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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 1887)
10 1HE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27 , 1887.-SIXTEEN PAGES. FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF CLOTHING and FURNISHING GOODS , T1 . T1 * Owing to our removal and change in business we are offering our entire stock of Ready-Made Clotty ing for Men , Boys and Children , Gents' Furnishing Goods , Hats , Caps , &c. , at a 5 on PLAIN MARKED FIGURES , THIS IS NO ADVERTISING SCHEME-BUT FACT. Call soon and getsome of the Bargains we are offering , as the store must be vacated forthwith. B. NEWMAN & CO - - - - - - 1216 Farnam Str Tiii' < i nivnm AP i/tur t THE JAMES ( , i G ( tt IOWA , Murderous Deeds of the Celebrated Rnlnsbargor Family. A REIGN OF TERROR FOR YEARS. TJio Johnson Murder Two of Ilic GntiK Meet The 11I''uto at Ilic HumlH of tin ; Mol > The latest Ontln-cnk. ' o ISldorn , Ja. , correspondence of th Chicago Tribune : The events of the last few years have brought Hardin county , la. , into unenviable notoriety. Thirty years ago there located in this county a family named Rainsbargcr , and live sons , William , Kinley , Nathan , Kmanuol ( Munch or Manse ) , and Frank , who wore destined to give this country the prominence in history which the James brothers gave to Clay county Mo. There were also five daughters , Will- Iain , the eldest son , was married when lie came here , and has raised a family of four boy.s wlio pride themselves on their notoriety as Rainsbnrgers. Wall- lam had served a term in the penitenti ary in Missouri before ho came to this county. They were all poor when they came hero , and to replenish their lard ers they made frequent levies upon their neighbors' stock. Timber-steal ing with them reached a high art , but in a new country nearly every one bteals timber. The sons under such in fluences , took as naturally to stealing as a duck takes to water. The oldest giri married Henry Johns , a man of energy , who was not averse to turning a penny by questionable methods. So successful was ho that at the time of his death in 1885,110 had amassed a fortune variously estimated at from $100,000 to 8200,000. The Rainsbargcr method of doing busi ness frequently led to the arrest of some member of the family , but they were al ways able to establish an alibi. In Feb ruary , 18i ( ( > , Fin Rainsbargor stabbed and killed Charles Vailes , in a crowded store at Steamboat Rock. This act brought th'o family into general notor iety for the llrst time. The defense was managed BO cleverly that Fin only served a two years' sentence for ono of the most cowardly murders ever com mitted in this country. When ho re turned from the penitentiary ho gave himself up to a lifo of crime with the utmost abandon. His brothers , natur ally moro industrious , and whoif left to themselves were not bad citiy.ens , were by degrees drawn into participating in his crimes. The people , after several ineffectual attempts to establish the majesty of the law in dealing with these criminals , gave it up in despair. The torch of the incendiary or the maiming of their stock soon convinced the mosl courageous that it was dangerous busi ness to cause the arrest of a Rains bargor or to testify against them. Noi until the murder of Knoch Johnson November 18 , 1881 , which aroused the people of this and adjoining counties was tliero any concert of action ii bringing them to justice. The events which have followed the attempts to make crime odious in this county and the energy with which the pang have defended themselves are fill of thrilling interest and hair-breadth escapes. Knoch Johnson was a clevoi thief and counterfeiter. In 1882 John son's daughter , Nettie , married Frank Itainsbargor. In March , ISSJi , the United States marshal swooped down upon Golddeld , la. , and arrested John- BOII and a man named Biggs for counter feiting money. Biggs jumped from the train and escaped. Johnson , aftei lying in jail a year , was bailed out b\ ( I his son-in-law. Frank Hainsbargcr , am i his brother Nate , who made i iis homo with Frank. John son then came to live with lis daughter. During the slimmer of bSI the boys were hard up and struck ipon a plim to nuiko a raise by beating the lifo insurance companies. Johnson ind his wife fell in with the plan , and some $7,000 insurance was taken out for the benefit of Mrs. Johnson , and a like imount for the benefit of Frank Rains- larger and his wife. Jack Reed , a leader of the thieves and noted for his hrcwdness and tact , was