News : Garrison\'s 1888 cold case: Solved with lame man\'s footprints, suspect\'s suicide

Garrison farmer Daniel P. Willford was murdered in 1888; the suspect killed himself in Nebraska.

A couple miles north of Garrison, and a few miles straight west of Vinton's Maplewood Cemetery, lies a piece of Iowa Cold Case history that has yet to be added to the Cold Case files.

There, at Carlisle Grove Cemetery, lies the body of 35-year-old Daniel P. Willford, who lived -- and died -- in the area that was then called Carlisle Grove.

D.P was a farmer, one of 14 children of Jacob and Catherine Willford; he also had a handicap of some sort that affected the way he walked. That handicap helped solve his murder. The suspect had apparently tried to rob the victim, but only escaped with a gold watch and a few dollars, leaving behind $200 in cash and a $1,000 deposit check.

Two 1880s newspapers, The Trade News and the Vinton Eagle, told the story of the disappearance and death of D.P. Willford in May of 1888.

Mysterious Disappearance of D. P. Willford (Eagle)

"Last Thursday morning our quiet community was suddenly set agog by the announcement in the Village of the disappearance of Mr. D. P. Willford, a farmer well known in this vicinity, living 1 1/2 miles north of Garrison.

"Wed. evening, in company with his niece and housekeeper, he spent time at the residence of Mr. John Davis, -- returning home with the understanding Mr. Davis would accompany him to Vinton Thursday morning.

"They returned home and soon after retiring Mr. Willford, it was thought, was heard leaving the house; but nothing strange was thought of it 'till the next morning. Then it was discovered that his bed had the appearance of having been occupied but a short time and his horse was gone from the stable though the saddle was still in place and nothing gave cause for serious alarm.

"As the day passed his horse was discovered near the artesian well in Vinton. Tracks were discovered, supposed to be his, on the river bank. Mr. Willford was a lame man and the track of the whole root and the toe of the other tally with his precisely.

"The tracks had the appearance of having been made by a man advancing and retreating up and down the bank. Other theories have been based on the statement of Mr. Sam'l Burkey. Coming home that night he saw Mr. Willford's horse at the east end of Carlisle Grove. On seeing him, the rider, whom he was sure was not Mr. Willford, turned into the willows and dismounted and, upon his passing, remounted and galloped away toward Vinton.

"It is evident that he had not run away as he took no supply of funds, there being $200 in his trunk along with a deposit check for $1000.

"Mystery shrouds the whole affair--foul play or suicide seems to be suggested. It is hoped in a few days the whole affair will straighten up."

The Trade News a few days later contained the tragic news:

Trade News--Special from Monday's Extra

"A most brutal murder has been committed. Late Saturday afternoon Mr. Jacob Henkle, a brother-in-law to Mr. Willford, in his search around the premises, made a passing examination of an old abandoned well on the Willet farm just north of the Willford farm, into which a number of old rails had been thrown.

"His improved grappling hooks were insufficient for a thorough examination but he discovered some sort of an object in the bottom of the well. He resolved to make a thorough search the next morning.

"Taking others along, they found the body of the missing man.

"Fastening the body with a rope, intelligence was sent to Coroner Kirkpatrick, Sheriff Barr, County Attorney Burham, Drs. Griffin, Whitney of Vinton and Snyder of Garrison.

"On their arrival, the body was raised and a jury having been impaneled--consisting of J. B. Reeves, G. A. Barkdoll, and J. T. Ravenscroft. The body was taken to the house and an inquest was begun.

"The following circumstances constitute the first evidence before the jury:--a pool of clotted blood with the finding of Mr. Willford's pocket knife about four rods from the well was taken as indication of foul play.----badly fractured skull---no water in the lungs, stomach or heart- -presented a unanimous decision of the physicians that the deceased was murdered.---Mr. Willford's gold watch, money to the amount of $15., right shoe and hat were missing. The hat and shoe were doubtless intended to turn suspicion.--Robbery was no doubt the object, but it failed.---The jury is in the session today and will doubtless go to the bottom of the affair."

The following day, the Trade News reported that the case had been solved

From Tuesday's Extra (Trade News)

"From the first announcement of the disappearance of D. P. Willford the coincidental absence of Dan Ridge was remarked upon and the discovery of the body with the unquestioned evidence of murder, none hesitated to name him openly as the guilty man.

"According to Sheriff Barr, on his return to Vinton, he immediately telegraphed to Republican City, Nebraska where it was supposed he would go from here. He received a dispatch from there this morning as follows "Dan Ridge shot himself here and died instantly."

"Of course this is accepted here as evidence of guilt until other evidence shall appear to the contrary. Robbery was certainly contemplated, but it is most unthinkable that Ridge, a boy playmate with Willford, could have done so vile a deed.---Let the matter be thoroughly sifted and let no guilty escape. such things cannot be looked at carelessly. They disgrace our community."

Obituary information

Dan Willford, son of Jacob Willford, was born in Wisconsin in 1852 and died May 23, 1888. He was buried in the Carlisle Grove Cemetery. He was a member of the Garrison Methodist Church. Daniel was the son of Jacob Pifer Willford and Catherine Hover, and the brother of Catherine M. (Hinkle), James H., Dougal C., Robert A., Mary Ann, Sarah Jane (Allerding), Jacob P., George W., Elizabeth B., Austella, Emaline (Bisbie), and Samuel. (Last names are only added for the sisters who had married.)

Cold case information

While Willford's murder is not yet listed on the Iowa Cold Cases database, researcher Nancy Bowers said that the case is technically a cold case because the murder suspect was never brought to justice in a court of law, even if authorities believed they know who the murderer was.

Information for this story came from the Iowa Gen Web project page.