Iowa Old Press

Davenport Democrat
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
May 3, 1877

Black Hills Tragedy
Bone, the Murderer, Surrendered Himself at the Jail this Morning.
His Conscience Troubled Him So That He Could Neither Eat Nor Sleep Since the Awful Affair.

     When the Coroner's investigations over the remains of the late Minnie Brennnicke, one of the inmates of the Black Hills den, closed on Monday morning, the 23d of April, the jury returned a verdict that her death was caused by a pistol shot fired by Ambrose Bone, but, at the request of Coroner Grant, we withheld the name at the time believing it would not subserve to the ends of justice, and might be the means of warning him to get out of the reach of our police before they would take it into their heads to start in search of him. An effort was made to capture him, as is known, which proved unsuccessful. The Democrat, a day or two afterwards, suggested to the fugitive murderer who was in Rapids City all the time, to have some regard for the professional feelings of our police force, and to come to the city and throw himself in their way so that he might be arrested-otherwise he might roam around the country at pleasure and never be apprehended. Bone saw the notice, and seeing the force of the appeal at the same time, determined to worry the police no longer, and at 5 o'clock this morning, walked up to the jail door, routed Sheriff Leonard out of bed, and told him he wanted to come in an be locked up. Opening the door, the Sheriff found a young fellow about 5 feet 1 or 2 inches high, round full features, about nineteen years old, looking a little haggard and pale, who announced himself as Ambrose Bone, the man who fired the fatal shot that killed Minnie Brennicke on Saturday, April 21st, at the Black Hills bagaio. He was warmly welcomed, invited behind the bars and assigned quarters.
     He looked tired, and evidently had walked the greater part of the night-from Rapids City-though he denied that he came direct from that place. He seemed utterly broken down, and could scarcely talk for an hour or so after his arrival. Then he informed the Sheriff that since the next day after the tragedy he has been scarcely able to eat or sleep, so heavily did the awful crime rest upon him though he was innocent of any intent to murder. He was in Rapids City at the time the officer was looking for him and has not been twenty miles away from this city since the day of the murder. On meeting Richards Thomas in the corridor of the jail (who was at first supposed to be the murderer), the latter grasped his hand and said: "Well, Ambrose, you did a bad job!" He answered,"Yes, I know it, but I didn't intend to."
     Seeing the two young men together they are nearly of the same height, which in part accounts for Mrs. Henrichs' (the keeper of the den) mistake in swearing that she saw Thomas fire the fatal shot. Our reporter called at the jail to-day to see Bone, but he was disposed to be reticent and as he seemed to be so utterly broken down we did not prolong the interview. He said he did not know at the time that the deceased was shot as he did not see her when he first-she being behind the door, that he, being somewhat intoxicated, only fired only out of deviltry. He went direct to the bridge, crossed to Rock Island, and went up to Rapids City that same evening. He expected to meet Thomas at the depot and did not expect anything serious until he heard of the affair Sunday, through the Democrat, and learned that Thomas was arrested for the murder. Several times since he was prompted to come down to Davenport and deliver himself up, but he postponed it until he could not longer stand it. The realization of the awful crime nearly drove him crazy and sleep vanished from his eyes at night, and every mouthful he eat seemed to choke him. He appreciates the awful position he is in, is sincerely sorry, but he never intended murder, he says. Bone's surrender was a great relief to Thomas, although he never let his incarceration worry him at all, indeed, he observed to the jailer soon after his arrest that he did not do the deed, but "if I have to be punished for it, I suppose I can stand it!" Bone has been employed in the coal mine in Rapids' City for the past two years of which his brother-in-law is Superintendent or working boss, so that if he hadn't decided to give himself up, he could have remained hid in the coal pit, and protected as he might be by a large force of men, it would have puzzled the officers to capture him, except by some superior strategy. But he is safe in jail, and will probably have his trial at the present term. We have not learned whether the authorities have succeeded in finding the girl who ran away from the den on the day of the murder, or the two Swedes who were with Bone and Thomas and who lived in Rock Island or Moline. Why can't they come and tell where they will be-if wanted at the trial?