Additional
Information
Charles Wood
..... from the 'History of Winneshiek and
Allamakee Counties Iowa, 1882', by W. E. Alexander,
Chapter 8:
Early on the morning of August 24, 1879, two burglars
went through the office and safe of the mill
company---Hemenway, Barclay & Co., at Lansing; first
overpowering the night watchman, R. G. Edwards, whom they
beat nearly to death and left bound and gagged, and in an
insensible condition. They blew the safe open with
powder, but for all their trouble obtained scarcely fifty
dollars. They then joined their companion who was
awaiting them with a skiff, and escaped. At first it was
supposed there were four men in the transaction, and a
party of that number were arrested below McGregor in a
skiff the next day, but proved to be not the ones wanted.
Two of the burglars, Charles Wood, alias "Pittsburg
Kid", and Frank Lucas, were captured at LaCrosse two
or three days later, with tools in their possession and
checks of the firm. Wood owned up the crime, and tried to
exonerate Lucas from any participation in the affair,
further than rowing the burglars to the scene and away
again, claiming that his companion was one James White,
alias "Sandy", or "Red"; and this one
was arrested at Lansing shortly after. They were all
placed in the Decorah jail to await the next term of the
district court, our county jail not being sufficiently
secure. It was ascertained from Wood, or the
"Kid" as he was generally called, that he was
one of the parties who burglarized two or three stores in
Waukon the previous spring; and it was evident he was a
hardened criminal and skillful cracksman, besides being
much older in years than his looks would imply. The three
had been in the Decorah jail but a short time, when they
one night made an unsuccessful attempt to overpower the
Sheriff and escape. November 12th following, indictments
were filed against them and the "Kid" at first
plead guilty with the view of being sent to the reform
school, but the law fixing the age of admission to that
institution as under sixteen years, the plea was
withdrawn. That night they endeavered to gopher out of
the county jail, but were discovered and their plans
frustrated. The "Kid" had his trial at this
term, and received sixteen years in the penitentiary.
~~~~~
Daniel McLoud
..... from the 'History of Winneshiek and
Allamakee Counties Iowa, 1882' by W. E. Alexander,
Chapter 8:
In March, 1880, Daniel McLoud, of Linton township, was
arrested upon a charge of rape, the victim being his own
daughter, only fourteen years of age. At the May term of
court he was convicted, and sentenced to ten years in the
penitentiary.
~~~~~
Hanora Garvey Curtin
~Postville Review, December 17, 1881:
Poisoned
The last week's Waukon Standard has the
following particulars of a case of poisoning which
occurred near that town on Tuesday evening, of last week.
We may add that Mrs. Curtin escaped from custody and as
we write has not been retaken, though she probably will
be in time for us to give additional particulars in this
issue. The circumstantial evidence against her seems
almost crushing:
"Such was the report on the street yesterday morning
in regard to Mr. A.C. Johnson. It appears that he had
lately come from western Iowa to dispose of some property
and collect money due him, some of it owing him by Mrs.
Curtin, better known as Mrss. Garvey, where he was
temporarily staying. Night before last she gave him some
chicken soup, of which he ate, and in a few hours was
dead. Dr. Nitterauer was sent for, but did not arrive
till after his death. He returned to Waukon, and Sheriff
Hewit and Dr. Bowen, the Coroner, went out there and held
an inquest. Mr. E.B. Jones, the principal witness,
testified substantially as follows:
I was sent for. When I got here one of them told me to
hurry, that Johnson wanted to talk to me. I came in and
went up stairs. He spoke and told me to raise him up. I
put my arm under his head. He took a fit or spasm,
commenced to shake and straighten back in bed, and lay
still for a few minutes. When he came to he said he was
going to die, and wanted me to write to his boys. He said
he had his money in his pocket, and wanted me to take it.
I found [either $300 or $800] in one pocket,and $40 in
another. He showed me his overcoat and other coat and
told me to take care of them. He said he was poisoned. I
asked him how. He said in chicken soup. I asked him how
long ago. He said about two hours. In the mean time he
would have these jerking spells. In about half an hour
after I got to him he took one of these fits and died.
