Murder at Maquoketa

MONTGOMERY, RHODES, BROWN

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 6/7/2008 at 10:02:02

Western Democrat
Bellevue, Iowa
May 5, 1852

Murder at Maquoketa

We have the painful duty of recording this week the particulars of a horrid murder, which occurred in this County, on Friday the 30th of April. It is an unpleasant – a sorrowful duty to notice to our readers the many murders which have been of such frequent occurrence within the past two years, at a distance from us; but it becomes doubly painful to be obliged to record the willful destruction of human life within our own County – to know that one with whom we are acquainted and to whom we are bound by ties of neighborly regard has been sent prematurely and suddenly into the eternal world by the murderous hand of a fellow man and that another refusing to subdue the evil passions that raged in his heart took the life of him who has been hurled into a bloody grave and must stand a trial for the life which he has justly forfeited to the laws of God & man, and then must in all human probability die an ignominious death – to know that the wife and children of the murdered have been robbed of a husband and father – him who was their life has been swiftly torn from their unwarned hearts – to know that the amiable wife and innocent offspring of the murderer have been so suddenly thrust into a sea of sorrow so deep and fearful that none can know how deep and fearful, but her whose crushed heart is bleeding, by one rash and unlawful deed of him, who should have shielded them from every sorrow.

How forcibly does such an example of willful and deliberate murder impress us with the necessity for the existence of the death penalty to prevent the petition of such horrible acts for like trivial causes. The particulars are these as given us by a citizen of Maquoketa.

A Dr. Rhodes entered a 40 acre lot of timber land, lying near the above named village, upon which Absolem Montgomery pretended to have a claim – by virtue of which he had kept it from being entered some 13 or 14 years without making an effort to enter it being at various times abundantly able to do so.

The entry by Rhodes was made several months since.

On Friday last Henry Brown the son-in-law of Rhodes, a very respectable & highly esteemed man took a team and went on to the land and drew off a load of wood, and returned for another. – Some time after having passed by the house of Mr. Earle on his way to the woods, a son of Mr. Earle was attracted to Brown’s wagon which had returned from the woods near to the house, by his (Brown’s) cries for help. On going to the wagon Brown told him that “Ab. Montgomery had shot him” and asked young Earle to “go for Dr. Rhodes and his friends.” He also told the lad that “Montgomery came up within ten feet of him and shot him through the body with his rifle.” (The ball entered near the pit of the stomach.) The lad – young Earle asked him if he should not drive the team down to the house. Brown replied “no” that he “could not ride any further.’ Earle hurried to the village – a distance of a mile – for help. Soon after he was gone, Mrs. Earle the mother of the young man went to the wagon and talked with Brown and also endeavored to get assistance by motioning (the wind blowing very high at the time) to some men who were plowing in a field belonging to Montgomery – whose house was within sight. Montgomery was in the field – to which he had returned after shooting Brown – and perceiving the team became aware that his shot had not been fatal.

Unharnessing one of his horses he went to his house (saying to one of his men that he was going to Canton) and taking two rifles mounted and rode off. As soon as possible after taking care of Brown a complaint was lodged with a magistrate and a warrant issued for Montgomery, the officers and several of the citizens started in pursuit. They overtook him about six miles out of Town and secured him almost without a struggle, bringing him back to town where he had his examination, Saturday at 10 o’clock A.M.

The testimony being very strong against him he undoubtedly stands omitted to await his trial in the District Court two weeks hence.

Montgomery leaves a wife and several children. He is of intemperate habits.

Brown leaves a wife and one child. – He was irreproachable in character and habits. He was about 24 or 25 years old.

Montgomery stated to the officers that “what he had done, he had done in self-defense.” He acknowledged that he was in the woods at the time Brown was shot, but said “Brown struck at him three times with an axe.”

There is little or no doubt of Montgomery’s guilt. Proof is so conclusive that it seems almost impossible that he should escape conviction.

Such are the particulars of this lamentable affair – may it be the last that Jackson County will ever witness.