Your Cheatin' Hart: A Murder in Palmyra

   In the early afternoon of August 2, 1849, John S. Wise stopped at the post office in Palmyra, Missouri, and asked whether there were any letters there for his wife, Mary Ann Wise. The postmaster handed over three letters, one addressed to Mary Ann Wise and two addressed to a Mrs. Wallenstein. The postman explained that the same woman, whom he assumed to be Wise's wife, had previously called for letters under both names. Wise seemed shocked by the letters, especially after he opened one of them and glanced at its contents. Assuming the worst, the postmaster asked him whether someone was dead. "No, but there will be soon," Wise replied in a low, threatening voice.
   The letters confirmed for Wise what he'd begun to suspect some weeks earlier but had not let himself believe at first. But he now knew his young wife was carrying on a love affair with Thomas Benton Hart, whom the couple had gotten to know in St. Louis the previous year.
   In the summer of 1848, the Wises lived in a boardinghouse in St. Louis, and two of Mary Ann's female cousins (her stepfather's nieces) occasionally visited her at the Wise residence. Thomas B. Hart, who was acquainted with the cousins, started accompanying them on their visits, and he became friends with the Wises.
   A veteran of Doniphan's expedition to Chihuahua during the Mexican War, Hart was strong and handsome and had a reputation as a ladies' man. Some people called him Lord Byron because of his admiration of the romantic poet and the parallel between Hart and the protagonist of one of Byron's most famous poems, The Pilgrimage of Childe Harold.
   In the spring of 1849, Hart, knowing the Wises were not entirely happy with their present living quarters, invited them to move to the Mudge boardinghouse, where Hart lived. After dining with Hart several times at the Mudge place and finding the surroundings pleasant, John Wise agreed to the move, and about the 30th of May he and his wife took up residence in the same building where Thomas Hart lived. Little did Wise suspect that Hart might have had ulterior motives in helping him and Mary Ann find new accommodations, and it's not altogether clear that Hart did have designs on Wise's wife when he first invited the couple to the Mudges's. Suffice it to say, though, that Mary Ann Wise and Thomas Hart quickly became much more than just near neighbors.
   There was an outbreak of cholera raging through St. Louis at this time, and in order to get Mary away from the city so that she might not get the disease, John took her in late June to his brother's place in Marion County, not far from Palmyra. After staying a week or ten days, Wise returned to St. Louis but left his wife with his brother. There's also some evidence that Wise, despite his later protestations to the contrary, might have already begun to suspect something more than friendship existed between Mary and Thomas Hart and he wanted to separate the pair. Upon his return to the city, however, he and Hart greeted each other as old friends. And later, when a woman who boarded at the Mudge place told Wise that Hart had gotten into a dispute with some other boarders while Wise was gone and had also offended the landlady, Wise came to Hart's defense. The woman informed Wise that he was taking the side of someone he didn't really know and that Hart would soon ruin him or his wife. The woman also told Wise, who was a clerk at the post office, that, before Mary Ann went to Marion County, she and Hart were in the habit of spending nearly all their time together while Wise was at work.
   Not until July 31, when Hart left St. Louis, telling Wise that he was going to Carrolton, Illinois, did Wise begin seriously to suspect an illicit relationship between his wife and Hart. Later that day, Wise intercepted a letter at the St. Louis post office, mailed just prior to Hart's departure, that seemed to confirm the husband's worst fears. It was addressed to H. Sappho of Palmyra, and the oddity of the name caught Wise's attention, because he had previously lived in the Palmyra area for several years and did not know anyone by that name. In addition, he thought he recognized the handwriting as Thomas Hart's. Opening the letter, he learned that it was, in fact, written by Hart and that Hart was going to Quincy, Illinois, just across the river from Palmyra, not to Carrolton, as he'd told Wise. In addition, despite the alias given on the outside of the letter, the content and context of the letter convinced Wise that the intended recipient was his wife.
   The next day, Wise armed himself and started for Palmyra to get to the bottom of what appeared him to be a terrible betrayal. On the morning of August 2, during the trip into Palmyra from the Mississippi landing used by steamboat travelers on their way to that town, Wise learned from the hack driver that another man had come up from St. Louis on his way to Palmyra the day before bearing a letter to Wise's wife. Even though the driver's description of the man fit Hart, Wise played dumb, but he was fuming inside.
   After calling at the Palmyra post office and obtaining three more incriminating letters, including the two addressed to "Mrs. Wallenstein," Wise walked on into downtown Palmyra, where he saw Thomas Hart sitting in front of the Overton Hotel. Hart's presence in town and the letters Wise had already read was all the proof he needed. Knowing that Hart went armed at all times and that he was much bigger and stronger than he was, Wise immediately walked up to man, drew his pistol, and fired. The bullet struck Hart in the shoulder but only wounded him, and he rose and started fleeing. Pursuing Hart, Wise struck him with his pistol and then pulled a large knife and proceed to cut and stab him until he was beyond help. Hart died a few minutes later.
   Wise's preliminary hearing in Marion County in late August turned into a scandalous sensation with big crowds witnessing the proceedings every day. At least eight confiscated love letters between Hart and Mary Ann Wise were read in open court, with many of them containing romantic poems and undying declarations of love. Wise was indicted for murder, but he later received a change of venue to neighboring Monroe County, where he was acquitted at trial in the summer of 1850. His estranged wife, meanwhile, had reportedly moved to San Francisco.
   There's much more to this story, but the account given above is a basic outline of what happened.

