prairie prairie known prairie pirates prairie prairie pirates simply states illinois indiana ohio territory iowa group loose outlaw gangs early mid-19th century 1800s bands criminals common parts illinois counties lee especially affected year escalating pattern house horse cattle theft highway robbery murder associated come head crimes continued local citizens formed bands known clash resulted demise near oregon illinois decreased activity violent crime county activity continued took place crimes continued committed sides northern central illinois involved notable events including torture murder merchant colonel namesake iowa amateur detective hunted brought justice killers wrote exploits recounted book murderer doom tale mississippi valley published chicago outlaw gangs continued active lee counties following events oregon illinois activity prairie active northern illinois especially counties events leading ultimate demise began march considerable influence area collectively known following influx immigrants indian war illinois posed far greater threat longer period exaggerated paranoia month native american conflict wrote history illinois crimes illinois power away unnoticed group allies scattered county connections county illegal activities dealing stolen property easy reported time township officer member acts theft carried defiance authority citizens threatened tried seek thieves end activity area residents willing withstand crimes occurred march resulted court culminated near oregon illinois nearby formed men especially took active role suppressing activity beginning events march violence retribution escalated area seat oregon illinois frontier settled large numbers migrants settlers followed area criminal element prairie crime problem plagued northern illinois concerned citizens organized eventually took law hands activity march members arrested charges held county jail city oregon night fire broke newly completed courthouse time day fire set meant diversion facilitate escape gang members diversion failed courthouse burned ground jail remained intact court records concerning case safely concealed home court clerk ford sat judge time court new location trial accused went planned arrests county court trial jury common time subsequently refused convict accused persuaded rogue convict threatening lynch jury room failed agree majority opinion accused convicted soon escaped avoided sentences april community oregon general reached boiling point month group citizens possibly acting direct counsel ford met formed organization aimed driving county membership new group grew quickly soon numbering hundreds chapters sprang bands citizen known names included clubs group known began horse thieves joined group incident county captain stepped aside mill destroyed horse tortured killed april new captain resident local family members head migrated ohio grown sons william david pierce taylor lived northeast son taylor convicted arson lived ohio campbell ascension lead post met camp immediately sent campbell letter offering kill campbell responded kind assembled marched home small group gathered homestead seeing outnumbered fled return authorities tow sheriff companions events hoped sided promised leave days instead leaving held meeting determined campbell fellow murdered trial execution firing squad nearly months later june attempt kill days passed june brother taylor attacked campbell farm david fired single fatal shot campbell son martin fired shotgun weapon failed account stated david gunmen came campbell wife despite claim scene crime indicated additional horses followed home accompanied angry group confronted questioning ward accompanying mob sheriff satisfied involved campbell murder arrested suspicion murder david gunmen fled day william pierce arrested group court convened mill illinois courthouse fire march court organized witnesses gathered proceedings went forward crowd gathered mill estimated point appealed returned custody presided makeshift court judge position later hold legitimately ottawa illinois directed present form circle men initially stepped forward dismissed real men remaining formed jury june trial began admitted telling brother kill campbell father john denied murder admit stealing numerous horses released custody evidence found linking crime trial end guilty verdict described unanimous immediately sentenced hanged spot refused hanged instead requested shot execution carried confessed murders john confessed assembled large firing squad prepared carry execution divided separate squads man line shot william time line description historical encyclopedia illinois somewhat spell end serve greatly decrease activity activity continued plague areas northern illinois largely following continued active early july offices early predecessor daily newspaper illinois offices likely response scathing editorial published express speaking action taken murder colonel crimes continued 1840s shocking incidents outside crimes oregon attributed murder colonel home grounds july colonel assaulted home men thought fortune safe beaten left dead survived long description criminals died night men charged murder george escaped trial hung murder men charged accessories murder man sentenced life prison escaped killed months later man served year prison charges dropped man left area activity illinois active years oregon period crime gang operations rampant like neighboring northern illinois counties saw consistent activity near village brutal double murder committed area resident searching grove miles west town cattle came small log inside discovered bodies men killed axe men nearly large forehead assumed motive robbery bloody small building perpetrators active inlet grove june group carried daring robbery residence robbed masked men midst summer thunderstorm perpetrators entered bedroom wife asleep dragged trunk money underneath sleeping bed noise probably drowned thunder discover victims robbery morning activity activity activity activity activity activity activity war activity activity iowa activity activity activity activity indiana activity activity activity ohio
Banditti of the Prairie