post-mortem examination was made. The result was that the coroner's jury charged the death upon the husband, and he was arrested. The story that the Justice of the Peace before whom he was examined sentenced him to be hanged was started in mischief, but he was held for trial and committed to the Polk County jail. Judge McKay ordered a special term of the District Court, which was held in the cabin of E. C. Evans, then County Judge, which was about eighty rods west from where he now lives. There was great interest manifested in this trial. A grand jury, the first in the county, was impaneled and held its sessions in an unfinished log house, then in course of erection by Wm. D. Evans. The accused was indicted, the trial was called, and a change of venue was had, the case being sent to Polk County. There was a great crowd at this first term of court. It lasted two days, and the houses and fence-corners of the neighborhood afforded but scanty entertainment for the people. Of course, Judge McKay, ex-Judge Williamson, prospective Judge McFARLAND, D. O. Finch, the attorney fur the defense, John A. Hull, "Old Timber," and such notables stopped with Judge Evans, and slept in the court-house; others passed the night as best they could. Many people from the eastern settlements were there, and the track made by the numerous wagons on that occasion was used for several years as the main road across the county. Lowell was afterwards tried at Des Moines, and sentenced to the State's Prison, where he died. This trial cost the county over $600—no great sum in these days, but with the money in the county treasury then it was regarded as being a heavy blow financially.
On the seventeenth of October, 1864, the body of an unknown man was found, partially buried near the mouth of the ravine north of Mr. Frazier's place, who was afterwards known to have been murdered. The perpetrator was caught, tried, and sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years. The murdered man's name was Townsend; the murderer's name was McMullen They had traveled together from Pike's Peak, and had camped near where the body was found. It was a most brutal act.
On the fourteenth of June, 1870, nn the railroad track, near Ames, George Stanley shot and killed Wm. Patterson. The murderer was convicted and sentenced to be hanged. It was while he was awaiting execution that the General Assembly, then in session, repealed the act authorizing capital punishment. Both the parties to this murder were citizens of another county.
On the ninth of May, 1875, George N. Kirkman, an old citizen living near the south line of the county, was taken from his bed, under cover of darkness, and killed. This, also, is supposed not to have been done by citizens of Story County, but the guilty parties have not been ascertained. (The writer hereof, W. G. Allen, was well and favorable acquainted with Mr. Kirkman. I have always found him honorable. While surveying for him and others in his vicinity I found it convenient to be at his house often, and consid-