Hot Temperatures

   We've been having some hot weather here lately. As I write this, at approximately 3 p.m. on Friday July 22, the temperature is currently 100 degrees in the Joplin area, and this marks the fourth day in a row that the thermometer reading has topped out at 100 degrees or more. The weekly forecast shows the temperature continuing to reach 100 or greater each of the next five days. If that happens, we will have had nine consecutive days with temperatures of 100 or more. Plus we had three days in July prior to the current streak in which we reached at least 100. So, we might have at least twelve days this month of triple digit temperatures. That's hot, but there have been at least a couple of Julys in the Ozarks during my lifetime that were hotter.
   One of those years was 1980. The exact figures vary, depending on the source, but according to Weather Underground, Joplin had 19 consecutive days and 22 total days in July of 1980 on which the thermometer reached triple digits. It continued to be hot that summer into August and early September. I was teaching school at the time, and I recall how terribly hot it was during the first few weeks of school in late August and early September. The school I taught at did not have air conditioning at that time, and by afternoon the building was sweltering. The heat was draining on both teachers and students, and by afternoon, it was hard get much teaching and learning done.
   July 1954, when I was a little kid, was even hotter than 1980. Although the total number of days (18) and the consecutive number of days (12) of triple digit temperatures during the month were both fewer than in July 1980, the overall average temperature was hotter. That's because the very hot days in July 1954 were more extreme, with several days reaching into the one hundred and teens, and even the "cooler" days were hotter than the cool days of July 1980. Only once or twice during the entire month of July 1954 did the maximum temperature top out at less than 95, whereas there were several such days in July 1980.
   So far this July, the average daily high temperature has been 91.29 degrees in Joplin, the average daily low has been 66.44, and the overall average temperature has been 83.77. By comparison, the same figures for July 1980 were 93.86, 77.5, and 88.2, and the figures for July 1954 were 98.2, 81.63, and 89.06. As you can see, even though we are having a hot July this year, the overall average has been considerably lower than either 1980 or 1954, mainly because it has tended to cool off more in the evening this year than it did in either of the other two years. But we still have over a week of this month left, and if the forecast is correct, those average figures for 2022 could rise considerably.
   I should probably add that I don't mean to suggest, by pointing out that we have had summers in the past hotter than the current one, that the average global temperature is not rising. The scientific data says that it is. Something like 17 or 18 of hottest years on record worldwide have occurred during the past twenty years. So, I definitely believe that global warming is real; it's just a matter of how much of it is because of human activity, as opposed to the normal cycles of nature. The scientific consensus is that a considerable amount of it is due to human activity, and I tend to agree with that. It just stands to reason that putting smoke and other pollutants into the atmosphere year after year can't be good for the overall health of the planet.

