Booth, John W. 1847 – 1903

BOOTH, PERKINS, PATTERSON, CHRISTENSON, MOREY, JENKS, MITCHELL

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:20

Source: Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer Nov. 20, 1903, FP, C4,5

An Honest Man Hounded to His Death.
John W. Booth is dead at his own hands, having committed suicide by hanging Wednesday evening.
The last seen of him alive was about 8 o’clock when he left his wife at the Alliance store telling her he would go over to Raab’s meat market on the south side to get some meat. Instead of so doing he went directly home, where he was seen but not to speak to, by his daughter who was leaving the house. After waiting a short time for him, his wife returned home and when he had not returned home by 9 o’clock she telephoned his brother, I. J., if he had been there, as he had been spending some of his evening’s there recently. His brother replied that he had not been there and was probably visiting somewhere else. Not hearing from him by 11 o’clock, Mrs. Booth started out to look for him and met Joseph Patterson, who hunted up Marshall Foye who had seen nothing of him, but who, together with Patterson instituted a search for him. They went to the barn and saw nothing wrong below, but went upstairs and saw him hanging from a beam, cold in death. He had laid his coat and cap on the hay, climbed on a platform he had evidently prepared previously, adjusted the rope (a common halter rope) about his neck and stepped off the board on which he stood.
Since the deed, a number of remarks made to his family go to show that he had contemplated suicide at times, he having at one time told his brother I. J., that “if any thing happened to him” he would find some money in his watch pocket. As Mr. Booth entertained the idea that his going to the penitentiary would kill him, this remark and others similar was taken to mean that and not that he contemplated suicide. The money, $50 in bills, was found just as he had mentioned.
He had been sentenced to the penitentiary upon evidence that was absolutely false and though a petition by the most reputable people of the county for his pardon was largely signed and approved by the judge before whom the case was tried, and not hearing from the governor as to when the application would be heard so worried him that the fatal deed was committed. And on the morning following Messrs Reed, Mr. Booth’s attornies{sic} received a letter from the governor saying that he was now at home and would be until Dec. 9, and was ready to take up the matter with them at any time.
Upon the person of Mr. Booth was found a letter in the following words:
“Here goes a man that has always tried to be an honest man in every respect, and innocent of the crime of perjury. Every word of testimony I gave was the truth, so help me God. And now kind friends remember me in that light. The element against me could not be any worse, and they have run me down like a set of wolves till my nerves will not stand any more. My show for a pardon could not of been any better, but still all good showing for me has vanished, Many thanks to my many kind friends in assisting me. They could not have done any better had they tried. And now please take care of my dear wife while I am gone as I hope it will not be for long.”
Had the letter from Governon{sic} Cummins come one day sooner the probabilities are that Mr. Booth would have been alive, and a pardon was sure to come, as evidence showing the testimony for his conviction to have been false would have been presented with the application.

Source: Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer Nov. 24, 1903, LP, C4

BOOTH.
John W. Booth, son of Moses and Louisa Booth, was born Aug. 11th, 1847, at Springfield, Erie county, Pa.
He came to Howard county, Iowa, with his parents in 1870 and has lived here ever since, with the exception of a couple of years at Auburn, Iowa.
On April 10th, 1870, he was married to Alice Perkins, now bereaved. To them were born four children, three sons and one daughter all of whom survive him.
The oldest son, Arthur, lives at Cedar Rapids, Ia., F. Lewis at Alden, Minnesota and C. Edward lives on a farm in New Oregon twp , Howard county; the daughter, Hattie Booth Patterson lives in this city.
He also leaves five brothers and five sisters to mourn his death: I. J., of Cresco; Dr. C. Edward, of Minneapolis; Frank M , of Alden, Minn.; Fred L., of Webster, S. D.; Mary Christenson, of Fulda, Minn.; Carrie Morey, of Corning, Cal.; Ella Jenks of Minneapolis; Emma Hall, Midland, S. D., and Alice Mitchell, of Cresco.
One sister, Hattie B., died in 1892. John Booth died at his home In Cresco, Nov. 18th, 1903.
The funeral took place Friday afternoon at the family residence, the services being conducted by Rev. Gammons. Interment in Oak Lawn.

Source: Decorah Republican Nov. 26, 1903 Page 4 Col 1

Died by Suicide.
John W. Booth of Cresco was found dead in his barn on Wednesday night last week. Death had evidently resulted from his own hands, as he was found hanging from a beam by a halter rope. Mr. Booth had been sentenced to the penitentiary for a criminal offense, and had appealed to the governor for pardon, but could not wait the result. The Plain Dealer treats the case as one in which an innocent man, of a sensitive nature, was hounded to his death.

Oak Lawn Cemetery
 

Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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