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The Daily Davenport Democrat
Saturday, 13 April, 1867

         The Jackson Tragedy
         The Body of the Horse Discovered
         
         From the Dubuque Herald
         
         On the 23d day of last January a young man by the name
       of SAMUEl S. CRONK, was brutally murdered by some unknown
       parties, on the main road, a short distance below Cotton-
       ville, in Jackson county. The affair created much excite-
       ment in that vicinity, and full particulars of the tragedy
       were published in the Herald. Although the most untiring
       search was made, no trace of the murderers or the horse
       which CRONK rode was discovered. Three parties residing
       near Cottonville were arrested on suspicion, but were soon
       after discharged with the exception of one WATKINS, who 
       was bound over. At the recent session of the grand jury
       they were unable to find any indictment against him, and
       he to (sic) was discharged. Many of the citizens had given
       up the search as hopeless and settled down in the convic-
       tion that time alone could unravel the mystery when another
       discovery was made which will tend to again raise the 
       general excitement. Last Saturday a small boy while wander-
       ing off from the main road, a short distance below Cotton-
       ville, came upon the skeleton of a horse. He at once noti-
       fied some neighbors living near of his discovery, when an
       examination revealed the fact that the horse was the one
       last ridden by CRONK, being of an iron gray color and
       having a saddle and bridle which were easily identified.
       The animal had been led a quarter of a mile from the spot
       where the murder was supposed to have been committed, and
       tied to a small tree 17 inches in diameter. The tree stood
       in a thick clump of timber, and the horse could not be
       perceived from the road. Here the poor brute starved to
       death, having first gnawed down the tree to which it was
       tied, and having also gnawed as far as the halter would
       reach into another. The animal must have lived two weeks,
       as the ground was beaten down smooth and hard, while it
       was deeply dented in places, showing that the animal had
       made violent efforts to get away. A hat was also discovered
       a short distance off on the ground, between two trees, and
       which is thought to have been worn by one of the murderers.
       This discovery has awakened renewed exertions, and we
       understand that WATKINS has been again arrested. Murder
       will out, and it is to be hoped that the avening Nemesis
       now on the track of these fiends will soon find and bring
       them to a speedy judgment.
       
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