Cecil Quaintance Held For Murder

QUAINTANCE, OLIVER, DOYLE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes
Date: 1/19/2014 at 09:12:23

The Montezuma (IA) Republican

SHERIFF LAMB
FINDS SHOT GUN
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CECIL QAINTANCE HELD FOR
MURDER OF OLIVER
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Searchers Find Firearm in Oats
Field Where Youth Dropped it
Day of Crime.
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When first brought to Montezuma last Thursday by Sheriff Lamb, Cecil Quaintance, 16-year-old youth who had been identified by Mrs. Will Oliver as the one who killed her husbnd that morning, said that he left the double barrel shot gun in the cellar at the home of his father, Bert Quaintance. A search that day failed to locate it. Later the boy told Sheriff Lamb he did not remember where he left it, that while running through the Schultz oat field which lies between the Oliver home and the Kinyon farm where lives, he stumbled and fell and did not recall picking the gun up again.

Sunday, Mr. Lamb organized a searching party and found the gun in the oats field. It is an old and badly dilapidated weapon. In the two chambers were found two shells, one in each barrel, which had all the appearances of being hit with the hammer plunger. The plungers were not in good shape neither were the locks. The caps in the shells show plainly slight indentures, similar but not quite so heavy as those in the three empty shells found at the scene of the murder. It is believed the lad endeavored to fire these shells, but whether at Will Oliver or his wife is not known. When arrested young Quaintance had in his pocket one shot gun shell and one rifle or revolver cartridge.

The three empty shells found at the corn crib at the Oliver home adds some mystery as to how many shots were fired at Oliver. Oliver was between the barn and the crib and the boy in the drive way of the crib. There are shot in the side of the barn at two places, indicating that at least two charges were fired at Oliver as he advanced toward the crib.

Mrs. Oliver testified she heard her husband cry for help; as she reached the door of the home heard a shot. Whether Mrs. Oliver failed to hear the first two shots and only the last one or whether she heard the first one and in the excitement failed to note the remaining two is not known. It is more probable that Mr. Oliver called for help following the first shot. The shells found in the gun indicate an attempt had been made to fire them, but whether at the dead man or Mrs. Oliver when she ran to her husband is not known, probably at Mrs. Oliver when she started for help.

The young man does not seem to realize the enormity of the crime. He asked the sheriff Saturday if Oliver died instantly and said if he did not he must have suffered terribly. He gave no reason for the shooting except to say they sneered at him after he took the Ed Mann horse. The deceased, however, was a quiet and unassuming young man and liked by everyone and his many friends do not believe he ever gave any evidence of his feelings in the matter in the presence of the boy.

The boy while in jail watched the funeral procession as it wended it's way to the cemetery and a short time later told about dropping the gun in the oats field. Saturday night Sheriff Lamb, as an extra precaution, took the prisoner out and conveyed him to another county, where he will remain indefinitely. A report was current that the lad had been released but this was untrue.

At the inquest several witnesses were examined.

John Wright, witness, said he was told of the murder by the mail man and went to the scene. He saw the shot gun shell found by Ed Doyle in the drive way of the double crib northwest from the body 20 or 30 feet, also shell found at south end of drive way, six or eight feet back.

Edgar Doyle said he was called over phone and told of the crime. His testimony corroborated that of Wright.

Alvin Ehret in his testimony said that Mrs. Oliver came running to his house the morning of the murder, screaming and greatly excited. He was milking. Mrs. Oliver said Quaintance boy had shot Will. Mrs. Ehret took her inside and she requested that a doctor and the sheriff be called at once. She said "He tried to shoot me, don't go down there." She was crying, screaming and scared. Mr. Ehret said he went to the Oliver home with the doctor and Mr. Gauley, that the doctor turned the body which was lying in the barn face down, over and that gun shot wounds were visible on face, arms and breast.

James Gauley, who went to the place with Mr. Ehret, corroborated this testimony.

Mrs. Margaret Oliver, wife of deceased, said her husband was killed Thursday morning, June 20,at about 6:30 o'clock, in the barn lot at their home in Jackson township, that he met death from gun shot wounds in face. She did not see the shooting. There was no one at the place but the husband, herself, and the assassin. To the coroner's jury she told the following short but graphic story of the murder of Mr. Oliver.

"We were just getting up. He (husband) came down first. I heard him shut the door and go out. Just after he went out he called 'Maggie, help me.' I got up and ran down and was just about to open the kitchen door when I heard the report of a gun. I went to him and raised him up. He was lying on the ground east or southeast from the crib, body face down. I spoke to him and he didn't answer or move. I said 'Will who shot you?' Then I said 'I'll go for help as quick as I can get there.' I turned and ran toward the public road, I was half-way to the road when this boy came around southeast corner of crib. I looked around as Quaintance boy came around corner. He was the one pointed out to me as the one who had taken the horse. When I first saw him he had the gun pointed from his shoulder. Neither he nor I said anything. I went on to neighbor's, Mr. Ehret, had them telephone for a doctor and the sheriff. I came back with the doctor as soon as he got there. Afterwards the sheriff brought the Quaintance boy to our house under arrest. The boy the sheriff had was the same person who came around the corner of the crib. I don't know his first name. He is the son of Bert Quaintance. He had on a black hat when I saw him. The one shown to me, I think is the one."

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VERDICT OF JURY

We, the coroner's jury find that William Oliver, was unlawfully and feloniously killed by a shot gun wound from shot gun in the hands of one, Cecil Quaintance.
Clyde McFarlin
C.M. Powers
E.D. Rayburn

The funeral services were held at Beulah church Saturday afternoon. Mr. Oliver was a splendid young man, quiet, honest, industrious, happy in his home life and a devoted husband. The heart broken wife survives. In her intense grief she has the sincerest sympathy of everyone. A happy home has been destroyed and in its place remain nothing but the memory of pleasant years and the knowledge that the companion of those years has been laid to rest,struck down in the strength of young manhood when the world seemed so bright and promising.

The parents of the deceased, who reside in Missouri, were here to attend the funeral.