ILSCHUYL-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Just got this HUGE book on the history of Ill and McDonough Co. in particular
Date: Sat, 04 Sep 1999 13:00:17 -0500

Thought you might be interested in the chapter on criminal
history--noted murders.

In giving this history of some of the noted murders and other crimes
committed in McDonough County, it is not the intention to represent its
population as containing a large proportion of criminals or to prove
that, as a whole, it is a blood-thirsty community; on the contrary, the
county has had an unusually small percentage of violent deaths. But
inasmuch as the youth have been told by their parents of murders here
and there, in the early times, and the actual facts of the case have
become quite mystical, this sketch is prepared from the public records
and from interviews with those who actively participated in some of the
stirring events narrated. The narratives cover four of the most noted
murders in the history of McDonough County. It should be added that no
hanging has ever occurred in the county.

THE DYE MURDER AND SCANDAL.--- The most sensational murder in the
history of McDonough County was, without doubt, the killing of James
Dye, a wealthy farmer living on what is known as the Prentiss farm in
the wet part of the county. The arrest of his wife as the murderess and
Rev. D. B. Burress as an accomplice, charges of undue intimacy between
them, theft, conspiracy by the sons to have their father murdered, the
trial of the woman for her life, the escape of Burress from jail, went
to make an event that, at the time of the deed, and for years afterward,
for that matter, was the sensation of this and adjoining counties.
James Dye was a well-to-do farmer living with his second wife, by whom
he had three children, having had twelve children by his former wife.
Trouble came up between Dye and his sons by his first wife, and they
were practically disowned and, as a result, hard feelings arose between
the parties. Others took a hand in the affair and there were anonymous
communications and threats of various kinds passed around. Dye also had
some trouble with Burress just the day before he was murdered, the
difficulty arising over the planting of some corn. This was said to have
been adjusted, but that wa never known.
On the night of May 27, 1854, about 9 o'clock, the alarm was given that
Dye had been murdered. The news was noised rapidly through the
neighborhood. Suspicion at once rested on Burress and Mrs. Dye, and they
were arrested the day following on the finding of the Coroner's jury,
and were held in jail without bail. S. P. Ray was also held on the same
charge, but was afterward released, as there was no evidence against
him. When the neighbors were summoned, Dye was found in bed with his
knees bent and his limbs then stiff. Burress had an alibi ready, as he
attended meeting that evening. Ray was at the house and gave the alarm
to the neighbors.

MRS. DYE'S STORY -- When they assembled Mrs. Dye was found crying and
told her story. She claimed that that evening she and another woman,
Mrs. Burress, were doing the milking, they became frightened at a man
but could not see close-enough to tell who it was. The man opened a gate
which attracted their attention. Dye was then in the house. They retired
about 8 o'clock and she was awakened by a ringing sound in her ears. She
saw her husband standing by the bed and grabbed him and pulled him down
again. She heard a man running and heard a horse running afterward like
the man had left the house and mounted the horse. She then gave the
alarm. That was in substance, her story.

THE TRIAL -- The evidence against the woman was purely circumstantial,
which fact alone prevented her hanging and, even as it was, at one time
eight of the jury were for conviction. The circumstances showed the
relations between her and Burress as being very intimate. When the
neighbors arrived the body was partly stiff. Then the wounds--which
consisted of a slug shot in the body, supposedly from a big revolver,
and the fracture of the skull--bled freely on the bed and yet there was
not a drop of blood on the carpet, which would have been the case if he
was standing when she awoke and pulled him back on the bed. Again, the
blood from the gun-shot would went to show that the slug was fired into
the body after life had departed. The physicians also testified that the
gun-shot wound was such that he could not have arisen after it was
inflicted.
There were three savage dogs kept at the house and it was claimed the
revolver belonging at the house was empty, but showed it have been
recently cleaned.
Then the defense proved that Dye had received a threatening letter, and
he had attributed it to his sons and had expressed fear from that
source. The sons were active in the prosecution, and the defense claimed
they had the old man killed to prevent his willing the property to the
wife and her children--as he had had so much trouble with them, they
expected that was what he would do.
The prosecution claimed it wa the intention of Burress and the woman to
do away with the old man and thus prevent trouble over their illicit
relations, then they would get what money they could and leave the
country together. There was always a question a to whether any of the
old man's money disappeared on that night, both sides claiming that he
always kept a large amount of money in the house and that it disappeared
the night of the murder.
The prisoners endeavored to obtain their release on bonds by habeas
corpus proceedings, which were held in Schuyler County. In this they
were unsuccessful. Mrs. Dye then got a change of venue to Fulton County
where her trial was held, lasting some ten days. The counsel comprised
the very best legal talent in this part of the state. Goudy, of Fulton,
Wheat of Adams, and Schofield & Mack, o Carthage, prosecuted, while
Manning, of Peoria, Kellogg & Ross, of Fulton, and Cyrus Walker, of
McDonough, defended. The trial wa hotly contested from the start. The
jury, after fifteen hours' deliberation, standing eight for conviction
and four for acquittal, finally agreed on a verdict of manslaughter and
the woman was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary.
Mrs. Dye was taken to the penitentiary, but, on the recommendation of
the Warden, she was pardoned long before her time ha expired. She
returned to this city and made this her home the rest of her life. She
died in 1874.
In the meantime, Burress had procured a change of venue to Warren
County. On the night of August 11, 1855, he escaped from the old log
jail here, but, after being absent some ten days, returned and gave
himself up. He became dissatisfied again, however, and on the night f
November 10, 1855, again escaped. He was tracked to Indiana but eluded
the officers and was never heard from again.

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