NEWS ARTICLES
Cape Girardeau County Missouri Genealogy Trails

UNFORTUNATE
ACCIDENT
The Arkansas
Gazette, July 30, 1822
We ...learn that an
unfortunate
accident occurred a few days since, on board of a keel-boat which was
bound up this river, whilst passing thro' the cut-off
between the Arkansas and White rivers. A young man by the
name of
Davis, of Cape Girardeau county, Mo. accidentlly fell overboard, and
not being able to swim, one of the boatmen immediately plunged into the
water to his relief, when he was caught by the drowning man, and they
both sank into a watery grave. We have not been able to
ascertain
the name of the heroic young man, who has thus unfortunately lost his
life in attempting to save that of a struggling fellow-creature.

WONDERFUL,
BUT POSITIVELY TRUE
Daily
Ohio Statesman, May 19, 1864
The Cape
Girardeau, Mo., Argus, prefixes the above indorsement to
the following tough story: "A citizen of this place, walking
in the woods, found a nest of young mockingbirds. He placed
the nest in a cage, which he hung upon the same tree, thinking that the
mother could take better care than he of her brood. Visiting
his young family upon the following Sunday, he found to his surprise
that the birds had all disappeared, and in the bottom of the cage was
coiled up a large black snake, so swollen that he could not get out of
the hole through which he had entered. Indignant at the
audacity of the fellow, and burning with revenge, he carried his
snakeship to a burning lime kiln and placed him upon a heated rock,
when to his surprise the snake burst open, and the five young birds
flew out, but were so scorched by the fire that he could not save them.
The name of the gentleman is Mr. Charles Hunse."

THE
BOY GIRL
The Pretty Blonde of Jacksonport and Why She Took to Wearing Breeches
Little Rock Daily
Republican, June 25, 1873
To
Marshal John F. Robinson, of Jacksonport, Ark., who paid us a friendly
visit yesterday, we are indebted for the following account of the
"pretty blonde," who for some time past has been disporting herself in
male attire in Jacksonport and Augusta, and of whose arrest mention was
made in yesterday's issue. Mr. Robinson followed her to
Missouri
and brought her back to this state, on a charge of horse stealing, and
from herself and many parties who knew her in Missouri he gained the
following facts concerning the strange and unaccountable act in donning
the garb of the sterner sex and wishing to pass off as a boy.
Her
real name is
MOLLIE SHERWOOD
and she was born and
raised in
Cape Girardeau county, Mo., where most of her relatives are still
residing. At the age of thirteen, or some two years ago, both
her
parents died, leaving her to the control of two elder brothers.
The brothers, upon the death of their parents, placed her out
to
work in an hotel at Allenville, Mo. Here she had no
liberties,
and what is more, received no money or recompense for her labor, which
in no wise suited the advanced ideas of our young heroine.
Whether she was addicted to perusing Beadle's dime novels or
not,
or given to pouring over yellow covered literature of a highly
sensational character does not appear in those truthful records.
Suffice it to say, that dish-washing at a country hotel at no
salary made her very dissatisfied with her position, and in the depth
of her own heart or chamber she resolved to make one final effort to be
free.
From the manner in which she carried out her desperate resolves, she
must have more or less of dash and romance about her, which goes to
prove that even the lowliest among us may have a slight sprinkling of
chivalry. Making the acquaintance of
A POST BOY,
who
carried the mail to and from that flourishing little burg, she learned
to her great delight, that they needed another boy to perform a like
service at the other end of the line. Here was her chance;
now
was the time, the accepted time for her, and borrowing a suit of boy's
clothing from her mail-carrying friend she fled, applied for the post,
and filled it honorably and creditably for one year, under the assumed
name of
BILL HENDERSON.
While in this
position, all with
whom she came in contact spoke well of her. She was faithful
and
trustworthy, filling with pleasure all those little roadside messages
which postboys know so well how to do.
As was natural, her sex was eventually suspected; she was placed under
arrest at Allenville, Mo., and forced to assume the garb of her sex.
Not the shade or breath of suspicion was ever cast upon her
virtue, during the year she carried the mail as a boy, or even
afterward.
Finding herself discovered, she went again into a hotel, but, as she
says, with the same luck. She ran away from this place, and
resuming her male attire, went to work for a farmer near Cotton Hill.
Work on a farm was too heavy for one so delicate, and she was
discharged. She then hired with two men who were taking a
drove
of horses to Augusta, and this is how she came into the White River
valley.
In Augusta she, still passing herself off as a boy, worked for a Mr.
McDonnell. She soon left his employment, and went to work in
a
livery stable at Jacksonport. Here, a few days previous to
her
leaving with Gus Taber's horses, her sex was again suspected, and the
men about the stable, and even the boys on the streets, began to call
her an hermaphrodite, and similar names. She soon tired of
this,
and in order to get away, as she says, she took the horses.
The marshal came up with her in Allenville, Mo., where she is
well-known, and at first the citizens were not inclined to let her go
with the officers of the law, and weapons were drawn on both sides.
She eventually came of her own free will, and is now at
Jacksonport awaiting trial on a charge of horse-stealing. She
states that she was forced to don the male attire to earn a livelihood,
or do worse. Such is the history of the pretty blonde of the
White river valley.