President Bush's Marshfield Visit

   Last time I wrote about Marshfield's annual 4th of July celebration and specifically its 4th of July celebration of 100 years ago. I mentioned in passing, as well, that President George H. W. Bush was a guest of honor at the 1991 Marshfield event. This time, I thought I'd go into a little more detail about that 1991 presidential visit.
   A rumor first surfaced in the Ozarks around the 17th or 18th of June that President Bush was planning to visit the Springfield area on the 4th and attend an Independence Day celebration, but no specific details were known and some observers dismissed the speculation altogether. If the rumors were true, either Springfield, which was planning a big 4th of July celebration in 1991, or Marshfield, which was noted for having one of the biggest and best small-town celebrations in the area, was considered the president's most likely destination. It was not until a couple of days later, however, that a presidential trip to the Springfield area was confirmed and the Marshfield celebration was announced as the one Mr. Bush would attend. Plans called for him to spend the night of the 3rd in Springfield and visit Marshfield the next day.
   By June 23, Marshfield merchants were already trying to cash in on their town's newfound celebrity, suggesting in ads that people visit the town on the 4th because they might get to see the president, and, of course, they could take advantage of the bargains the merchants had to offer while they were at it.
   An advance presidential team arrived in Springfield and Marshfield on June 27 to make arrangements for Bush's visit. It was announced that, after likely spending the night of the 3rd in Springfield, the president would arrive in Marshfield around 10:00 a.m. on the 4th. Members of the team met with Marshfield officials to discuss security and other arrangements for the presidential visit, but whether Mr. Bush would actually participate in the parade or simply observe it from the sideline was not revealed. Many details of the president's visit were deliberately kept hush-hush for security reasons.
   As the 4th approached, Marshfield officials and city employees were hustling and bustling about to make sure the town was "fit for a president," but most of the regular people were taking all the publicity in stride. "It's just another Fourth of July," one resident remarked.
   Although many Marshfield residents were taking the president's approaching visit in stride, many others were getting involved in the hype. An organizer of the event said about 5,000 people usually attended the 4th of July celebration in an average year, but this year they were expecting as many as 15,000. Marshfield stores were doing a booming business selling patriotic merchandise, such as t-shirts with US flags and other American symbols on them.
   On July 2, it was announced that President Bush would indeed be participating in the Marshfield 4th of July Parade, scheduled to start at 10 a.m., and not merely watching it as a spectator. He and his wife, Barbara, would walk part of the parade route, and then the president would give a brief speech at 11:10 a.m. Those wishing to watch the president march in the parade would have to obtain tickets (free of charge) and be screened as they passed through one of two checkpoints that were set up near the parade route. Tickets were being sold not only in Marshfield but also in Springfield and at several other towns in Webster County.
   President Bush arrived in Springfield on the evening of July 3 and spent the night at the University Plaza Hotel, where they rolled out the red carpet for him. Among the special treats waiting for him when he arrived were Godiva chocolates placed on his freshly fluffed pillow. He and his entourage of about 300 people occupied the top three floors of the hotel.
   Early on the morning of the fourth, President Bush ate breakfast at Hemingway's Restaurant on the Bass Pro Shops plaza and then toured the Bass Pro Shops store. Returning to the hotel, Bush then left in a motorcade for Marshfield in time for the 10:00 a.m. parade. Dressed in long-sleeved shirt with no collar, no tie, and his sleeves rolled up, the president walked at the head of the parade as it passed through the town square, occasionally pausing to shake hands with spectators, who stood behind a barricade that lined the route of the parade. After passing through the square, Bush watched the rest of the parade from a viewing stand, where he waved to parade participants as they passed by.
   After the parade, President Bush gave a brief speech praising US soldiers, who'd just completed Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War, and he also had words of support for his recent Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas. The president's visit boosted attendance at the Marshfield Independence Day celebration to an estimated 15,000-20,000, compared to 5,000-10,000 who normally attended.
   About 11:45 a.m., shortly after his speech, Bush's motorcade left Marshfield for the Springfield Airport, where he and the First Lady boarded Air Force One and departed for Grand Rapids, Michigan, shortly before 1:00 p.m.     

