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Archiver > MOHOWARD > 2001-04 > 0986940398


From: "Mike & Kathy Bowlin" <>
Subject: [MOHOWARD-L] Higbee News, Friday, 24 Mar 1916
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 17:06:38 -0500


Friday, 24 Mar 1916--ROBBED AND KILLED MAN 35 YEARS AGO, MISSOURIAN
ADMITS--Fayette, Mo, March 16--The confession of James Ambrose, who is said
to be
on his death bed, suffering from gangrene poisoning at his home, six miles
south of New
Franklin, that he robbed and killed J. H. Teters, fisherman in 1881, has
caused much
surprise.
Ambrose called his preacher to his bedside last night and confided the
secret
which he had guarded 35 years.
When asked why he killed the man he told the following story:
"Teeters sent for me one day and asked that I write a letter to his brother
who was
in an eastern state, in regard to money he had.
"Now Teters, as you know was living on that island out there," Ambrose
pointed
to an island in the Missouri river, "and had been making his living by
fishing.
I told him that I could not write, but that I would take the letter to my
home and
have it written for him. On the way over the money became too great a
temptation for
me and I returned and killed Teters.
"After getting about $3,000, I placed him in his home and burned
everything.
The coroner's jury returned the verdict that Teters met his death by
accidental fire and no
search was ever made."
Many persons living here remember the fire and recall the verdict of the
coroner's
jury. No one suspected Ambrose, as he was a member of one of the oldest and
most
highly respected families in the county.
He told the attending physician that he had lived under a strain since the
deed,
and now that he is ready to die, he wanted to confess so his friends might
know the
"battles he had to fight."