NEWS OF THE DAY
Lowell (MA) Daily
Citizen, May 23, 1876
Four illicit
distilleries were
seized on White Water River, Cape Girardeau County, Mo., Sunday, by the
revenue agent, and on Monday an armed mob drove off the officers.
There are said to be seventy-five illicit stills in that
section,
and a strong force will be required to close them up.
VOTING FOR THE FLAG TO THE MOST POPULAR STEAMER
THE SCUDDER AHEAD
Times Picayune, May 5, 1877
Cape Girardeau, Mo.(Special to the
Picayune)--May 4--The voting for the flag to be presented to the most
popular steamer commenced at church fair last Tuesday night. Thus
far the Scudder is ahead. J. W. D.
LIQUOR LICENSE INCREASED
Indianapolis Sentinel, December 29, 1877
The liquor license at Cape
Girardeau, Mo. has hitherto been thirty dollars a year. A few
days ago, however, the city council raised the price to $150.
That's one way to promote temperance.
FATAL
AFFRAY
A Lawyer Killed at Cape Girardeau, Mo.
The Philadelphia
Inquirer, Sept. 12 1878
St. Louis, Sept.
11--A Globe-Democrat special
from Cape Girardeau, Mo., says that James McWilliams, a lawyer,
threatened the life of an old citizen, named Otto Buehrmann, last
evening, and while attempting to execute the threat, was shot and
killed by Buehrmann.

THROAT CUT
New Haven (CT)
Evening Register, Aug. 7, 1879
St. Louis, August
6--Samuel Nussbaum, an old citizen of Cape Girardeau county, Mo., cut
his wife's throat early yesterday morning and then cut his own throat.
Domestic trouble is said to be the cause. Nussbaum
will die while his wife may recover.
MESSERVILLE
SHOT DEAD
Argus and Patriot,
Mar 16, 1881
Greenville
Messerville of Cape
Girardeau, Mo., who eloped with the wife of a resident of that place,
was shot dead by the wronged husband last Sunday.
GENERAL LUTHERAN CONFERENCE
St. Louis Republic, July 10, 1889
Cape Girardeau, Mo., July 9--The
annual conference of teachers connected with the German Evangelical
Lutheran Church organized here today with 50 teachers from this State
and Illinois. Director A. Burgdorf of St. Louis was elected
president, Prof. M. Beyer, Attenburg, Mo, vice president; Prof.
Wassmann, St. Louis, secretary, and Prof. Jackel, St. Louis, assistant
secretary. The opening address was made by Prof. Leneke of Troy,
Ill. The conference is a fine looking body of Lutheran teachers,
who will discuss the best methods of teaching in parochial schools and
instruction generally. A large delegation of teachers from this
city and vicinity left here today on the Idlewild for Ste. Genevieve to
attend the Southeast district teachers' institute.
THE EARTH SHAKES AGAIN
Kansas City Times, Jan 1, 1896
Shocks Perceptibly Felt at Metropolis, Ill., and Cape Girardeau, Mo
St.
Louis, Mo., Dec. 31--Very perceptible earthquake shocks were felt this
morning at Metropolis, Ill., and Cape Girardeau, Mo. At the
former place the shock was experienced at 9:30 a.m. and lasted only a
few moments. The shock was more severe at Cape Girardeau, where
it was felt at 9 a.m. It appeared to come from the south.
The duration was about fifteen seconds, and heavy buildings were
perceptibly disturbed. There have been several shocks recently
through this section.
CAPE GIRARDEAU (MO) FAIR
St. Louis Republic, Oct 16, 1896
Special to The Republic.
Cape Girardeau, Mo, Oct 15--This day has been the Big Thursday of
the Southeast District Fair. People came into the city by
thousands. The exhibition at the Fair Grounds exceeded any other
in the line of fine horses and trotting and pacing races. Tonight
the grand "Cacique" and his braves took possession of the city with 10
magnificent floats, representing various epochs in the history of his
Imperial Majesty. Tonight Judge Chester H. Krum addressed a large
crowd at the Courthouse.

