“INDIANA SPIRIT
QUEST”
The Indiana Spirit Quest series of
geocaches will take you to a number of historic cemeteries and
historic sites built by Hoosier Pioneers. In less than three
years, the quest has grown to over five hundred fifty caches hidden
in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky and Ontario and the hiders
have grown to over THIRTY cacher teams, most of which are comprised
of Dogs and their Humans. Over 1,000
cacher teams logged over 25,000 finds, at which time we quit
counting. .
INDIANA SPIRIT
QUEST #566
"Hanging of Gregory
McDougle"
This Quest will take you to Old Northport
Cemetery in Noble County , Indiana . Which is the final resting
place of Gregory McDougle . .
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The Execution of Gregory McDougle
The 26th of January, 1858, is a day long to be
remembered by the citizens of Noble and adjoining counties, as
being the day on which was executed Gregory McDougle, and we shall
endeavor to give such facts as shall make the reader acquainted
with all the attending circumstances.
It is a well known fact, that for years our County and Lagrange
have been known, hundreds of miles, as the dens of blacklegs of
every conceivable grade; and honest citizens, while from home, have
hardly dared own their place of residence, for fear of being looked
upon as one not safe to run at large, and as the sequel will show,
not without cause. Years since, while our country was new and
hiding places plenty, the notorious Latté, Hill, Ulmer & Co.,
formed their nucleus near the Tamarack, as a place to which all
might meet to take counsel, lay plans, manufacture counterfeit
money and be safe from harm. For years their gang in a measure,
controlled our election, sat upon our juries thus rendering the
laws of no avail. Year after year has passed away and the same
state of things has continued. Our horses, buggies, harness and
other property, have been stolen by the wholesale; our stores
broken and goods taken. Our citizens have been meet by the
highwayman and at the pistol’s muzzle robbed, and in one
instance stabbed; and so well were their plans laid that their
detection seemed impossible.
Thus, for years, have this banditti pursued their course. No man or
his property was safe while this gang remained in our midst. If, by
chance one was arrested, he would be released by his comrades, or
break jail, go on inadequate straw bail, or if held to court, be
sworn clear by his confederates under the alibi dodge, until our
citizens lost all hopes as to the laws accomplishing the desired
result.
By a chain of fortuitous circumstances, a short time since, the
gang, their numbers and places of deposit, became known, when a
Committee of Vigilance was formed to bring them to justice. The
result was that some twenty-five were arrested, and of the number
fourteen are now in jail, well guarded. During the investigation it
became known that one of the gang, a former accomplice of the
notorious Townsend, one Gregory McDougle, alias Gregory McGregor,
Geo. McLane, Geo. Bates, was in custody of the Court. A man who, by
his own confession, was born in Wallaceburg, Kent County, Canada
West, in the year 1831, where he commenced his career of crime by
breaking the Chatham jail, where his brother was confined, robbing
the jailors wife of a purse of gold; also robbing a schoolmaster of
a watch on the ice, and names of other affairs in Canada, details
which stamp him as one of the most desperate and hardened villains
that the annals of crime present.
Since April last, he with two others, have stolen no less than
thirty four horses, broke two jails, robbed four stores, and two
tanneries, took the entire load of two peddlers, besides a large
amount of harness, saddles, buggies, and other property too
numerous to mention; who publicly boasted that no jail could hold
him, and that he feared neither God, man or the devil. Further,
there seems to be other and deeper acts, which he did not confess,
and which we will briefly detail.
The Deputy U.S. Marshal of Michigan states, under oath, that he has
had in his possession for some time, a reward form Canada for the
apprehension of this man, for the crimes of robbing, an attempt to
break jail and murder. McDougle confesses to his identity in the
acts of robbing and attempt to break the jail at Chatham, Canada,
to release his brother, but denies that the murder occurred. The
Marshal, Mr. Halstead, however states that he went to Canada twice
to investigate the matter, and that the murder was committed upon
the very person that McDougle confesses of robbing, to-wit: the
jailors wife of the prison , where McDougle’s brother was
confined. Added to this, we have the testimony of a confederate,
taken separate and apart from the statement of the Marshal, that
McDougle in relating his exploits, stated that those occurrences
did take place, and that he gave the blow that caused death.