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Rocheport, Mo, March 18--Thos Ambrose made a denial
this
morning of the confession accredited to his father, James Ambrose, that he
robbed, killed
and burned the body of a Missouri River fisherman named Teeters 35 years
ago, as
printed in the Republic Friday as a special from Fayette. He said: "There
has been no
confession made in the presence of any member of the family."
When told it was common report since Monday he said: "We knew nothing of
it
until it was printed."
Rev. J. M. Wilcoxon of Fulton and Rev. M. L. Shemwell, pastor of the
Rocheport
Methodist Church, the two preachers who visited the sick man, deny any
knowledge of a
confession. Wilcoxson said: "Mr. James Ambrose never made any statement or
confession to me of his having committed any crime whatever."
Mr. Shemwell said: "I not only deny the statement of a confession being
made to
myself, but I think it a shameful disgrace for such a scandal to be
started."
Thomas Ambrose motored to Fayette this afternoon to turn the matter over to
the
Prosecuting Attorney of Howard County. He offers $1,000 for proof against
the guilty
party. The accused man is at the point of death. He and his sons are all
large land
owners and the family will spare no expense in clearing the father's name.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--AN EX-SLAVE DEAD AT 121--Louis Merriman, who was born
while George Washington was president of the United States, died yesterday
at his home,
525 Nebraska avenue, Kansas side. He was 121 years old and had said he was
the oldest
negro in America.
He was born on the Sopher plantation in Virginia, and was 67 years old when
freedom came during the Civil War. After the war he went to Kansas, living
near Paola
until three years ago. Residents of Paola made an investigation of his age
and declared
they were satisfied he was born in 1795.
He was the oldest man on the United States pension rolls, and will be
buried in
the cemetery at the Soldiers' Home at Leavenworth--K. C. Star.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--PHILLIPS-TRUBY--Mr. Albert Phillips of Mount Bethal,
Pennsylvania and Miss Grace Lee Truby of Higbee were married in this city at
the Baptist
parsonage Friday afternoon. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. W. A.
Boyd.
Mesdames C. D. Sandison, H. C. Johnson, Lewis Malone and Miss Mary Sandison
being
afternoon callers upon Mrs. Boyd were interested witnesses of the happy
event.
The pair were surprised at facing the little assembly but accepted the
situation
gracefully and appreciated the hearty good wishes extended--Huntsville
Herald.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. Anna Tanhauser, aged 73 years, of Bevier, killed
herself
Sunday by jumping into a well.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Walter Davis, who has been in poor health for some
time, and the
nature of whose ailment his physicians are not agreed upon, went to Kansas
City Friday
of last week for observation and treatment by a specialist. He was
accompanied by Dr.
C. F. Burkhalter. The specialist promised a complete diagnosis of the case
by the end of
the week and Walter's family and many friends are anxiously awaiting the
verdict. The
NEWS adds its prayer to their's that his ailment is not as serious as some
have feared and
that he will soon be able to return well and strong.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Ernest Shufelt, who returned to Higbee two weeks ago
and
resumed his old position as operator at the Alton depot, and also in the
band as cornet
player, to the delight of the rest of the boys, as he was a good one, is
gone again, having
been "bumped" by an operator older in the service. His leaving is only
temporary,
however, and he will be back the first opportunity. Mr. Shufelt is not only
a good
musician but is a most excellent young man and one whom any town should be
proud to
claim as a citizen.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--J. R. Pigg, of Boonville, a traveling man for twenty
years or more,
and who made regular trips to Higbee during that time, died at his old home
in Windsor
on the 6th. Mr. Pigg was an uncle of J. C. Cain of this place.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Dr. T. H. Walton has been rushing work this week on a
garage at
his residence to house a big 6-cylinder Paige touring car, purchased last
week, the daily
arrival of which he has since been most anxiously awaiting.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--RUCKER ITEMS--Miss Ruth Blais closed a very successful
term
of school Friday at Naylor. The exercises were well attended by the
patrons. All brought
well filled baskets and it was a grand feast for all present.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--ITEMS FROM MYERS--John F. Andrews and family visited
birch
Dougherty and family Sunday.
Charlie Dougherty of Higbee visited his uncle Clabe Dougherty, Saturday and
Sunday.
The small son of George F. Dougherty has been quite sick but is some
better.
Clabe Dougherty purchased a span of mules from Geo. Thornburg of near
Moberly last week.
Mrs. Nancy E. Dougherty has returned home from a two weeks visit with her
daughter, Mrs. Glen White.
Miss Bertha Andrews and Mrs. Brown of this vicinity are visiting the latter
's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harper, of Mexico.
Miss Bertha Rennolds, Jewel and Jim Dougherty, who are attending school in
Fayette, spent the first of the week with their parents. They all reported
that they were
getting along nicely in school and were telling of their grand teachers and
also the
interesting talk Paul Prosser made them last week.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Born, on the 17th, to Herb Morris and wife, a daughter.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Born, on the 18th, to Ed Shook and wife, a daughter.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Born, on the 20th, to Paul Moore and wife, a daughter.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Born, on the 17th, to John Wright and wife, a daughter.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. David Davis visited her daughter, Mrs. Chas. Hall
of Slater
during the week.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. John Holtzclaw is visiting her sister, Mrs. D. R.
Maple, at
Alton, Ill.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. Elizabeth O'Donnell of Ardmore, is the guest of
her son,
Leonard and wife.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Harley Hawkins, while skating on the streets Monday,
fell and
broke his left arm.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Lessly Purdy is nursing a sprained ankle received at
the skating