MAN
WANTED FOR A FIENDISH MURDER IN MISSOURI IS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
The (Fresno, CA)
Evening News, September 17, 1903
Fresno,
Sept. 17--Leo Spivey, wanted for murder in Jackson, Cape Girardeau
county, Mo., was arrested here and is in the County Jail awaiting the
arrival of the Sheriff from Jackson. The crime with which
Spivey
is charged was particularly atrocious, the victim's head, it is said,
having been severed from the body. The murder was committed
on
May 15th.
Spivey has been in the mountains working at Bennett's Mills, and came
to town last Sunday, since which time he has been under surveillance.
He went here under the name of "Fred Turpin." In
the room
at the hotel, where he stopped was found a suit of clothes which, in
detail, answered the description of the garments worn by Spivey, as
described in the circular sent out by the Sheriff of Girardeau county.
Spivey eluded the Sheriff's officers for a time, but when he
was
arrested it was in the act of paying his hotel bill before departure
from town. After being taken into custody he admitted that he
is
the man wanted for the Missouri murder. The only detail that
he
denied was that he severed his victim's head from the body.
Sheriff Collins did not have a printed description of Spivey, such as
is usually sent out by Sheriffs when a criminal is wanted. He
says that he had a "tip" that Spivey was working at the Bennett mill up
in the mountains and had him watched until he came to the city.
Then he wired Sheriff Schade at Jackson, Mo., giving a
description of the man and stating that he had him under surveillance.
Schade wired back: "Arrest Leo Spivey on sight.
Will
come with the proper papers immediately."
There is a reward of $500 offered for the capture of Spivey.
CONVICTION IN PEONAGE CASE
Duluth News-Tribune, Sept 22, 1906
Two Smith Brothers and Five Tenants of Their Farms Found Guilty.
Cape Girardeau, Mo., Sept. 21--The
jury in the Smith case today returned a verdict of guilty against
Charles M. Smith and Charles M. Smith, Jr., and the five tenants of
their farms on the eleventh count in the peonage case.
The eleventh count of the 44 indictments refers to John Reed,
the negro, who was with Roosevelt in Cuba and escaped from the shack on
the Smith farm by sawing his way through the floor at night. He
was the strongest negro witness for the government. Sentence has
not yet been passed. Judge Krum filed a motion for a new trial.
Judge Pollock overruled the motions for a new trail in arrest of judgment and then pronounced sentences as follows:
Charles M. Smith, three years and six months in the penitentiary
at Fort Leavenworth, Kas., and a fine of $5,000 and costs; Charles M.
Smith, Jr., two years in the penitenitiary and a fine of $5,000 and
costs; Ben Stone and Ben Fields, each one year and six months and $100
fine; W. Lee Rogers and W. W. Woods, each two years and six months and
$100 fine; Floyd Woods, two years and six months and $100. fine.
MAYOR AND ALDERMEN INDICTED
Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept 13, 1909
Cape Girardeau, MO., Sept. 13--The
grand jury today returned indictments against Mayor M. E. Leming and
six members of the city council, charging irregularities in the
management of the municipal affairs. The Councilmen indicted are
Joel T. Juden, Joseph Wilson, Alexander C. Vasterling, Herman Bock, D.
A. Glenn and Thomas Gill. All gave bond.
DROPPED DEAD IN BOAT WHILE CROSSING
RIVER
Employe of McBride Mills victim of Heart Disease this
morning.
Cape Girardeau Weekly Republican, March 10, 1911
EUGENE WOODS, about 27 years old, a timber cutter in the
Illinois bottoms, across the river, for the Goerge McBride stave mills,
died suddenly Wednesday morning just after pushing out from the
Illinois shore, coming to this city for supplies.
Woods and his
brother, Al, with a young son of Al's are timber cutters and during the
week camp in the woods where they are at work. Al Woods resides with
his family in Cape Girardeau, in the southern part of the city, and his
brother Eugene has made his home with him.
Needing some provisions
at their camp, Eugene and his young nephew got in a boat to row across
to the Cape, and had only gone a few strokes from the shore when Eugene
ceased rowing to take a chew of tobacco, when his nephew was startled
to see him thow up his hands and fall backwards, dead.
The boy
returned to the shore with his uncle's body and then hurried to the
camp to notify his father, who immediately came to the Cape to phone
the coroner of Alexander county at Thebes, of the death of his brother.
The dead man had no family.