Mrs. Garvey's little boy was present and asked me what
was the matter with Johnson. I told him he was sick, and
Johnson spoke and said "Your mother poisoned
me." Had no conversation with Mrs. Garvey. Her last
husband's name was Curtin.
The verdict of the inquest was in accordance with the
apparent fact of death by strychine, and Mrs. Curtin was
arrested and brought to town for further proceedings. Mr.
Johnson's stomach was secured for examination to
determine more fully the fact of strychine poisoning. We
are told she bought half a drachm of strychine at
Kennedy's drug store on Tuesday, the day of the
poisoning. As our information now stands, it seems a
heartless case of murder for money, but we hope it is not
so. Mrs. Curtin has heretofore attained an unenviable
notority in the community, and Mr. Curtin has warned the
public not to trust her on his account as she has
deserted him without just cause after fleecing him, as we
stated some time since.
~'Past & Present of AllamakeeCounty, 1913', Chapter
17:
One of the coolest and most revolting cases of murder
that must be chronicled here was that of one A. C.
Johnson, by poison, at the home of Mrs. Hanora Curtin,
better known by her former name of Mrs. Garvey, in the
evening of December 6, 1881. It seems that Johnson had
recently returned from western Iowa to dispose of some
property in this vicinity and to make collection of some
debts, and was stopping temporarily at Mrs. Curtin's ,
northwest of Waukon, she being one of his debtors. Mrs.
Curtin prepared him a chicken soup, after partaking of
which he become violently ill and dispatched a messenger
for some neighbors, to whom he declared that Mrs. Curtin
had poisoned him and he was going to die, and requesting
them to take charge of his clothing, in which he had some
three or four hundred dollars, and to write to his boys.
His death followed in a few hours, and Sheriff Hewitt was
summoned, together with the coroner, at that time Dr. D.
H. Bowen. An inquest was held, resulting in a verdict of
death by strychnine, and Mrs. Curtin was arrested and
kept under guard at the old Central House in Waukon, for
want of a suitable jail. The preliminary examination was
set for the 9th, but during the night of the 8th Mrs.
Curtin made her escape. Later she was apprehended and
placed in the Decorah jail for better security, but
nearly succeeded in getting away again. She was
transferred to the new county jail at Waukon when
completed that fall. Not until the May term, 1883, did
the case come on for trial, when the testimony showed
that she had on the day of Johnson's death purchased a
half-drachm of strychnine at a drug store in Waukon, and
other evidence was so positively incriminating (including
an analysis of the stomach) that the jury promptly
returned a verdict of murder in the first degree, and
placed the punishment at imprisonment for life at hard
labor in the Anamosa penitentiary. The testimony
indicated that John Barleycorn had a hand in this murder,
as in all the other cases, the murderess having nerved up
with whisky and was intoxicated that night. She was
eventually pardoned, and went to Dakota, where she died.
Note: A query & several replies, posted to the
Allamakee Query board has even more additional information about
the case - this will open in a new window.
~~~~~
Benjamin Franklin Boomer
~Postville Review, December 14, 1895:
B.F. Boomer Guilty
An extra from the office of the Waukon Democrat, received
last Saturday evening, contained the verdict of the jury
in the long drawn out Boomer trial. The vertict was
guilty; and on Saturday, Judge Hobson pronounced sentence
upon the convicted man, which was five years in the
penitentiary and a fine of $2,000 as costs of trial. The
charge, which was sustained, was fraudulent banking.
By this sentence the dozens of men defrauded out of their
money are not financially bnefitted, but the criminal is
punished. There are other indictments hanging over him
for the same offense, and hence there is not likely to be
any clemency extended to him. So far as he is concerned
there is no room for sympathy.
He has proven a dangerous man and his punishment is
deserved. He was capable of better things, and yet there
was something about him that created suspicion on the
part of a fair student of human nature.. He has brought
lasting disgrace upon himelf and family; and is liable to
spend his remaining days in the penitentiary, as there
seems to be no doubt [illegible word] the supreme court,
if the case goes there, will affirm the action of the
court below.
