Shaker Troubles

• Union Village and the Shakers of Warren County, Ohio
• Other Shaker Obituaries and newspaper articles

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The Shakers at Union Village have had lots of trouble lately. One of their former trusted members is now in jail charged with burning $25,000 worth of property with malicious intent and John H. Wilson is a fugitive from justice, taking with him in his sudden flight $400 that was not his own. On Monday of last week, Wilson, who joined the community five years ago and has been farm deacon of the center family for two years, sold a big drove of cattle, securing for them about four hundred dollars in cash. He made no accounting of his sale that day and on Tuesday quietly left for parts unknown. Wednesday a brief note was received from him dated at Cincinnati but he did not enclose any of the funds or state his intentions for the future. Warrants for his arrest have been sworn out and detectives placed on his track, but he is now probably at a good safe distance, one report being that he had gone to Washington city, where he is supposed to have relatives.

Source:
The Lebanon Gazette 31 July 1890 [copy obtained from microfilm available at the Warren County Genealogical Society]

WILSON CAPTURED.

The Shaker Cattle Man Behind the Bars.

John H. Wilson, who is charged with selling a drove of cattle belonging to the Shakers a few weeks ago and unlawfully keeping the money, was arrested in Washington city on Wednesday of last week by Detective George Hazen and returned to Warren county.

Wilson went straight to Washington after leaving Lebanon and has since been endeavoring to secure a pension, he having served as a private in the war. He was accidentally discovered by the detective, who was in that city on other business.

Wilson readily returned with the officer and, waiving examination, was bound over to court by Esquire Graham on the charge of embezzlement. He claims he was rightfully entitled to the money he obtained from the sale of the cattle, and as the Shakers are kindly disposed toward him he may escape with slight punishment.

Source:
The Lebanon Gazette, 11 September 1890 [copy obtained from microfilm available at the Warren County Genealogical Society]