Dickson, Samuel S., abt. 1812-1896

DICKSON

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/4/2014 at 08:48:50

The body of a man was found in the Sioux river at Hawarden last Sunday evening, and the indications are that the man was murdered by tramps and thrown into the water. The man's name was S. S. Dickson, from where could not be ascertained. Monday afternoon a hat, coat and shoes were found on the river bank near the body. On the inside of the coat was sewed a piece of paper written: "The bearer holds ticket No.---- and is on his way to visit his son, T. H. Dickson, at Hitchcock, S.D." It is the general belief that he came to his death by foul play and the condition of the man's head, which is badly bruised on the right side, as if struck by a club, strengthens the theory.

Source: Rock Valley Register, July 31, 1896.

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MURDERED BY TRAMPS.
That is the Conclusion Reached by the Coroner's Inquest in Regard to the Death of S. S. Dickson at Hawarden Last Week.

The last issue of the Hawarden Republican has the following account of the death of S. S. Dickson at that place:

Last Sunday evening about seven o'clock one of F. F. James' boys came to town and notified Marshal O'Brien that the body of a man was discovered in the Sioux river on the Iowa side about a mile and a half south of the Hawarden wagon bridge. Mr. O'Brien went out to the river and with the assistance of Mr. James and one or two others brought the body to town. The body was in a badly decomposed state, and showed evidence of being in the water three or four days. The body was minus coat, hat, shoes and one stocking, and around the next two handkerchiefs were tied so tight that when they were removed their marks were left which was undoubtedly caused by the swelling of the body. In the pockets were found two blotters, a Burlington freight waybill and a blank piece of paper with the name of J. M. Wickersham written thereon. There was quite a wound on the left temple, as if a blow had been struck by some blunt instrument.

County Coroner Warnshuis was notified, and on onday the coroner in company with Dr. DeBey, of Alton, came over and held a post mortem, and an inquest which was adjourned until Tuesday. In the post mortem it was discovered that the deceased had met death before entering the water. The wound on the head was of no particular consequence.

Monday afternoon Eli Crane and C. L. Stewart went down to the river, and a few rods above where the body was found they ran across a man's coat, hat, one stocking and one shoe. Near where the goods were found the weeds and grass for several feet around were tramped into the ground which looked as if a terrible struggle had taken place. From this trampled place there seemed to be a newly made path to the river. On the inside of the had was painted in fancy letters the initials "S. S. D.,' and on the inside of the coat there was a piece of paper sewed in and on it was written, "Bearer holds ticket, form 2504, ticket No. 227" and signed, Hoyt, Agt. Beneath this was written, "S. S. Dickson, on his way to visit his son, J. H. Dickson at Hitchcock, S.D." The stocking that was found was an exact mate to the one on the deceased foot and this fact, with the paper sewed on the inside of the coat furnished a clue to work on. A telegram was immediately sent to J. H. Dickson at Hitchcock and an answer received.

It is the belief in Hawarden that the deceased came to Hawarden on the evening train and in stopping over night fell in with tramps, who induced him to go to the river, where they took his life and throwed the body in the river. The verdict of the coroner's inquest was that the deceased came to his death by strangulation at the hands of a party or parties unknown to the jury.

Source: LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, August 3, 1896.

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An article in the Hawarden Independent, July 30, 1896, gives a similar story of the finding of the body, the clothing, and the apparent murder scene, and notes that the post mortem "disclosed marks upon the throat as if strangulation had taken place by twisting the large red bandana handkerchief which he wore around his neck." It then goes on to say:

The last seen of him about town was on Wednesday. He got a lunch at Denton's restaurant about one o'clock and went out without paying for it, complaining of feeling very bad and thought that the tea he had drank would help him. Marshal O'Brien saw him sitting on the sidewalk the same day in conversation with a young man, but paid no particular attention to the fact. He was also at the mill and talked to L. T. Kenny. His clothes on one side were dusty and he wanted to know if Mr. Kenny had seen him fall from the wagon. He talked in such a rambling manner that Mr. Kenny thought him partially demented. Late Wednesday evening Samuel Heald saw him going across lots toward the river, and he disappeared in a cornfield west of town. The same night A. F. James was awakened by the barking of his dogs and he heard loud voices in the direction of the river, but he did not go out to investigate. The general opinion is that he fell in with some tramps and they murdered hm for the small amount of money he may have had upon his person and then threw the body into the river to cover up the crime. No clue has yet been found that will give the slightest trace as to the perpetrators of the deed.

John H. Dickson, of Hitchcock, son of the deceased, arrived Wednesday evening and from the description of the deceased and marks upon the clothing, was enabled to positively identify him without examining the body, which had been interred in Grace Hill Cemetery Monday. In conversation with an Independent reporter Mr. Dickson stated that his father was 84 years of age, but with the strength and vigor of most persons at 60. He had received a letter from his sister that his father would start from Marion, Kansas, on Monday, July 20. Last Friday another letter was received stating that he had started on that date, and they had already begun to fear some accident had befallen him when they received Marshal O'Brien's telegram apprising them of the awful facts. He was satisfied his father had some money on his person, but could in no way account for his stopping off here, as he had made the same trip several times before and always passed directly through. He thinks he must have taken sick on the way [which] deranged him somewhat, thus becoming the easy victim of some vicious person. He was as much at loss to account for the terrible crime as the local officials. Marshal O'Brien received a telegram today saying he held a through ticket from Marion, Kansas, to Huron, S.D., and as this is missing it may ultimately lead to the detection of the murderer. Every effort wlll be made to ferrit[sic] out the criminal.

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An article in the Alton Democrat, August 1, 1896, notes that "there were a number of suspicious characters in town at the time who have disappeared since.... An examination of his lungs by Drs. Warnshuis and DeBey, revealed the fact that he was not drowned. He evidently had been knocked down, and then choked or strangled to death."

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From the Sioux Valley News (Correctionville), August 6, 1896:

Huron, S.D., Aug. 1.--There is no doubt that the body of the man found in the Sioux river at Hawarden, Ia., Sunday, is that of the father of John H. Dickson, a prominent farmer living in the northern part of this county. He left his home in Marion, Kan., two weeks ago to visit his son, J. H Dickson, near Hitchcock, but not arriving as expected, inquiry was instituted and he was traced to Hawarden. His name is Samuel S. Dickson, and he was 84 years of age, sprightly and sound in mind and body when he left Marion. His son is greatly distressed over the sad affair, and will leave no effort unused to bring the murderers to justice. J. H. Dickson has gone to Hawarden to identify the body and institute a thorough investigation.