John K. Stough (ca. 1842-1878)

STOUGH, FERGUSON, DAKIN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 11/11/2010 at 17:18:45

From Story County Watchman April 4, 1878

Murder of John K. Stough

John K. Stough, a former resident of Story county, and a brother-in-law of H. F. Ferguson, of Howard township, was murdered near his home in Minerva township, Marshall county, on Wednesday night of last week by his brother-in-law John Dakin, a near neighbor.

The circumstances attending the murder, as near as we can gather them, are as follows:

The day previous, Stough, who was making arrangements to go to Osceola county, went to Marshalltown, taking with him a lot of notes, a small portion of which he converted into money, and the remainder he deposited for collection, to be used in paying a mortgage on his farm. He returned and was stopping at Dakin's over night, and after dark proposed to go to a neighbor's to attned to some business matter, and Dakin proposed to go another neighbor's.

They both left the house about the same time and from the tracks, it appears they both started together across the a ploughed field and walked together for some distance, when it appears that Stough stated to run, and ran a few yards and his murderer coming up with him, a scuffle ensued, Stough getting loose ran a few yards farther out and was felled by a shot from his assailant, taking effect in his left side just below the ribs. Here his assailant again come up with him, and after striking and bruising his face, completed the murder by choking his victim until life expired. The body was then dragged to the fence and thrown over it by the road side, where it was discovered by a neighbor the next morning about 8 o'clock.

Dakin returned home about 10 o'clock, and seemed surprised that Stough had not returned, but after whistling and singing for awhile, went to bed. He arose early the next morning and stared to State Centre before sun up, arriving there about 7 o'clock, and reported in town that Stough had been killed the night before by one of his neighbors, giving the name when the fact of the murder had not been discovered in the vicinity where it occured until long after this hour.

The reason given why Dakin should have committed the deed aside from the that of robbery, is the fact that Dakin has a suit now pending in the Story county District Court, claiming of one John Young, of Lincoln Township, the sum of $5,000 for damage to his character, occassioned by said Young accusing him of stealing timber, shich case was to have been tried at the May term of Court, but had probably been nipped in the bud. Stough had lately said on different occasions, that he had caught Dakin at one time taking his timber, and if called on he would testify to the fact, and he advised Dakin to drop the suit as he would have to tell the truth if Young had him subpeonaed. Therefore, it was to Dakins' interest to get him out of the way.

Dakin waived examination and is now in the Marshall county jail awaiting the action of the Grand Jury at the next term of Court, which convenes at Marshalltown the 15th of this month.

There is no doubt among Dakins' neighbors, but what he is the guilty party, and had he not waived an examination and been hurried off to jail, Marshall county would have been saved the expense of guarding and boarding the murderer during the remainder of his life.

Dakin is about 33 years of age, of indolent habits and has but little property. His wife, who is the sister of the murdered man, has a farm in her own right, and will probably raise the necessary funds to enable the culprit to obtain the best legal talent for his defense.