McDougle also confesses to robbing a schoolmaster on the ice but
denies his murder. We have, from the same authorities and others,
that the schoolmaster was not only robbed, but murdered and found
dead on the ice.
One other crime we will mention, and close this harrowing and
sickening detail. This former confederate, heretofore mentioned,
states that McDougle informed him, that he and other accomplice,
hearing of a Scotchman that had received quite a sum of money,
proceeded to rob him of the treasure. With pistol to their victims
breast they demanded his money. He told them that he had deposited
it in bank. After a search, and not believing his statement, they
proceeded to divest him of what clothing was necessary, and
procuring live coals roasted a fire upon them. They released him
before death occurred, becoming satisfied that their victim had
told them the truth. McDougle, in his confession, qualifies by
saying, that he held his accomplices horses, while they did the
act. We leave our readers to judge of the executed man’s
complicity in these acts.
Proofs being positive, a jury of citizens, (not a jury of twelve,
but a jury of hundreds,) decided that justice required that he die;
and on this memorable day he was executed; not by a rabble, not by
a nosy mob, not by young men in the heat of passion, but by men who
for years have been residents of this and the adjoining counties, -
men that were impelled, not by a thirst for blood, not to riot in
the agonies of one made in the image of the God they worshipped,
but that stern justice be demanded the offering as an example to
the young in their midst, many of whom have already the solemnity
of the hour; all would have gladly have had it otherwise, if
justice could have been satisfied through any of other chancel; but
all felt that his was the only resort. During the fore part of the
day he was visited by two clergymen, who endeavored to point his
thoughts to Him who holds the destinies of man in His keeping, and
who is free to forgive all, even to the most guilty.
Gregory McDougle was brought before the committee on the evening of
the 25th of January, when he was informed for the first time, of
the doom that awaited him – that he was to be executed the
next day at 12 o’clock. The gentlemen whose duty it was to
break him this painful and unwelcome intelligence, addressed the
prisoner in some very affecting and appropriate remarks, which
seemed to affect him to such a degree that he appeared confused,
and made some wandering remarks, such as “Well, gentlemen, I
am in your power, deal with me as you see fit – I have never
been in Canada – I never had a brother there”. He said
that he committed many thefts, and commenced to relate them, but
was told that perhaps he had better return to his room, where if he
had anything to relate – any confessions to make, he would be
waited upon by two or three persons, who would commit to writing
whatever he desired to communicate – to which he assented. He
was then asked if he would like to have a clergymen visit his room
and confer with him on spiritual matters. He replied that he would,
and desired to know if he could not have an opportunity of seeing
his wife. He was told that his wife should be sent for immediately.
He was then taken back to his room, and the messengers dispatched
at once for his wife and child, who arrive the next morning at 7
o’clock.
The Confession
“I was born in Wallaceburg, Kent County, Canada in 1831. My
parents were respectable, and gave me a good opportunity for an
education, but I did not improve it. My father was a professor of
religion. I was married to Margaret Jacobs when I was nineteen
years of age. I have four brothers and one sister. My father died
when I was nineteen in Canada. He was engaged at the time of his
death in merchandising in Wallaceburg. His name was Laughlin
McDougle. I was engaged at the time of my father’s death in
keeping tavern. I continued in this business about two years. I
commenced my career of crime about four or five years since. My
brother Miles was at work on the Great Western Railroad, where he
was arrested for robbing a house and stealing a horse, and confined
in the Chatham Jail. I went to the jail in company with John
McGregor , John McDougle and James McDougle, to release my brother.
