to law and order.

A. B. Thornton Killed. - On Saturday, Nov. 17, 1881, Thomas H. B. McDearmon, shot and instantly killed A. B. Thornton, editor of the "Boonville News". We copy from the "Advertiser" of Nov. 25, 1881:

"On Saturday afternoon last, about 4:30, our city was suddenly thrown into a state of excitement seldom before witnessed here. The cause of the excitement was the hearing of many of rapid pistol firing up Main street, and the quickly following report that "Tom McDearmon had killed Thornton," which report grated only the truth on the ears of the unwilling hearers, for Marshal McDearmon had, at a moment when maddened with indignation at the publishing of a very severe articie on him by the editor of the "News" sought out and shot and instantly killed Dr. Thornton. Some weeks ago, Mr. McDearmon and Dr. Thornton had a dispute and difficulty over the settlement of an ice bill, which was followed by the publication of a severe article on McDearmon in the "News". Mr. McDearmon, though very much aggravated, listened to his friends and took no notice of it and since then there has been no very kind feelings between the two."

The shooting was the outcome of a series of articles which Thornton had published in his paper derogatory to the official conduct of McDearmon.

McDearmon had a preliminary examination and was bound over to answer an indictment at the succeeding term of the Circuit Court. He was prosecuted by John R. Walker, county attorney, and defended by Cosgrove and Johnston. The case was taken to Boone County, on a change of venue, and there tried at the March term in 1882.

The Prohibition Question. - Again in July, 1887, the vital question, "Wet or Dry", or "Saloon or no Saloon", was raised in Boonville. This campaign was in sharp contrast to that of 1853, to which we have already referred. Deep interest was taken in the campaign, but the appeal to the voters was rational and free from malice and passion. It was conducted by the citizens of Boonville and no imported talent was brought into the city to arouse to riotous feelings those who could be so affected. The ministers of the city were active, and those in favor of the saloons wer<? equally so. The remarkable feature of this campaign was that no hard feelings were engendered and after the result of the election was made known, friends were yet friends, and neighbors still neighbors. The spirit of live and charity prevailed. At this time there were probably twelve or fifteen saloons in Boonville, and the temperance wave was not nearly so strong and great as it has been in recent years. Yet the saloons predominated only by a majority of 105, the vote for the saloons being 428 and against 323.

The "Wet and Dry" issue was not again raised in Boonville until the year 1915. At this time a large tabernacle, at the cost of between two and three thousand dollars, was erected in the city and Rev. Charles T. Wheeler was secured to conduct therein a revival. Mr. Wheeler was an experienced dry leader and the meeting was soon turned into an organization to direct the campaign for the "drys". He was a forceful and strong speaker and in his arguments used plain and not always pleasant words.

Great crowds attended the meetings, both from the city and from the surrounding country. The support of the preachers and various congregations were elicited and secured. Day by day the excitement increased and the feeling was intensified. On a proper petition, an election was called in the city of Boonville for Dec. 3, 1915. Those who advocated the saloons or the saloon organization brought into the city speakers from a distance, who held their meetings in the opera house, which on each occasion was crowded and packed. Yet on the occasion of each of these meetings the tabernacle of the Drys was equally thronged. A week or so before the day of the election the Drys in squads of fives or sixes patrolled the streets and alleys of the city during the late hours of the night and the early hours of the morning.

Just before the election at night a monster and spectacular parade was organized by the Drys in which participated men, women, boys and girls, both from the surrounding country and the city. They were garbed in sheets fashioned around them with a red cross showing in front. Many men were horseback and a great number of automobiles, loaded to their capacity, made up part of this parade, all of which intensified and strengthened the feelings of the respective parties to the issue.

The Drys, however, not being discouraged, by proper petition called for an election on the same issue in the county, excluding Boonville. This campaign was orderly and well conducted and no special bitterness was aroused in the country. The election was held on Feb. 10, 1916, which resulted as follows: Against, 1,756, for, 1,445, showing that outside of Boonville, the majority against the licensing of saloons was 311.

It is to be hoped that time will soon heal the wounds caused by the campaign of 1915, that the years will not be many before those who were deeply interested in the exciting controversy can look back upon it as an experience of the past and its incidents not to be held with prejudice against those with whom they differed and with whom they now mingle and associate from day to day. It is the common experience of mankind that when ones interest becomes too deeply intensified and feeling runs riot the tongue becomes an unruly member and even he who has' been known as well balanced may do and say things that in cooler moments he would not care to say and do. It is therefore well to draw the veil of charity over the faults and foibles of our neighbors, who perchance may have given way to the enthusiasm and excitement of the moment.

The statu quo with reference to saloons continued until June 30, 1919. Saturday, June 28th and Monday, 30th, were active, busy days in Boonville, especially at nights when the streets were hardly long enough nor broad enough to accommodate the numerous automobiles from far and near. On these days some of the erstwhile dry leaders as well as the occasional Wet advocates and practitioners were protecting themselves from the drouth to come. The saloons did an enormous business. On both days the crowd was good-natured and there was neither rejoicing or shedding or tears. Monday night marked the last night of the saloons under the act of Congress closing them during the period of war and until the demobilization of the army. National prohibition goes into effect in Jan., 1920, but even before the constitutional amendment of prohibition was ratified by the states three-fourths of the United States was already dry territory. Of the 48 states, 32 were "bone-dry" without any federal law, and local option had dried up practically three-fourths of the remaining territory. Whether or not the saloons will be permitted to open before Jan., 1920, the future historian must record.