Horse Creek Murder Mystery in Nebraska circa 1900

[mcgato]

Thought I’d try here to see if anyone has more info on what I have seen referred to as the Horse Creek Murder Mystery near Fullerton in Nance County, Nebraska around 1900. This is prompted by a picture of gravestone someone posted on Facebook from my hometown in southern Minnesota. It seems that the victims were buried in my hometown, several states away from Nebraska.

This is the only real info that I have found and google fails me after that.

Years earlier (about the time I was born, in 1909, or earlier), the “Horse Creek Murder Mystery” broke, and provided lurid copy for periodicals and the press throughout the nation.
My memory of this bloody story is fuzzy; and it is based on reading accounts in early issues of Fullerton newspapers.
As I recall the details, five people in a single family were brutally murdered, on a farm on Horse Creek, about a dozen miles west of Fullerton. Some were shot with a shotgun; and at least one or two were bludgeoned, or axed, to death. One was slain in a hog lot, where the animals had consumed part of the corpse before a neighbor stumbled onto the scene of the massacre.
A hired hand disappeared about the time of the murders. He was said to have rented a rig at a livery stable in Fullerton, and dropped out of sight forever.
The two names associated with the crime were Percival and Furnival. I don’t recall which was the name of the victims, and which was that of the suspect. At the time, newspaper accounts of the slaying gave complete, gory details of the scene and the principal characters in the drama.
Years after the multiple murders on Horse Creek, the sheriff of Nance County (I believe that it was August Johnson, in the '30s) received a letter from California, asking if there were still a reward available to a person who submitted evidence leading to the arrest and conviction of the culprit in the “Horse Creek Murder Mystery” caper.
Sheriff Johnson conducted a perfunctory “investigation” by letter, about the inquiry. No relevant details were disclosed. County officials weren’t strongly motivated to follow a long-cold trail about a crime which had faded from memory years earlier.
I was personally intrigued by this development; so I re-read old accounts of the ghastly crimes. As an English teacher, I was impressed by a unique style of expression, both in the letter to Sheriff Johnson and in a note written years earlier by the missing hired hand, published at the time when interest in the murders was high. I concluded that the writer of the letter in the '30s was actually the missing suspect.
He is undoubtedly dead now. Whatever his involvement, he will have taken his secret to the grave.
One small detail might be mentioned. In some of the newspaper accounts at the time of the Horse Creek murders, there was a suggestion that the hired hand had a secret “yen” for his employer’s wife; and that the family of victims was related, remotly (sic), to English nobility.

Written by Dr. Frank McIntyre

I’m not linking to the website where I found the above, since a google search will pull it up instantly. I cannot link to the facebook pic because it is a friend of a friend.

[aceplace57]

There is a long article about the murder I didn’t quote. The perils of genealogy. Imagine a relative accused of a murder like this. I bet this shocked them.

Harry Ashley Guy Baird <snip>
Death: 28 September 1884, at Horse Creek, near Fullerton, Nance county, Nebraska, United States. Harry was murdered, shot in the head, in a quintiple murder on a farm sparked, supposedly, by rage over a missed supper. The presumed murderer, George Furnival, whose guilt was determined at an inquest, disappeared and was never captured. When the bodies were first discovered four days later, Harry was initially suspected of the other four murders, and a reward offered for his capture, but two days later his body, too, was found nearby, and suspicion then fell on Furnival. Furnival and Perceval were friends in England that had sailed out to America together.

Harry’s brief period of suspicion meant that newspapers published descriptions of him giving us a rough idea of his looks and habits. For example: “Baird is a bright-looking young fellow, smooth face, except light mustache; wears good clothes, plays pool, and drinks occasionally. He is an Englishman.”

This account of the murders, from some months later and after the inquest, probably gives the most accepted version of the event. It also established quite clearly thath the “H. A. G. Baird” of most reports was in fact our Harry Ashley Guy Baird.
The Aroha News 6 February 1885 p5

Baird Family

[aceplace57]

Man, that was a nasty bit of work. Baird’s family did a good job researching it. Must be tough knowing a relative was murdered like that.

[mcgato]

Wow, I figured the SDMB would deliver in short order. Thanks.

[mcgato]

I just scanned through most of that, and there is reference to my hometown of Owatonna, so that is the story. Much thanks. This board is awesome.

[Yazdgerd]

Good Morning Ladies and Gents,

I know this is an ancient post, butI came across an interesting sheriff’s wanted postcard in an estate today that you may find interesting:

The following excerpt is verbatim from the card.

REWARD OF $1,200.

A REWARD OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS is offered by Nance County, Nebraska, for the apprehension and conviction of the murderer or murderers of Harry G. Perceval, his wife and infant child, Hugh Mair and H.A.G. Baird, who were killed at their residences 12 miles west of Fullerton, in Nance County, Neb, on or about September 29, 1884.

Description of party who for some time past lived with the persons murdered, but who is now missing, whose true name is G.F. Furnivall:

An Englishman about 23 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches in height, sharply formed features, sandy hair, fair, florid complexion, face somewhat freckled, walks erect; pleasant and smiling countenance; coarse voice, speaks slowly with noticeable English accent; gold filling in front teeth, weighs 140 pounds, has tattooed upon one of his arms an anchor.

The Governor of Nebraska has telegraphed that he will issue a proclamation for an additional reward of 200$, as authorized by law.

By the order of the Board of County Commissioners,
Fullerton, Neb., USA., Oct. 6th, 1884.

James Zibbell, J.W McCLELLAND,
Sheriff. County Clerk.

[lucy09]

Dear Yazdgerd,

Do you still have the postcard? I have a friend who has been researching this mystery for years and would like to share the discovery of your post and your find.

[Fish_Cheer]

This was Yazdgerd’s first and last post on this board, so you will probably not receive an answer from him.

[Yazdgerd]

Hello,

I know this is ancient news, yes, but I still have the postcard in impressive condition. It’s in a lock box here at home. I could probably part with it. email me at mmroch78@gmail.com with questions. I check it regularly/daily. Sorry for the 1 year wait, hope you are warm and well- Chicago weather sucks A55.

Matt

[Kimballkid]

Why don’t you just scan the postcard and post the picture somewhere so we could all see it. It would be interesting.

[Isilder]

A website lists that a person suspected of being Furnival was arrested. He was drew suspicion by being similar appearance, and having arrived in town (Ellisville from memory) at about the same time as the murders.

A witness from Nebraska came to attest it is was the one and same,
but local Ellisville witnesses said he was already in Ellisville at the time of the murders.
So they said it was just coincidence he looked similar.

[Bumbershoot]

@Fish_Cheer

This was Yazdgerd’s first and last post on this board, so you will probably not receive an answer from him.

That was also the first and last post by lucy09 so she may not reply either!

Then again, in a year or so she just might.