rink Saturday night.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Wisdom Burton is the proud owner of a big Studebaker
touring car,
purchased Saturday.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. Jas. Mullier of Albia, Ia., is the guest of her
brother-in-law, J.
E. Carter and wife, and other relatives.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Miss Frances Burkhalter, who is attending Central
College,
Lexington, spent the first of the week at home with her parents.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Miss Vera Rankin is about the happiest young lady in
town, her
parents presenting her with a handsome bicycle.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--J. S. Land of Marshall and daughter, Mrs. Sid Rice, of
St. Louis,
were the guests of the former's son, H. Land, and wife, the first of the
week.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. Julia Edwards left Friday for an extended visit
with her
brothers, Dr. Edwin Edwards of St. Louis and Chas. Edwards of Bloomington,
Ill.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--W. A. Rutherford, one of the county's best known and
most
prominent citizens, died at his home near Huntsville Thursday of last week
following a
short illness. He was president of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Co.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--The high wind Tuesday night badly damaged the tent
sheltering the
skating rink. The outfit is being dismantled for shipment to Paris.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Thos. Cook, aged 25, of Mexico was shot and killed in a
restaurant
in that place Sunday night by Howard Smith, a waiter. Cook was known as a
brawler,
and is said to have been trying to "take the place" when shot.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--J. F. Miller and wife, who went to Texas several months
ago to
spend the winter, returned home Monday. Their son, Howard, remained, having
a good
position with a railroad company, as has also his brother, Glen.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Mrs. W. F. Spotts of Clifton Hill was the guest of her
parents, J. E.
Rucker and wife, during the week. Mr. Spotts, who has been in the poultry
business at
Clifton Hill for several years, has purchased a poultry house at Hardin, Ray
county, and
will move to that place.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--G. W. BREWER DEAD--G. W. Brewer, a resident of Higbee
for
the past twenty-five years, and who had been in very poor health for the
past two years,
died at his home in this place on Saturday, March 18, 1916, aged 67 years.
Deceased was born at Alton, Ill., on Nov. 5, 1849, and came to this state
when
quite a young man. Locating in Callaway county, where he was married in
1875 to Miss
Lydia Rice. They were the parents of seven children, three of whom died in
infancy.
Two sons and two daughters survive.
His first wife dying in 1900, Mr. Brewer was married in 1905 to Mrs. Blanch
Bohannon of this place, who survives.
Mr. Brewer was a member of the Moberly lodge of Odd Fellows and of the
Higbee K. of P. lodge as well as the Higbee local of U. M. W.
Funeral services were held at Methodist church, with which deceased had
united
several months ago by the pastor, Rev. J. J. Copeland, the church being
packed to its
capacity.
Interment was made in the city cemetery, the service being a joint one
between
the two lodges.
Besides his widow and children, Mr. Brewer is survived by one brother and
one
sister, both of whom reside in Illinois.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--J. H. Swetnam last week purchased the B. F. Ivie
property in the
north part of town for $1700. This means, we hope, that Judge Swetnam, who
moved to
town temporarily last fall to give his children the advantage of our high
school, will
become a permanent citizen. We need more men like him.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--C. S. Hargis informs us that his son Henry has been
appointed a
rural mail carrier on a route out of Dodge City, Kansas, where he has been
located for the
past year and a half. The position pays $1800 per year. His many Higbee
friends join the
NEWS in congratulations. There were fifty applicants for the place.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--The joke is on Constable Bagby and Marshal Williams,
who took
Clarence Cochran to jail at Huntsville Monday. Not wishing to take any
chances, they
handcuffed him, and on reaching Huntsville, found that they had left the
keys here, and
Cochran was compelled to wear the manacles until the keys could reach
Sheriff
Magruder by mail.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--Orville Richardson, who drives Will Burke's dray,
received a fall
on the streets Friday which rendered him unconscious for ten minutes. He
was delivering
freight to the Bottoms Hardward Co. at the time and was standing on top of a
big load on
the dray, when the team started up, throwing him to the ground. He landed
squarely on
his face, and about the time he landed a heavy box fell from the dray,
missing his head
about a foot. He was able to be around the next day.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--J. H. Bagby, W. F. Jones, H. C. and Ed. Eubanks and T.
J. Cooper
of this place are believed to have put a big mud hole just north of the
Hamilton school
house on the road between Higbee and Moberly permanently out of business one
day last
week, and in a very unusual way. A car belonging to one of the parties got
stuck in the
hold and while they were working to get it out a man came along with a big
load of coal,
which the crowd purchased and dumped in the hole as soon as the automobile
was gotten
out.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--The NEWS has played in hard luck of late with its big
press.
About five weeks ago, apparently from no cause whatever, the vibrating
roller broke
short off and everything had to be stopped until it could be repaired. It
broke twice since,
the last time in such a way that it could not be repaired here and we had to
have a new
piece turned at a Moberly foundry, Monday the hoodoo struck us in a new
place, a
casting on the side of the press which works the vibrating roller breaking
short off. The
break was all the more puzzling from the fact that the piece was
disconnected and with
absolutely no strain on it so far as we could tell.

Friday, 24 Mar 1916--B. F. Dimmitt, one of the oldest druggists in the
state, died at his
home in Rocheport on the 11th, aged about 85. He had been in the drug
business in
Rocheport for 62 years, and it that time never carried a government license
to sell liquor.

Kathy Bowlin,
Additions, corrections, comments welcome.


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