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LEAF OF LUCAS COUNTV HISTORY.The Murder of Sheriff I.yman.Twenty-four years ago tomorrow Sheriff Gaylord Lyman was shot and killed, while in the discharge of his duty by Horace Wilson, a horse thief from northern Missouri.July 15, 1870, was an exciting day in Chariton. The writer was then running 'the Chariton Flouring mill at that time. lie first learned of the tragedy from Dell Stuart, and seizing a shot gun at once went to the “front” where he found almost the entire population of Chariton assembled. We copy an article from the Chariton Democrat of J uly 12, 1870, which will vividly recall the scenes of that dreadful day:Early on Wednesday morning a young man arrived in town, having in his possession a horse, and his efforts to sell it aroused the suspicion of some of our citizens that he had stolen it. Me finally sold the horse to Capt. W. L. Iiobinson, for $50 and a watch. Sher-. iff Lyman, becoming confirmed in his suspicions, took the fellow in charge, while he was at a saloon just south of the southeast corner of the square. The prisoner still insisted that he was innocent, said that he lived near Freedom, in this county, and could bring men to testify as to his good character. The names that he gave were those of persons unknown to the sheriff or any others who heard them, and they told him so. He then wanted to go alone and bring persons who, he said, would vouch for him. The sheriff was willing that he should go, but that he should also go with him. To this the chief objected, and moved off a few steps as if about to walk off alone. The sheriff told him to “hold on,” andto say, and here is his reply: “Gentlemen—I want you all to forgive me; I am a poor boy; my mother died when I was small. It is the first time I ever committed crime; I was in liquor at the time.”Further remarks were cut short by a severe tightning of the rope, and Hiram Wilson, a confessed horse-tbief and murderer, had severed his earthly connection. Hiram Wilson is the name that he gave. He said that his father’6 home is in Putnam county, Missouri, about five miles from Warsaw, in Wayne county. He was twenty-one years old, sandy complexion, red hair, shock headed, five feet eight inches high, and would weigh about 155 pounds. lie had a bad look, ap-parantly brutalized in all his nature, and betrayed but little anxiety for bis situation until the final demand was made upon the ollicers, when he begged of them to save him, and being told that his time had come, he plead to have his shackles taken off, and that was all he asked. He was a desperate character, and would have fought like a tiger. He met his fate as he would a dinner or an ordinary business matter, and seemed to the last, to feel that he is still worth several dead men. When the church bell commenced tolling for Lyman, Wilson had passed in his checks,” and was shortly after cut down, life having been pronounced extinct. His body was taken into the court house, where it remained until Thursday morning, when, an inquest having beeu held, he was taken by the sexton and buried in the “Potters' Field,” and his relations were notified of what had taken place. The statement of Wilson that he was in liquor when he did the shooting, was wholly untrue, and no one who saw the deliberation and coolness with which he
Newspaper Details
Chariton Patriot
Chariton, Iowa, US
Thu, Jul 05, 1894
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Daniel H.
CT, USA 16 Aug 2017
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