The jail was surrounded by a wall. McGregor, John and myself
climbed over the wall by the aid of a ladder. (James dared not
venture.). We took the ladder and stove against the door, which was
made of wood, and burst it in. we went into the hall and so into
the jailor’s bedroom; we found no one there but an old lady,
who appeared frightened, but he tapped her lightly on her head with
his hand, and said, ‘Don’t be frightened, mother,
I’ll not hurt a hair on your head, I only want the keys to
the prison”. She immediately gave us three – one to
each of us – and also went to the bed, and from under the
pillow took a bag of fifteen inches in length and handed to us,
which I took and put in my pocket. There was something heavy in the
bag, but did not look to see what it was. I then went to the grate
doors and on the opposite side were they guards, who called out
‘run here boys’, upon hearing which my comrades turned
and fled. But I went up to the door and told the guards to stand
back or I would shoot them. I tried to unlock the door, but found
the key which I had did not fit, and that the boys had gone with
the one that did. I then started to pass out, and the old lady
followed me and demanded back her purse of gold. I stood a second
or two, and then handed it back and said, ‘here mother, take
your gold, I do not want it’. The old lady’s name was
Payne. I then went out and joined my comrades, and traveled home on
foot, a distance of twenty-six miles. The officers pursued us, and
got to my house before we did, but we managed to keep out of their
way. I then went to Chemung County, NY where I fell in company with
one Sherman Mallett, and with our wives came to Burr Oak, Michigan,
and there met with Wm. Latta. Bought a place opposite, and stayed
there several weeks repairing the place. Mallett hired a horse at a
livery stable and drive to Port Mitchell; broke open a store, and
stolen a lot of silk goods and kid gloves; he put in an overcoat
and started for home, but lost a piece near the tamarack; took rest
to Latta’s.
“About six weeks after Latta came, and proposed to John
McDougle, Sherman Mallett and myself that he would furnish us with
some counterfeit money if we would get some goods. We went to
Waterford in Elkhart County, and broke open a store and stole dry
goods to the amount of some $300. We took them to about three miles
west of Lima and hid them in the woods. We sold a part to Latta,
and a part to Jeremiah Misner, for counterfeit money made at Perry
Randolphs. The factory at Fawn River was broken open, I think by
Charles Smith and a man called Red Head. The goods were taken to
Wm. Hill’s. I went in company with Mallett, Wm. Ray, and John
McDougle to Detroit, and there passed about $60 in paper on the
Westminster Bank, Rhode Island. I had some six or eight hundred
dollars of this money. I sold a part of it to Mallett and I hired a
span of grey horses at Romeo, Michigan and drove them to Chemung
County, NY, and sold them to Edward Howard, who lives about five
miles from Havanna. We then exchanged some counterfeit money for
20’s on the Black River Bank, and came back to Freedom.
Mallett passed two 20’s on the way home. I gave mine to
Latta.
Mallett went into the factory at Fawn River on the pretence of
looking for a site, and we all went through it. Suspicion rested on
me. We went to Perry Randolphs and then to Kendallville, where
Mallett passed one or two of his 20’s. While we were absent
my house was searched, and the officers were waiting for me when I
returned, but I only stayed about two hours, and then started for
Jackson. My wife, then for the first time came acquainted with my
true character. I went back to Wallaceburg, Canada and stolen a
pair of horses from Raymond Baley, and rode them seventy miles east
of London, and took them into the pinery. I stopped with a man by
the name of Cartright and made shingles a few weeks, the horses
being secreted. I finally made a sleigh, stole a set of harnesses,
and brought them to Cartrights. I started for Buffalo on Christmas
1856, and put up at Grankin House. I sold one of the horses to a
merchant, and the other to Lyons at Black Rock. I then returned to
Canada, and hired a horse and cutter at Ingersoll and came to
Wallaceburg, and took my cousin with me. About six miles from
Wallaceburg we stole a pony from a stable; came to Tecumseh,
Michigan and there traded off the pony for another horse, and came
to Freedom; went to Bill Hill’s and traded both horses for a
sorrel mare; Hill knew they were stolen. I then started for
Wallaceburg in company with my wife and cousin; we stole a pony
below Detroit, and went about twelve miles, when my cousin stole a
sorrel mare; we sold the pony about ten miles from Port Dover.; we
took the other two horses to Buffalo, and sold them. I went form
there to Syracuse, and worked in the salt works several weeks. Then
went to Chemung County NY. I went in company with Edward Howard to
rob a man they called Big Jim. Howard went into the house, wet a
cloth with chloroform and laid it on his breast, went out and
waited for a few minutes, then went in and took $95 and a gold
watch. I took the watch and twenty dollars of the money. I went
back to Syracuse and took my wife and went to Rochester, and then
went back to Chemung County and hired out to drive team for a man
by the name of Hutchinson. I went to his bed in the night , and
took $125, and a watch worth two or three dollars. Then went to
Rochester, stayed a few days then went back to Chemung. There met
Mallett, who had just been pardoned out of prison. We went to
Jefferson and broke open a drug store, and took some jewelry,
pocket-knives and seven or eight dollars in money. We took the
goods to a man by the name of Baker, east of Penn Yan; he offered
us sixty dollars, we wanted eighty dollars, he however stolen some
gold rings of us.