He had as able counsel as the state affords, and the
proof was so positive that conviction was the only
alternative.
--
~Elkader Register, January 31, 1896:
Three more indictments have been returned against B.F
Boomer and three against his son Allan, by the Allamakee
county grand jury, for fraudulent banking.
--
~Postville Review, May 2, 1896:
Cases disposed of this term [of court] ....
The judge has ordered creditors of B.F. Boomer to be paid
from monies that have accumulated in the clerk's hands
for rents of his several business blocks. It amounts to a
considerable sum.
State of Iowa vs B.F. Boomer indictment; defendant
appeared in court and pleads that he is not guilty of
offense charged in the indictment. Cause continued by
agreement of counsel. In case defendant elects to file
motion for change of place of trial application and
affidavits in support thereof to be filed in this court
on or before July 1st, 1896. Application in this case to
be used also in Nos. 5238 and 5239.
--
~Postville Review, Friday, February 5, 1897:
B.F. Boomer and Amelia Mauch were married in Waukon last
Tuesday.
--
~Elkader Register, October 22, 1897:
B.F. Boomer of Waukon, convicted of fraudulent banking,
was taken to the penitentiary last week Wednesday. The
Democrat says, that "had he, as he faithfully
promised at the outset of his financial difficulties,
made every effort to reimburse his creditors from the
sale of the large property interests here, there is every
reason to believe the prison doors would never have
closed upon him. Instead, himself and family, have
resolutely attached themselves so far as within their
power, to the $50,000 more or less of real and personal
property in this city.
--
~Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, Oct 26, 1897,
Decorah, IA, Page: 2 ~contributed by Cheryl L. Moonen:
B. F. Boomer Sent to Prison
It is said that Governor Drake will be petitioned to
pardon President B. F. Boomer, of the Bank of Waukon,
convicted of receiving a deposit when he knew the bank
was insolvent. The District Court sentenced him to
imprisonment in Anamosa penitentiary for five years. The
Supreme Court affirmed the judgment and Boomer was placed
in prison. The sheriff took Boomer to the penitentiary as
a visitor and the warden showed them through. Then the
visitor’s returned to the hotel. The sheriff handed
the commitment papers to Boomer and left for home. Boomer
walked back to the prison alone, handed out the papers
and, through a flood of tears, told the warden the story
of his disgrace.
--
~Elkader Argus, July 3, 1901:
B.F. Boomer, the Waukon bank wrecker, has returned to
that city after three years and nine months in the
Anamosa prison.
--
~Elkader Register, May 8, 1902:
All the so-called 'Boomer cases' at Waukon were dismissed
at the term of court just held. It is presumed a
satisfactory settlement of money affairs has been reached
between the parties interested, and the court record says
B.F. Boomer has been sufficiently punished.
--
Note:
B.F. Boomer (7/20/1842 - 3/20/1916) and his wife Amelia
(7/16/1856 - 08/05/1940) are buried in Oakland Main
cemetery.
~~~~~
Robert Clark
Richard Whaley
Charles Heminway
August Johnson
~Postville Review, Friday, November 23, 1906:
District Court
There was considerable of an air of briskness on the
adjournment of Judge Hobson's court last Thursday, when
four criminals were arraigned for sentence.
August Johnson was found guilty by the jury on the charge
of seduction and sentenced to the penitentiary at Anamosa
for three years and six months.
Robert Clark and Chas. Hemenway were convicted of the
crime of holding up of Elias Pettit, and each got a term
in the penitentiary; Clark for three and Hemenway for two
years.
Richard Whaley, who was indicted on the charge of
throwing a stone into a residence in west Waukon plead
guilty and was given one year.
All the sentences were at hard labor. Saturday, Deputy
Swebakken,, with John Sweeney and H.R. Ludeking,
accompanied the quartet to Anamosa. And this might be a
good occasion to say that County Attorney Taylor made a
ten strike in convicting the whole bunch. - Waukon
Republican
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