CHAPTER
VI
The
Life of Amos J. Stillwell
MOS J. STILLWELL was one of the oldest and most esteemed citizens of
Hannibal. He was the senior member
of the pork-packing firm of Stillwell & Co., John E. Stillwell, a nephew of
the deceased, and Richard H. Stillwell, a son, being the other members of the
firm. Mr. Stillwell had been
married twice. Richard Stillwell
was the only child of his first wife. Mr.
Stillwell had three children by his second wife - Mollie, aged 14 years; Harold,
8 years; and Earl, about 4 years. Mr.
Stillwell was 57 years old; his second wife was about twenty years his junior.
Mr. Stillwell was one of the most solid and one of the wealthiest
business men in Hannibal, being both honest and influential.
He was not a member of any church, but attended the Episcopal church and
contributed to its support. He
resided in Hannibal for many years and lived in a handsome residence on Fifth
street between Broadway and Church streets.
The house is one of the finest in the city.
This house was elegantly furnished, but the better portion was added
after Mr. Stillwell was murdered. Mrs.
Hearne, who had come into her share of her late husband’s estate, spent money
with a lavish hand. With all of his
indulgence, he had never provided anything like the luxury with which his widow
surrounded herself. She had the
room in which the murder had been done overhauled and occupied that herself,
which seemed inconsistent with her nervousness.
Mr. Stillwell was a Kentuckian by birth and was quite a young man when he
came to Hannibal from his native state. He
had some money left him by his father. He
went into the pork-packing business and prospered, and in the course of about
fifteen years he amassed quite a fortune. Before
leaving Kentucky he married a beautiful Kentucky lady, but it was rumored that
she was ruled by her husband. Mr.
Stillwell was kind-hearted, but was a very positive man.
One child blessed this union, and not a great while afterward, the wife
died. Mr. Stillwell remained a
widower until 1870. He was a very plain old gentleman, and did not go much into
society. He was honest in all of
his dealings and had but few active enemies.
Romance
of the Crime
The second Mrs. Stillwell’s maiden name was Fannie Anderson.
She was considered a very handsome girl.
She lived in Maysville, Kentucky. She
had beautiful, dark flowing hair and a lovely complexion.
Being well educated, an accomplished musician and a brilliant
conversationalist, she could fascinate when she chose.
Her mother died when she was quite young and her father married the
second time. She and her
step-mother could not agree. When
she was old enough her father placed her in a convent, where she graduated.
Upon her return home her relations with her step-mother were not
improved. She finally resolved to return to the convent and take the
veil. The Anderson family were much
opposed to this idea. Her father
remonstrated; relatives and friends advised her not to throw her young life
away. She then decided not to carry
out this intention. She then
went to Greencastle, Ind., to live with her uncle, Eli Anderson.
Her beauty soon made her a favorite in society.
One day Mrs. Anderson, who is a sister of Amos Stillwell, received a
letter from her brother, stating that business called him east and that he would
stop and make her a visit. When he
arrived at his sister’s he seemed to forget that it was business that called
him east. He fell in love with pretty Fannie Anderson.
He remained a few weeks and then went away.
It was announced that Mr. Stillwell would stop on his return to Missouri,
and when he returned a wedding took place at the Anderson home.
When he resumed his journey he was accompanied by a young girl, his
bride, formerly Fannie Anderson. Mrs.
Stillwell, being young and pretty, soon assumed the leadership of society.
She was about twenty-one years of age.
She had a high temper and a will of her own, and the old pork-packer did
not always have his own way. Remembering
the sufferings of her early life she was very kind to Dick Stillwell and often
interceded in his behalf. In
fact, she was so kind to him that he grew to entertain a very strong liking for
her, much stronger that the most of sons usually have for a step-mother.
The good people of Hannibal are still anxious that the murderer of this
good old man be brought to justice.
Dr. Joseph C. Hearne
Dr. Joseph C. Hearne was a widower with two daughters.
His first wife was Fannie Brown, daughter of Dr. Marion Brown, now
deceased. Dr. Hearne was tall,
erect and had a commanding air about him, in fact he was rather inclined to be
domineering. He was popular and
kind to his friends. He understood
his profession. He was several
times appointed city physician of Hannibal. The doctor at one time ran for mayor, but was defeated by a
large majority. He was appointed
chief surgeon of the H. & St. Joe R. R.