History and Genealogy of Audubon County, Iowa
Audubon County, Iowa News Articles Hiram Jellerson An Iowa Atrocity. An Old Man Dragged From Bed and Hung to a Tree Des Moines, Iowa, April 28--The people of Audubon county are greatly excited over what sees to be a most atrocious and unparalleled murder. An old man by the name of Hiram Jellerson was found at daybreak Saturday morning suspended from the limb of a tree within a few rods of his house. He was naked, and although his feet rested upon the ground, he was quite dead. His son-in-law, a man named John Smythe, has been arrested for participation in the murder. Three years ago Smith married one of Jelleron's daughters. He was a rough, drinking character, and soon succeeded in causing a disturbance in the Jellerson family. He accused his father-in-law of incest in connection with one of his daughters. About a year ago Smith moved to Carroll county, and induced Jellerson's boy Cicero, and Lucy, the girl referred to, to accompany him. Jellerson, who was 54 years of age, a cripple, and not very strong mentally, has during the past year been driven nearly crazy by the abuse of his son and son-in-law. At 2 o'clock Saturday morning, according to the testimony of Mrs. Jellerson, who seems to be a feeble-minded woman, three men rode up and tied their horses to trees near the corner of the garden. The old lady was awakened by their entrance, but it was so dark that she could not see their faces. One was a very large man, who answers to the description of Smythe. Her husband, who was lying on the back side of the bed was seized and dragged to the floor, and the old man cried for help and said they were pulling his whiskers out. Putting a rope around his neck, the murderers dragged him to a maple tree at the southeast corner of the lot, and throwing the end of the rope over a limb about eight feet from the ground, drew him up so that his feet barely touched the ground, and pinioning his arms with the end of the rope, they mounted and started east. The old lady says she ran to a neighbor, Mr. Petty, and told him what had occurred. She then went to bed and lay quiet until daylight. Mr. Petty aroused the neighbors, who upon coming to the scene, found the old man as before described. The coroner's jury incupate Smith, young Jellerson, and another man, and they were arrested. [Elkart Daily Review, Elkart, Indiana, Published Monday, April 28, 1884, submitted by Stormee Girl]
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