sent for to lielp carry out the scheme. Jack promptly informed the conspirators that their scheme would not work ; that the insurance companies were onto the 'still" racket , and that it was a stale chestnut , What was to bo done ? While Enoch Johnson and one Winans were turning their attention towards "shoving the queer , " ' Frank and Nate consummated a plan to furnish Johnson himself as a subject for the coroner. The place selected for the terrible crime was a ravine surrounded by brush and timber and half a milo from any farm house. The spot was one mile north of Gifford , four miles south of Eldora , and thirteen miles distant from Frank and Nate Rainsbarger. On a dark , cloudy night , the 18th of November , 18S4 , they induced Johnson to go to the place selected , ostensibly to steal stock , while Nato and Frank went to Clcs , three milosvo north of the Rainsbarger place , and six teen miles from the scene of the mur der. It was -I o'clock in the afternoon when they left home. They wore met at Cloves by their nephews , Joseph and George Rainsbarger. Going out of the village a short distance , Frank and Nato exchanged one of their team a slow traveler for a fast roadster. About 7 o'clock Frank and Nato went south through Kldora , driving rapidly. They met Johnson at the place ap pointed , and were met by Fin Rains bargor and ono or two other parties. The Rainsburgors are all powerful men , and at least four of them Mad assembled to murder a feeble old man. After crushing Johnson's skull with heavy knuckles they set him on his horse be fore ho wits : yet dead , and carried him out in the road 200 yards from the scene of the murder. Making his foot fast in the lines they allowed him to fall from the horse , and dragged him some dis tance. The buggy ho drove they left on top of the hill liOO j-ards north of where the body was left. The next morning the dead body of Kva Johnson was found on the roadwith the lines looped around the leg and at tached to a part of the harness. The llesh of the left leg was congested under neath the lines and there were a num ber of scratches on the body and face. Back of each car the skull was broken. The horse was feeding near by. The mark of the body being dragged was also found. Ono wheel and one of the fills of the buggy wore broken. The spokes were broken at the hub and the fill upward the outward as if it were done by hand. The buggy was not moved after the wheel was broken. The boys reached home about 12 o'clock that night , and the next morning Nettie dis covered blood on Nate's overcoat , and his bloody overalls were found by her hid in the barn. Frank's mittens were also bloody. When Johnson's body was first found it was supposed the horse had killed him , but the fact that his cup had disappeared lead some to suspect foul play. The next day after the funeral blood was found in the ravine. A coroner's jury was impaneled and body taken up. The jury found that "deceased came to his death by some blunt instrument in the hands of per sons to the jury unknown. " No evi dence was found implicating the Rans- bargers. Six weeks after the murder Nettie Ranisbarger pent word to the coroner that she was afraid of her life and wanted help to got away from home and a guarantee of protection. The next day she was brought to Kldorn and had to bo guarded for nearly a year , so de termined were the gang to kill her. They oven hired a detective to spirit her away. The 17th of January , 18S" , Frank and Nato Rainsbarger were ar rested , charged with the murder , had a preliminary examination and were held without bail. The grand jury at the May term found a bill against them. Nato Rainsbargor was put on trial at Marshalltown December 28 , 1SS" > . He was defended by C. L. Albrook , ono of the most brilliant young attorneys in Central Iowa , assisted by Judge Weaver and Hon. 1' . M. Sutto'n. Hon. ILL. Huff assisted District Attorney Stevens for the stale. The case lasted two weeks , and over one hundred witnesses were examined. The defense sought to prove an alibi , and that the horse was vicious and had killed Johnson by throw ing him oil' and dragging him. The only evidence tending to criminate the accused , however , was that of Nettie Rainsbarger , and could they have suc ceeded in silencing her they would have been at largo to-day. Nate was con victed and sentenced to life imprison ment in the penitentiory. As soon as ho was convicted other witnesses were ready to testify who had before been in timidated , and when Frank's trial came off last March at Marshalltown nis