Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1875 — Assassination of Rev. F. J. Toldy. [ARTICLE]

Assassination of Rev. F. J. Toldy.

Mr. Wm. H. Terhune, of Cimarron, New Mexico, writes to his parents at this place under date of September 19tlt, the following particulars of the recent assassination of Rev. F. J. Tolby, who was very well known to many readers of this paper, having preached in the western i>art of Jasper and eastern portion of Newton counties for some time. Mr. Terhune writes: Rev. J. F. Tolby went up to Elizabethtown last Sabbath to fill his appointment to prrach. Tuesday morning he started home, and when he entered the canon six or seVen miles this side of Elizabethtown he was cowardly murdered by an unknown assassin, who shot him twice in the back; one ball struck his heart, and the other passed through hia body. It is supposed the murderer was hidden in a clump of willows near the wayside, and after his victim passed by stepped out and shot him. What the motive was is not known. ,Nobody knew that be had an erietoy in the country; he only took two dollars with him when he left home and carried no valuable papers with him so far as is known. He was probably shot Tuesday morning. in the middle of the road, and his body dragged off a few steps and hid among some willow bushes. His pockets were cut open to create the impression that he was killed for money. His body was found Thursday evening by some persons who were passing by, and was recognized as soon asdaylight dawned Friday morning. His horse, saddle and hat were gone, but were found Friday evening. The poor horse had been tied to a tree with nothing to eat or drink all that time. When the shocking newswas brought to Cimarron they sent some lady friends over to apprise Mrs. Tolby. We had just set down to dinner, when they called me aside, told me the terrible tale and desired me to break it to his wife, but I could .not; it was too much for me to do. At two o’clock the sheriff with a party of men and an ambulance and myself with another party on horseback, started for the remains of our dear friend. We traveled until four o’clock Saturday morning over a rough mountain road and found t-he corpse in a remarkably good state of preservation, and brought it< to this place where it was buried in the afternoon by the Masonic fraternity, the Lodges of Cimarron and Elizabethtown uniting. Business was generally suspended, and it was the largest attended fnneral ever occurring here. Mr. Tolby was universally lovtid and respected, and his murder causes a profound sensation. The- Masons of Cimarron and Elizabethtown offer a reward of SI,OOO for the capture of the assassin, and the citizens offer more. If discovered no court will be bothered with his triak The calamity nearly kills his wite, who is left with the care of two little girls, two and four years old. Mr. Tolby was also a member of the Odd Fellows society, but there is no lodge organized at this place. He was considered one of the best men in New Mexico, and his assassination is one of the saddest events that ever occuired in the Territory.