Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/491



to rise. Every man arose. There was three majority for whipping. It now developed upon the chairman to pass sentence upon each of the prisoners by deciding how many lashes he should receive. The chairman then proceeded to give the culprits their quota and warn them that they were to leave the State as soon as each sentence was executed and, he added, “if you ever return you will be promptly hanged.” Executioners were appointed to lay on the lash and when the ordeal was ended the cowering, groaning wretches were placed in skiffs with three days’ rations and sent down the river. Fox, the smoothest villain of the gang, used his tongue to such effect as to get off with the lightest punishment; and after several years of criminal career planned and helped to perpetrate the murder of Colonel Davenport.

The banditti were also numerous in Rock Island, Carroll and Ogle counties, in Illinois, and their haunts extended across the State into Indiana. In many localities their sympathizers were strong enough to control elections and choose justices of the peace, constables and sheriffs from members of the gang. In Ogle County, Illinois, they burned the court-house and jail, released criminals, destroyed court records and organized a reign of terror.

On the Fourth of July, 1854, Colonel George Davenport was at home alone on Rock Island. He was known to be wealthy and was supposed to keep large sums of money in his house. Five members of the banditti were chosen to rob his house. They were secreted on the island several days taking observations and on the morning of the Fourth saw the members of Colonel Davenport’s family cross to Stephenson (now Bock Island) to attend the celebration. They hastened to force an entrance into the house and shot the colonel as he was seated in his chair, found the key to his safe, procured six hundred dollars, the family jewelry and fled into the heavy timber. For many weeks no trace of the murderers could be obtained, when