We went from there to Penn Yan and took the cars for Rochester;
stayed there a while; finally went back to Baker’s and broke
open his wagon and stole seventy or eighty dollars worth of goods.
We then went to Chemung and stole Joseph Howard’s horse, and
went back to Bakers and stole his two mares, sleigh, double harness
and a set of single harness; we traded our sleigh and harness off
for a wagon to a man by the name of Reed, in Chautauqua County; we
kept the mares. We broke open a store and stole dry goods to the
amount of $200. also a jeweler’s store, and took two r three
hundred dollars worth of watches and jewelry; we took our jewelry
to Canada. We hired a horse and buggy of a man by the name of Fish,
and drove it to Perry Randolph’s and sold it to
Woodford.
I next went to Pennsylvania and broken into a grocer and got about
a hundred dollars worth of tea and tobacco. Mallet hired horses and
buggy of Wood ford and we went down to Ellicottville, where we got
in company with a man by the name of Phipps, and we went some seven
miles to a man by the name of Oxen and I held the horses while they
went into a house; they hurt Oxen badly by striking him with a
stick; they got twenty-four or twenty-five dollars. We stopped some
two or three months with Reed. I then took my mares and hitched
them to my wagon, and we came to Tiffin, Ohio and Mallett sold all
to a pump peddler. I then came to Burhams to see about my mother. I
got thirty dollars of Burnam in bogus coins and $2000 in
counterfeit of Bill Hill and the Southern Bank of Kentucky, brought
from Cincinnati. I then returned to Chautauqua NY and sold some I
returned.
On my return I became acquainted with Payne through Burnam. We went
to Wolf Lake and took a pair of horses of movers, and took them to
Mr. Woodfords in Chautauqua County, and sold them to him. We stole
another pair of brown mares and rove them back and sold them to
Burnam. Payne stopped at Perrysburg and stole another and rode to
Burnham’s. I traded a watch with Payne for a horse and $20.
Next Barney Weston, Sol. Stout and myself went to Springfield,
broken into a store, got about $200 worth of dry goods, and sold
them to Barney Weston for a wagon; I sold it to Burnam for my
board. Next Payne and I went to Uniontown in July, and got ten or
twelve pairs of boots, two pair of long rubber boots, and one par
of men’s gaiters. Payne sold his to Bill Hill, and I sold
mine to Kreamer. Payne and I next went to Ontario and pulled sum
four or five hundred pair of buckskin gloves from McKinley; sold
some to Hill some to Ulmer and some to Joe and Bill Hall.
A man by the name of John Wilson stole Spencer’s horses and
took them about thirty five miles north of Cincinnati, and sold
them to an old farmer, and them pulled a pair of brown horses, and
brought them to Burnams and put them to my wagon, drove them to
Detroit, then shipped them to Dunkirk and drove them to Thomas
Reed’s in Chautauqua County NY. I took a mare and colt from
Burnams to Michigan four miles east of Albion on the Jackson Road
and traded them to William Hill for a horse.