Marshfield Fourth of July Celebration

   Last time, I wrote about a few Fourth of July celebrations that occurred at various communities throughout the Ozarks 100 years ago, and I briefly discussed how such celebrations differed from Independence Day festivities held throughout the region today. After I posted that article, I happened on a newspaper story about the 1922 Marshfield Fourth of July celebration. The reason it caught my eye is that I am somewhat familiar with the annual Marshfield Fourth of July event, because I even went to it a couple of times back in the day. So, I decided to write about it, even though the Fourth of July has come and gone.
   The Marshfield Fourth of July celebration was sponsored by the local American Legion post 100 years ago. The organization's plans for the event were announced and published in the local newspaper a couple of weeks ahead of time. Pre-event publicity promised "a magnificent display of fireworks, the best that money can buy, which will eclipse any thing of the sort ever shown here," and thousands of people were expected to be in attendance.
   In addition to the fireworks, a baseball game between the Conway Bear Cats and the local Marshfield Wrecking Crew was on the agenda. Other planned activities included political speakers, a band concert, and various games and contests. Some of the contests included a potato race, a three-legged race, a fat men's race, a fat women's race, and a tug of war. Among the prizes for winners of the contests were a pocket knife, a hundred pounds of pig chow, and a five-dollar pair of shoes.
   Alas, things didn't quite turn out as planned. A large crowd came out for the event, the band played well throughout the day, and the games and contests came off without a hitch. The baseball game, however, turned into "a long drawn-out affair," with lots of hits and errors and the local nine on the losing end of a 17-12 score. More disappointingly, the fireworks display was aborted when the device used to shoot them off malfunctioned and "only about a third of the fireworks were sent up."
   Despite the dud of 1922, the Marshfield Independence Day celebration is still going strong 100 years later. In fact, the town advertises its Fourth of July celebration as the oldest such event west of the Mississippi River. This year, Marshfield hosted a Fourth of July celebration for the 143rd consecutive year. As has been the case in recent years, a parade highlighted the festivities. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, participated in the Marshfield Independence Day parade.

Fourth of July Celebrations

   I've noticed in the Joplin Globe and elsewhere the past few days that a number of area towns will be hosting Fourth of July celebrations this weekend. Nearly all, if not all, of them feature fireworks displays, but most also have a variety of other events and entertainment lined up, including parades, car shows, food vendors, and musical performances. One hundred years ago in the Ozarks, the Fourth of July was celebrated in similar fashion as it is today. I think political speeches were a bigger part of Fourth of July gatherings 100 years ago than they are nowadays, although we still have our share of those, too. Another difference is that there were probably more small towns back then that had their own little celebration than there are today.
   For instance, in 1922 both Stella and Fairview in Newton County (MO) had Independence Day celebrations, and both drew large crowds, according to the Neosho Times. Stella "had a big celebration, as they always do," said the Times, and Fairview had an "overflow" crowd and "the biggest celebration in the town's history."
   I'm not sure whether either Stella or Fairview still has a Fourth of July celebration nowadays. If so, the events apparently aren't nearly as big as they used to be, because I don't believe I've ever heard of either staging such a celebration. Both towns were once pretty thriving little villages, but they've both lost population and businesses over the years until today neither is a center for commerce as they were 100 years ago.
   One town in the Joplin/Neosho area that had a big celebration in 1922 and still does today is Seneca. One hundred years ago the Fourth of July bash at Seneca was "a great success," but "the pleasures of the day were marred when the parachute man was killed."
   Speaking of parachute men, I think daredevil acts in general were probably more characteristic of old-time Fourth of July celebrations than they are of today's celebrations. In addition to the parachute act that cost a man his life at Seneca in 1922, one of the main attractions at the Eldon (MO) Fourth of July celebration was an airplane pilot who "thrilled the crowd" with "daring stunts" and even took passengers up in the air for a fee so they could "enjoy" a few "loop the loops" in the air for themselves. The Eldon Independence Day celebration also featured a baseball game between the local Eldon nine and a team from the Jeff City state prison called the Penitentiary Cubs. The Cubs won 15 to 7.
   At Thayer (MO), a brass band from Mammoth Springs, Arkansas, provided musical entertainment during a two-day Fourth of July celebration 100 years ago. The Thayer event, like the Eldon celebration, also had baseball games, but perhaps the biggest draw was The Great Kentzger, Juggler and Hoop Roller. Kentzger "put on the best comedy and hoop act ever seen around here," said the Thayer News. The Thayer celebration didn't have as many food vendors as it had in past years, according to the News, so, consequently, those that were on the grounds did a booming business.
   And that's the way it was, 100 years ago this weekend.