John Simon released from Anamosa Prison - 1894

SIMON, SIMONS

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 2/12/2022 at 14:26:45

A special to the Dubuque Herald from Anamosa states that John Simon, who was in 1879, sent to the penitentiary for twenty years for killing an inmate of the Clayton County poor house, was released on Monday. The special says:

In 1861, when the war broke out, Simons was drafted into the rebel army where he served a year when he made his escape and joined the Union army at New Orleans and served all through the war. He has served about fifteen years actual time in the penitentiary, getting in good-time five years, five months and twenty-nine days, and during his long sentence he has never once been punished and never had but one prison coat and vest. He is over 70 years of age and draws $14 a month pension, and at the time of his discharge had over $300. to his credit. There are but two convicts in the prison who were there when he arrived. The old man has not a relative on earth and no place to go. Steps are being taken to get him admitted to the soldier's home. He has been so many years in confinement that he walks very awkwardly on the streets.

Elkader Register, Thur., 29 Mar. 1894.

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Added by S. Ferrall:

John was admitted to the U.S. National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Milwaukee, WI in Nov. 1894. He committed suicide in Feb. 1898 & is buried in the cemetery at the home. For more information about his military service see his entry on the Civil War Honor Roll
http://iagenweb.org/clayton/military/CW_R-Z.htm
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Account of the murder in the 1882 History of Clayton County:

The Poor House Murder, 1879
 

Clayton Documents maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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