con viction was easy. Ho was also sen tenced to life imprisonment. Last March the supreme court of _ Iowa granted Nato Rainsbargcr anew trial on a writ of error. The conflicts between members of this gang and the officers and witnesses since the arrest of Nato and Frank Rainsbargcr for the murder of Enoch Johnson , would make a volume of thril ling interest. On the -Uh of June , 1883 , Coroner Underwood and Dr. Ritcnour who had made themselves obnoxious to the gang by taking part in the prosecu tions of Frank and Nate , were fired upon in the Rainsbarger district. The attack was made by four men with handkerchiefs tied over the lower part of their faces. The doctor * escaped withouta scratch , although their clothes and buggy were struck by several bullets. The next day William' , Fin and Munch Rainsbarger wore arrested on the charge of shooting at the doctor. William gave bail and was released , while the other two were placed in jail at Eldora. That night they were attacked in the jail , taken away by a mob of 100 men. riddled with bullets and their bodies left lying in the street , THEIll TISli : HAD COME. Instead of terrorising the remainder of the gang this only made them more desperate , and they vowed to be re venged. Threatening letters wore sent to witnesses and every effort made to intimidate the people. Stock were ham strung and killed , one family burned out , and several persons shot at. Henry Johns , the brother-in-law , was shot on a dark night by one of the gang because ho refused to ' 'shell out. ' ' When Nate's case was sent buck for trial they deter mined again to kill off a number of wit- ne-ses. Writing threatening letters and killing stock had lost their terrors , and they determined upon a bold and daring scheme. A number of cut throats were imported and were detailed for a wholesale slaughter. Mrs. Johns , the wealthy widow , was to bo burned out and made to believe it was the work of the vigilants. It was then expected that she would draw upon her fortune for the purpose of revenge , and thus supplied with funds , they would pay their imported murderers. Letters pur porting to come from the vigilants were written and given to a trusted friend to copy. Thesis letters never reached Mrs. Johns , but fell into the hands of the officers of the law. When the conspir acy was discovered , members of the gang began to suspect each other , and it was not long before this murderous brood were warring with themselves. As a result , Jack Reed was convicted of horse-stealing , and sent to the peniten tiary for three years , and oilier mem bers were indicted. Recently William Scott , a forme member of the gang , testified against Joe Rainsbarger , the Jesse James of Hardin county , a son of William. Joe had been indicted for shooting at a German. This so incensed the persoa- ator of Jesse that he went gunning for Scott. They met on a dark night , both shot , and Scott drew first blood. Mon day night , November 7 , John Hunger , William Scott , and Tom Hathaway went to Steamboat Hock , and the two first named made affidavit to the effect that their lives had been threatened by the Rninsbargcrs ; also to some facts very damaging to the gang. Three of the Itainsbargers were watching them. When the boys went homo they took a cut-off to avoid a heavy body of timber on the road. When crossing the field . " > 00 yards from the woods they heard several signals given down the road they were * expected to have taken. Wh'cn they arrived at Scott's the three separated , and Hunger started homo on horseback. While crossing a bridge on a lonely road , and nearly a milo from his homo at Cloves , ho was run into by a horseman going quite fast , and his horse shot. Four men then came forward and tired six shots at him. He fell from the bridge , shot through the right leg. and several balls passed through his clothes. IIo lay perfectly still , however , and , after looking at their victim and concluding ho was dead , the red-handed fiends withdrew. Bunjer crawled a quarter of a milo to the nearest house , from which ho was taken to his home. Three years ago Joe Rainsbarger and a man named Krull entered Bunier's house , knocked the father downstairs , drew their revolvers vers , and threatened to kill the family , and criminally assaulted ono of the daughters. For this they were indicted , but the torch of the gang was applied to the Bunjer home , some of their stock killed , and their own lives threatened. This had the desired.effect upon the Bun jcrs , and Joe was acquitted. Since then John Bunjer has been