For a Kegful of Dollars

My 4xg grandfather John Gabriel lived in Cooper County, Missouri.  He owned a distillery, made whiskey, and sold it to the natives.  He also had a nail keg full of silver dollars.

One night in July, 1830, Jack Harris, a slave from a neighbouring farm, and Edmond Gabriel, a slave from the Gabriel farm, called out to John that they wanted to buy some whiskey.  John went with them down to the still.

When they reached the still, Jack Harris struck John with an ax, cleaving his skull, and killing him instantly.  He and Edmond then took the body to the barn, where they tried to make it appear that John had been kicked by a horse.

The next day, Jack Harris was seen in Boonville, Missouri, with a large amount of money.  He was soon arrested.  Edmond Gabriel gave evidence against Jack.  Jack Harris eventually confessed, but said that he had been hired to do it by Abner Weaver, John's stepson and son-in-law, who was after John's money.

Abner's mother, and John Gabriel's second wife, Sarah Jones Gabriel was also implicated.  She was charged and spent nineteen days in jail.  However, Sarah was released for lack of evidence, possibly because Jack Harris, not being a legal person, could not testify in court.  Abner Weaver was also let go.

Jack Harris was hanged.  Edmond Gabriel was sent south and sold.

Sarah Gabriel and Abner Weaver left the county.  It was later rumoured that Abner had been shot and killed in Texas, trying to steal horses.

John's daughter Nellie Gabriel married Henry Fisher. Henry died in 1845, and Nellie managed the family farm for another twenty-eight years, before passing in 1873.  Nellie's granddaughter Emma Fisher Igo was my Mother's grandmother.