1870 Murder of Isaiah Cash in Williamson Co., IL
Jonesboro Gazette – Jonesboro, Union County, Illinois August 27, 1870, page 2: MORE SHOOTING We are informed by Mr. Geo. Kimmel, of our county, that a man by the name of Cash was shot at a place four miles north of Pulley’s Mill in Williamson County. On Monday last Cash was driving his team in the woods and was shot with a shotgun and instantly killed by a concealed enemy. This is supposed to be the result of a shooting affray at an election some time since, between the Cash party and some others in that neighborhood.
Jonesboro Gazette – Jonesboro, Union County, Illinois September 17, 1870, page 1: Mr. Isaiah Cash, a young man about twenty-four years of age, was shot and killed in Southern precinct, on Monday last, the particulars of which are about as follows: Mr. Cash left home early on Monday morning with two horses, for the purpose of bringing home a wagon that he had bought a few days previous, and was returning when the deed was committed. When he was first discovered, he was lying on the road side, the wagon tore all to pieces, and it was supposed the team had run away and killed him, but upon examination it was found that he had been shot in several places, which caused his instant death. The assassin had secreted himself in the woods near the road and after his victim had passed he fired the fatal shot. The assassin, as yet is unknown, but we understand that suspicion is resting on parties in the neighborhood of where the act was committed. We shall be able to give our readers further particulars regarding this horrible affair, next week, but for the present omit any further remarks. — Marion, (Ill.) People’s Friend.
Coryell County, Texas – From Star’s Extra of Monday, April 9,1894, the headline screams: “LYNCHED! Ed. Cash taken From his Home And Hung TO A LIMB. His Body Riddled with Bullets. Full Particulars Not Yet Obtainable. OFFICERS GONE TO THE SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY.” “Last night at The Grove, a small town 11 miles south of town, was enacted a dreadful murder, which has few parallels even in this county for brutality. Ed. Cash, a young man but recently married, was sitting up with his sick wife in company of Dr. Smith, when a mob approached the house, and seizing Mr. Cash hurried him a short distance when throwing a rope about his neck swung him to a limb. Not content with this they fired bullet after bullet into the quivering body of their unfortunate victim. To add to the horror of the frightful deed it is said that the young wife was enceinte and the shock may cause her death. Officers Bill McClellan, Buck Hammack and Tom Quesenberry are now at the scene of the murder and guilty parties. Parties who came in for the coffin and left the city a few minutes ago, say that much excitement prevails. The victim of this terrible outrage is said to be an honorable man, quiet and unassuming, and why he was thus butchered in so cruel a manner is a dark mystery and may never be properly explained. He and his wife lived together in perfect amity and no discord or strife of any kind was ever known to occur between them. The burial will take place tomorrow morning. LATER. Tuesday evening the officers came into town with one Frank Jones under arrest, charged with being implicated in the crime. Jones is scarcely more than a boy. He has only been in Texas since last June, his home being in Alabama. For the last six weeks he has been employed upon the farm of B.J. Johnson, near the Ed. Cash place. Circumstances point strongly to the guilt of Jones.
CONFESSION BY JONES. FOUR NEW ARRESTS. Just as we are starting to print. Wednesday evening, 5:45 p.m., the officers have returned with the following arrests, viz: B.J. Johnson, married, age 40; Chance Puckett, age 19; Jack Box, age 23; Chance Edwards, age 20. The confession led to the arrest of the above.”
The Leader (Marion, Illinois) – April 19, 1894 – “Ed Cash, son-in-law of Lon Perry, in Southern Precinct, this county, was called out from his residence in Texas on Monday night the 9th inst. by a mob and hanged. After hanging, the body was fired into by the mob with their pistols and guns. Ed was in this county and worked on A.M. Townsend’s farm last summer. He is the son of the Cash who, at an election several years ago, shot and killed Mr. Stanley in this county. The cause of the trouble is unknown here but it is supposed he walked contrary to the Texas code.” — Events in Egypt, Newspaper Excerpts, Vol. IV, compiled by Helen Sutt Lind.