much in the company of the gang and has learned many things valuable to the prosecution. In order to seal hislips they planned to murder him , and supposed they had done so. The attack and de fense were so well planned , however , that it is doubtful if they will be con victed , For several months William Rainsbarger has been Keeping his son- in-law at his house. When asked by Jack Reed why he kept him when ho had such a largo family of boys to help him on the farm , his. reply was that they had all been impeached , and he wanted the son-in-law there because ho had never been impeached , and could not bo , as ho had lived in Nebraska. The four Itainsbargers who took part in the shooting , the mother of the mur derers , the daughter and son-in-law and two women belonging to the gang , whom they brought to their house the Sunday before , may all bo relied upon to sustain the alibi , and it will bo nine witnesses against one. It is such bloody work as this , through a long series of years , that has led the people in this 'community up to the point of taking the law in their own hands. The people of Hardin county are as law-abiding as can be found any where in the country , but they have al ready suffered their rights to bo tram- pled'upon too long. Jack Reed is ono of the shrewdest and most notorious crooks in Iowa. Ho was the oldest son of Robert Reed , an early settler in Dul'ago county , Illinois. Ho was early educated in crime and took naturally to stealing. Jack's first ar rest was in Fayotto county , Iowa , when ho was twenty-seven years of age. Ho escaped by jumping from the second story of the court house , in which ho was confined. Ho was next heard of in Dallas county , Iowa , where ho operated from ISliS to 1S7I ! with the John Moraiam gang. In 187. ! ho came to Hardin county , made the acquaintance ) of the Rainslmrgers. and has since been a fre quent visitor here. Ho has been con victed twice from this county and sen tenced to the penitentiary. He was A Great CATASTROPHE ! OF OUR 1415$17 < & $18 SUITS TO This ifi the cheapest lot of goods over sokl in Omaha. II' you want a suit of clothes , buy now , as this cut will o nly la 1O DAYS. OVERCOATS for $6.50 , $7.50 , $9 and $10 ; worth double the price. THE NEW YORK AND OMAHA CLOTHING CO. , LEADING CLOTHIERS , 1308 FARNAM STREET. onoo convicted in Dallas county for stealing a cow and pot eighteen months. Through his shrewdness1 ho lias only served four ; years and twenty- onp days in the penitentiary , and has paid but ono line of $100 , This remark , uble character IIIIH been arrested twenty- seven times for stealing and "shoving the queer1 and has defended himself seven times , and has only been con victed four times. Ho lias helped thirteen criminals out of trouble and has paid out as bail for others $1,000 , and $ -2WQ as security debts. Ho has used thousands of dollars for bribing juries and witnesses , and has found it moro successful than the Kainsbarger method of shooting and threatening witnesses. Ho has operated in nine states and territories , using as many different alliases. Ho is now fifty-live years of age , broken in health , and robbed of his property by dishonest officials and in defending himself. He iMitors upon u three years' sentence a living example of the truth of the proverb : "Tho way of the transgressor ser is hard. ' ' BOOK IlKVItiWS. "A CHILD or OKN'ius" is a sketch book by .T. .T. Wood , of Wood's book store , Hudson , Mich. The book contains a numbcrof other sketch es each well written and thoroughly in teresting. * THE CKNTIMIY COMPANY has issued the seventh number of "Battles and Leaders of the civil war. " These publi cations consists of articles which have appeared in the Century Magazine , is issued in parts and sold exclusively by subscription. When completed the parts will make a , valuable and hand some book. * * * "IN TilitAT.T-DOJr , a psychological ro mance" publication by Leon Mead and published by , T. L. Ogilvio & Co. , Chi cago. rr.itionicAi.s. TJinxT : : TKI.KOHAMS from Russia show that the government of that coun try is still pur.