McDonough County IL Archives History - Books .....Murder Of John Wilson, Chapter V 1878
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Book Title: History Of McDonough County

CHAPTER V.
MURDER OF JOHN WILSON.

  Previous to November, 1834, there was no event in the history of McDonough
county calculated to arouse any particular excitement among her citizens, save
the incident of the lost child, an account of which we publish in a previous
chapter. The settlers of that day pursued the even tenor of their way,
endeavoring to make for themselves and families a home in this unbroken
wildness. Their little troubles were settled by a fair light, and a friendly
drink afterward, and no hard feelings were entertained.

  A year or two previous to the time of which we write, Elias McFadden, his son,
David, and son-in-law, Wylie McFadden, with] their families, came to this county
and settled on the farm now owned and occupied by William Hunter, about one mile
south of Macomb. If reports are correct, all were of an over-bearing and
quarrelsome nature, and from the first trouble ensued between them and their
neighbors.

  John Wilson, the murdered man, came to the county about the same time, and
settled on what is known as the "Ruthy" Wilson farm, adjoining McFadden's, now
Hunter's place. Wilson was generally respected by all; a good-natured, yet bold
and fearless man.

  The McFaddens and Wilson had not long been neighbors before there was trouble
between them in reference to some timber land lying near. Threats were made by
the former against the latter, and at the time of the murder, as it afterward
was shown, Wylie McFadden was in Rushville consulting Judge Minshall as to
whether they had the right to kill Wilson should he appear on their place.

  In the early part of the month of November, 1834, an execution was placed in
the hands of Nelson Montgomery, Constable and Deputy Sheriff of the county,
against Wylie McFadden, directing him to levy on the property of said Wylie
McFadden to satisfy a judgment against him in favor of Henton & Robinson,
merchants in Macomb. Mr. Montgomery took the execution and called upon Wilson to
accompany him, and take his team, that he might haul away a certain amount of
corn he proposed to seize to satisfy the claim. Apprehending no danger, Mr.
Wilson agreed to accompany him. Arriving at the place, they were met by Elias
McFadden, who engaged them in conversation, decoying them around to the north
side of the house, and when in proper range, through the window, David McFadden
committed the foul deed, shooting Wilson down, without a word of warning. Mr.
Montgomery caught him as he fell, and dragged him within a woodshed and hurried
off to town and gave the alarm. A crowd of excited people at once proceeded out
to the scene of the murder, and found Elias McFadden coolly repairing a fence,
while near by lay Wilson in a supposed dying condition. McFadden was at once
arrested, and search was made for the then unknown murderer. Searching the
house, a rifle was found in the corner near the north window unloaded; a pane of
glass was found broken out of the window; a book laying upon the sill, and the
sash and book both powder-marked. The question now arose who committed the deed.
Wylie McFadden was supposed to be away, and David was not known to be near.
Searching, footsteps were found leading from the house in the direction of the
residence of David McFadden, who lived just across the hollow on the west side.
Following the tracks, they were led to the door of David McFadden's house; and
going in they found him at work on a shoemaker's bench, as entirely unconcerned
as his father, and acting as innocently as though no cold-blooded murder had
taken place. He was at once arrested, and, in company with his father, brought
to town and placed under guard, to await the result of the wound inflicted upon
Mr. Wilson. Wylie McFadden, coming home the same evening, was likewise arrested.

  Mr. Wilson lived some days. On his death a preliminary examination was had
before James Clarke, Esq., Justice of the Peace, the evidence being as already
narrated, and the three men, Elias, David and Wylie McFadden were committed to
the county jail, without bail, to await the meeting of the Circuit Court.

  On the fifteenth day of November, 1834, the grand jury found a true bill of
indictment against the three, and a few days afterward they were brought before
the court; a change of venue was asked and granted, and two of the party, Elias
and David, were taken the following spring (1835) to Rushville, Schuyler county,
for trial, Wylie McFadden  was discharged by the Judge, there being no evidence
against him.

  George Wison, Alfred Evans, Nelson Montgomery, Joseph Updegraff, J. W.
Brattle, Moses Henton, William J. Frazier, William Bowen, Daniel Bowen, Perry
Keys, and James Anderson were each placed under bonds of $300 to appear as
witnesses in the case.

  In May, 1835, the case was called in the Circuit Court at Rushville, and Elias
and David McFadden, father and son, were placed upon trial for their lives.
Judge Young presided, and Cyrus Walker appeared for the people as Prosecuting
Attorney, while Judge Minshall assumed the hopeless task of defending the
murderers.

  The trial lasted for several days, Mr. Walker, well known as the best criminal
lawyer in the West, exerted all his powers to weave around the murderers a chain
of unimpeachable testimony. Judge Minshall defended in a most admirable manner,
doing all for his clients that it was possible for man to do, but without avail.
In his speech, he charged the Judge, the attorney for the people, and the jury
also, of not prosecuting, but persecuting his clients.

  As was expected, the jury brought in a verdict of murder in the first degree,
and upon Judge Young devolved the duty of pronouncing the sentence of death.
This was done, and in due time, upon a scaffold, erected in a hollow near the
city of Rushville, Elias and David McFadden paid the penalty for the crime
committed. Thomas Hayden, as Sheriff of the county, erected the scaffold, and
his son, acting as Deputy Sheriff, pulled the drop that launched the souls of
the guilty men into eternity. His bill of $1 50 for hanging the guilty wretches
is now on file in the County Clerk's office at Macomb.

  Such, in brief, is the record of the second murder that ever occurred in
McDonough county. For the facts in the case we are indebted to James Clarke,
David Clarke, John O. C. Wilson, J. M. Campbell, and others. We believe the
story is as exact as it is possible to get it at this late day, and only in
minor details can exceptions be taken.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY ILLINOIS,
ITS CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES, EARLY REMINISCENCES, PERSONAL INCIDENTS AND
ANECDOTES,

AND A COMPLETE BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF THE COUNTY.
By S. J. CLARKE.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL.:
D. W. LUSK, STATE PRINTER AND BINDER.
1878.


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