ENGLISH BROTHERS REUNITE
Transcribed and submitted by Darrel Dexter
Harker English and his daughter, Mrs. Lottie
Selby, of Franklin, Kan., arrived here Monday for a few days visit with
his brother, Joel R. English. The brothers had not met in
sixty years. Harker English went to Kansas in young manhood
and has been there ever since. He is 82 years old while Joe is 84.
When Harker went to Joe’s house Monday he told him he was looking for a place to
stay all night. Joe, not recognizing his brother after sixty
years, responded dubiously that he would have to see the boss about it,
indicating Mrs. English. Then explanations followed, and
the travelers were received with rejoicing. C. C. English,
77 years of age, who makes his home with his daughter, Mrs. T. P.
Sifford, east of Anna, is also a brother, and it was a happy reunion when
the three brothers met Tuesday. They all hail originally from
Jackson, Mo.
(Jonesboro
Gazette, Jonesboro, Illinois, Friday, 29 Oct 1920)

TRAIN
PLUNGES OVER TRESTLE; TWO KILLED
San Jose (CA)
Mercury Herald, Sept. 2, 1922
Cape
Girardeau, Mo., Sept. 1--(By The Associated Press)--A verdict of
accident was returned by a coroner's jury late tonight following the
inquest into the death of the two men known to have been killed in a
wreck of fast train No. 805 of the St. Louis and San Francisco railroad
near Wittenberg, 35 miles north of here, early this morning when part
of the train crashed through a bridge.
About 50 passengers are reported to be injured.
Several of the injured were members of the Missouri National Guard, who
have been stationed at Moberly, Mo., on strike duty. Several
of
the coaches crashed into a creek, and the men killed were passengers in
the chair car.
The Charlotte Observer,
Sept. 2, 1922
Cape Girardeau, Mo.,
Sept. 1--(By
the Associated Press)--Two persons were killed and several injured
today when a St. Louis and San Francisco railway passenger train
enroute from St. Louis to Memphis, was wrecked near here when a trestle
it was crossing gave way.
CAPE
GIRARDEAU, MO., IS STRUCK BY TORNADO
Dallas Morning News,
Nov. 4, 1936
Cape
Girardeau, Mo., Nov. 3, (AP)--This Southeastern Missouri city of 18,000
Tuesday night surveyed damage which may reach $100,000 in a tornado
which struck 150 residences and a block of business buildings.
The storm, which hit the city shortly before last midnight passed
through a section a half mile wide and one and a half miles long.
One woman was slightly injured by a flying timber. More than
200
trees were blown down, carrying down wires and putting the street
lighting system out of order. There was some disruption of
residential lighting and telephone service.
A National Guard company aided police in patrolling streets and
guarding fallen electric wires. The storm had little effect
on
voting.
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