-uing the policy of arbi trary and despotic repression which is described by Mr. Kennan in a paper en titled "The last appeal of the Russian liberals , " in the November Century. A number of young army and navy oiii- cers in St. Petersburg have just been sentenced to penal servitude in the Si berian mines for merely setting forth in the course of u debate the advantages which another governmental system would Imvo over the present ono. There is said to bo much excitement and indignation among the friends of the young officers in military circles , and the circumstance furnishes another illustration of the way in which the Rus sian government , by punishing with ex cessive severity natural and peaceful discussion , excites and keeps aiivo the revolutionary spirit. As the liberals of Moscow say in the interesting appeal to the esar , quoted in Mr. Kennan's ar ticle , "tho principal reason Jor the mor bid form which the contest with the government has taken is the absence in Rutsiaof any opportunity for the free de- velopmedt of public opinion and the free exercise of public activity. " STALL'S LUTHKUAX YKAH-BOOK for 1BS8 is in every respect a book of superior - orior excellence. With this issue , Mr. Stall has introduced into the ecclesias tical annuals such charts and diagrams as those used in the United States cen sus , thus making the growth and work of the church manifest at a single glance. This new feature is so valuable that all other church annuals will likely follow the example. Institutions of learning , homo mission stationsetc..are located separately on maps of the United States. It will awaken a now admiration for a people so fully consecrated in every phase of moral , social , religious and educational work. It contains lOli pages , and sells at the nominal sum of " 3 cents. It may bo ordered through anj book dealer , or from the editor at Lancaster , Pa. Tun AHT RIVIK\V : \ for September. October and November has appeared and proves itself fully entitled jo its name. This number contains ten inter esting articles on art and artists to gether with sixteen pbotogravers each , exceedingly pleasing. The Jfrt Review is published at il ! East Seventeenth street , New York. * * THE AsiumcAN MAOAX.INM : for De cember will bo a Christmas number. IN leading article , by William H. Inger- sell , will discuss the peculiarities of the accepted likeness of Christ , and re count the legend of its origin. This line is traceable in the sacred arts of all Christian nations from the beginning of our era. Mr. Tngcrsoll will moro especially describe tiio endeavors of dis tinguished American painters and sculp tors to represent this ideal. The arti cle will bo abundantly illustrated. * . -V 4 ; ROIIKUT Lens STKvnxsoN's remark able ballad of "Ticonderoga , " which will appear in the Christinas Scribnor's , will be splendidly illustrated from draw ings made bv two of the author's friends William Hole , A , R. S. A. and Will II. Low. the American artist and illus trator of "Lamia , " to whom Mr. Steven son recently inscribed two poems. Mil. " . P , TI. nuiiXETT's now story will begin in the Christinas number of St. Nicholas. It is called "Sara Crowe , " and it depicts the life of a little girl in a boarding-school in London. This number of St. Nicholas will have stories by Washington Gladden , II. II. Boyesen , Prank R. Stockton and J. T. Trowbridge , with an illustrated account of the voy age of the World Imloon , written by the reporter who took the trip from St. Louis last summer. * Tin : CONTEXTS of the Century volume include some notable papers. Here arc Prof. Atwatcr's valuable economic studies on the food question papers which have attracted wide attention among scientists in this country and in Kuropo ; several of Mrs. van Iteiisseiaer's Cathedral papers , with PcnneH's illus trations { to be continued in l.SSS ) ; Dr. .T. M. Buckley's "Christian Science and Mind Cure ; ' ' biographical contributions from George Bancroft , Clarence Cook , Karl Blind , George Konntin and others ; travel papers and art papers ; essays on important subjects by K. C. Sted.nam ; single illustrated articles on "Finding Pharaoh1 "College Boat Racing" by Julian Hawthorne , etc. The fiction in cludes the latter half of Mr. Stockton's "Hundredth Man. " ' with notable short stories , among them " .Jack , " ' by Miss Klixabeth ' "As-.alia " Stuart J'helps , , by Joel Chandler Harris , etc. , etc. The War Papers in this volume have covered some of the later battles of the war , with Sherman's March to the Sea , and many minor engagements. Tin : ST. NICHOLAS bound volumes for 18SO-S7 ( price $1 for the two parts ) con tain nearly two thousand pages of de lightful matter for young folks. Critics of the press have about exhausted their adjectives for St. Nicholas. The Ne wark Advertiser said recently that "St. Nicholas is so e.xasporatingly good , month In and month out , that the _ ro- viewcr may well wish , oni'o in a while , that ho might bo able to pick a { law. " During the past year the leading fea tures of St. Nicliohis have included Frank R. Stockton's "personally con ducted" paper ; suggestive articles enti tled , "Ready for Business ; " General la- ! dean's war stories for boys and girls ; the serials , "Jenny's Boarding House. " by James Otis , and "Juan and Juanita. " by Francis Courtonov Maylor ; St. Nicholas dog stories ; Mr. William II. Rideing't scries on the bovhood of great men ; papers on cadet life at Woti Point , etc. , etc. Within the put ; few years this magazine hni come to bo vor.