I traded a horse to _______ he is with us. I gave him counterfeit
money, and he told me he passed it; he was initiated before I saw
him. These men are the kind of men that are the cause of so many
horses being stolen. Also _______, I would not be afraid of his
exposing me if he knew I had stolen a horse. Stealing from the
peddler at Rome, myself, Kessler, Hadley, Stout, Hank Core and
Smitzer, hid the goods under a hay stack. Myself, Core ad Stout
went to Springfield, and on our way back Core went into a shoe ship
and took two guns one deer skin and accordion. I think, took them
north. We then came to McKinzies wagon and took the box out and hid
it in the bushes. A few nights after I gave it to Forsyth to peddle
out. Forsyth the magic man.“
On being questioned he stated that he robbed a man by the name of
Alexander McCoy of a watch on the ice at Wallaceburg soon after I
tried to get my brother out of jail. I ran up behind him and pulled
his watch, when he fell down on the ice but he was not hurt. He
came to my house the next morning for a drink.
Upon being questioned in regard to a certain Scotsman, robbed in
the western part of New York, he said “Mallett and Wm. Roy
went to his house; the man was setting smoking his pipe; they asked
him for a drink, he got them some water, when Roy knocked him down.
He asked what they wanted. Roy said they must have his money. He
said he put it in the bank. They poured out wheat and flour and
raked it all through in search of the money. After which they put
some live coals in a kettle and set him on it., but he still said
it was in the bank. I merely held the horses outside. They took an
old watch and left. A man by the name of Jones pointed the place
out to them by writing them a letter. Jones lives near Georgetown
in Canada.
Dekalb County – Miles Payne, John Wilson and George Palmer
broke open the Spencerville store. R.J. deals in counterfeit, lives
in Uniontown, Hadley and Hunt robbed and stabbed Myers.
Ligonier – Hank Core stole Storm’s buggy. It is on the
Michigan River at True Roberts at Lowell. Wrights goods were stolen
by Charles Smith and Wilkinson and sold to Bill Hill.
Lagrange – Constable Louther deals in counterfeit and horses.
James Pitts signs the bills on Pretty Prairie; Ad Nimmons used to
Misner signs his own. There is an old man that usually stops at
Perry Randolphs, he cuts their plates, or does their engraving, I
think he is there now. John Goodrich secretes stolen horses, he
secreted two for me at different times. He also deals in
counterfeit. He asked me for it. Holsingers horse was taken by Hunt
and sold to Wm. Hall, four miles from Albion, Michigan. Dan Wilson
and Ben Wilson deal in counterfeit, and secreted a couple of horses
for Payne.
McDougle was at Burnames in December 1857. He saw Dr. Hogan and
Hogan said that he had sold Burnam a Christmas collar and if he let
Burnam have $00 or $500 whose business was it? Dr. Hogan was at a
part at Ben Wilsons. Payne was there. Payne let Hogan have a
quantity of counterfeit to keep till after the dance. Payne had
$900; Hogan knew it was counterfeit money.
McDougle has seen Meeker there counterfeiting at different times;
seen him at Burhams coloring counterfeit. James Clark, a baggage
master on the railroad at Fort Wayne, deals in counterfeit, he is a
big stout man. Jed Cothrell, who keeps the saloon, deals in
counterfeit; he used to get his money from Bill Hill and
Burnham.
Johanthon Thompson makes and peddles spurious coin; lives in
Kinsman, Ohio on the road to Meadville. Ott Hoken a starch dealer,
deals in Counterfeit.
Wm. Thompson, used to be Sheriff in Chemung Co. NY, John Thompson,
Henry Thompson, out west, Charles Hibbard keeps tavern, all of the
same place and John Rosenkraus think he lives in Bath, NY all deal
in counterfeit money.
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FIND LOGS ON THIS CACHE THAT INDICATE NIGHT CACHING WILL
BE DELETED WITHOUT
NOTICE!!
The cache container is a
small 35mm film container, bring your own pen , there is room for
small trade items. You MUST sign the log to claim a Smilie.
The cache is not located near a grave... As always, please be
respectful of our pioneer dead , and cache in, trash
out.
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Happy Hunting!!