\ \ widely used an a supplementary reader in schools' . For next year St. Nicholas lias a groateo programme than ever. Mrs1 , llnrnett , author of "Littlo Lord Kanntlerov , " in to eontributo a short serial ; and .looI C'handler Harris , .John Burroughs ! Frank H. Stockton , II. H. Bovosen , . ) , .T Trowbridge , Colonel Uiehard M , .lohnstone , and Louisa M. Alcott are among the many distinguished writers who will contribute serial and short , stories to this famous maga/.ino fox1 young people. ALTTin : monthly number * of Hahylanil ' for KSS7 are out and bound in a'booic with a coyer as pretty as the hundred pages inside. That cover appears to bo a \yorld full of children , shy and eurloui children , with apple blossoms and bnt- terllies under and Hying around it. A beautiful book it isl Hut the bebt of id isn't the beauty , Baby may not have u very keen eye for bemity ; b'ut he under stands easy picture- * and stories ami puzzles and linger play. His maminii makes him understand. Just there in the best of Babyland. It brings out all the mother's bright ness , increases her brightness given her something to talk about. MotherH need but little prompting to sing anil tell stories to their little ones. Nature atl'ords the stimulus. All the mother love wants is the story , the rhyme , the jingle , the picture. The baby respond.a with confidential crow. What are such relations worth ? "Babyland" costs but 7o cents in the book. You can get a sample monthly part of it , or of Our Little Men and Women , or of " 1'ansy , ' ' or of Chau- tauriia | Young Folks' Journal , or ot Wide Awake , by sending f > cents to Df Lothrop company , Boston. , * Er.u'onn's Ax\iu , for 1SS7-S is nrt American Book for American children ! edited by Thomas W. Ilanford ( Klmo ) * This book is worthy of a place in evord household in America. It is illustrated with lUo original drawings , by Wilj" limns , Jones , Kendrieks , Vaughn and others , with elaborate colored frontis * ] ) iece and cover , and full of storieH > sketches , fables , fairy tales , poems , by Louisa M : Aluott , Olive Thorno , W. 1C. Forbe , 1' . T. Barnnm , F.ugemi Field , Lucy Larcom , Henry Ward Needier , Elizabeth Stuart 1'helps , W. 1) . How-ells , L. F. Tolstoi , Kiln Wheeleu Wilcox. mid others , ltd ford , Clarke , \i Co. , New York , are the publishers. , Some of ItrlKliam VOIIII 'H Wives. St. Louis Post-Dispatch : The other1 \\ivesof lirigham Young were AuguMit I'obb , a nroxy , who died before her hus band ; Kli/.n Ann Webb Dee , the riimi-4 way , who is now living in Detroit , anil Augusta Adams Young , his very lirst ; Kli'/a It. Snow , the Mormon poetess , now aged eighty-six , who claims to liavo , been sealed to Joseph Smith ; Maomi If. J. C. Twiss , Martha BowKer and Uiir- rlet Amelia Folsom. Thii inaKeH twenty-two imlygamoiis vvnes whom th I'ropliet lirigham pos-es-od during liiH lifetime and whom he acknowledged Kli/a Snow , MNs TwUs and Marllui BowK-er , all childless , have rooms in the Lion house , and , like the other widowH there , receive lifo annuities from tluj cstato. ' "Miss" Snow is a living skele ton and cannot last much longer. Slu | ha * written three volumes of poetry and a huge lifo of her brother , Loreir/d Snow , the apostle who served a term ill the Utah "pen" for unlawful cohahi 111,7 , tion. Harriet Amelia Fol om Young , wild has gone into history as the favorite wife of lirigham , and for whom the Amelia palace , now called the ( Jai'dq house , was built , is now forty-live yearn old and still a line-looking and impres sive though by no means Imndsoino woman. She lives in her own two-story house at the corner of First West , and South Temple streets. She speculate * in land and is said to drho a good hart gain. Shu never married after Brigi ham's death. Anulia had no i-hildienj CHINA and ART GOODS Just Arrived We Invite Your Inspection of the Finest Line oj Goods in the West. ChinaGlasswareBrass , , Silverware andCut Glass in Great Variety , PERKINS , BATCH" LAUMAN , 1514 Farnam Street , New Paxton Building- .