The "Child Corrected" Trial - The Killing of Arthur Bullocks

 

The Killing of Arthur Bullocks

A Child Corrected

Exhibit A - The "Tug" from a horse's harness

Joshua Botkins, a native of the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, then of the Spencerville community, moved to Defiance County to take up farming. He was a fifty-year-old bachelor.

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He hired Mrs. Ida May Bullocks, a widow with three young boys, as his housekeeper. Her husband had died, having been struck by a train. She had been offered a farm by her grandfather, if she would stay and care for him until his death. However, she became infatuated with Joshua Botkins and left her grandfather's home for him. On July 8th, Botkins beat her youngest child, Arthur Gerald Bullocks, to his death at only three years old. He claimed he was just correcting the child.

The community was in an uproar over his defense, and the Grand Jury indicted him for murder. Ida, who did not intervene, also saw charges, and both were jailed. The children were sent to the Defiance County Children's Home.

Here's the story, as told by The Crescent-News, Defiance, on September 2 -3, 1920:

On September 2, 1920, the twelve jury men were chosen for the Botkins murder trial. They were: Allen Countryman, Fred Sudholz, H. A. Bell, L. R. Forsythe, H. E. McCord, J. D. Hall, Henry Schubert, S.E. Greek, Wm. Engle, C. J. Devore, Peter Walter and Phillp Kisabeth. They were to go first to the Botkins farm to view the scene of the crime.

It was expected that the oldest brother, Earl Bullock, 7, would testify as he was an eyewitness. Earl told Mr. Kintner, a neighbor, of his brother's serious condition. The physicians were called from Kintner's home, and Kintner was with Botkins when he was picked up by authorities on the Clinton Street bridge.

September 3, page 1 (summarized):

"'CORRECTED CHILD' SAYS DEFENSE FOR BOTKINS; TESTIMONY BEING HEARD"

Earl Warren Bullock, aged 7, eyewitness of the alleged murder of Arthur Gerald Bullock by Joshua Botkins will hardly be called to the witness stand this week. It is thought that his testimony will go far toward determining the prisoner's fate.

At 3 today, only the second witness had been called. The first two were Drs. G. W. Huffman and Fred W. Watkins.  Coroner E.E.K. Chapman was also expected to take the stand along with the neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kintner, Erva Kintner and Ethel Farquahson.

This morning..."members of the jury saw a word picture of sturdy men, working on the road in front of the Botkins home in Noble township, the storm that interfered with their manual labor, consequently the substitution of another possible task. Joshua Botkins was one of those working, along with others.  That was the day of the fatal beating, July 8, 1920."

 The courtroom was packed and the walls were lined with spectators. John W. Winn, attorney, presented the State's case, entering a first degree murder indictment against Joshua Botkins. Attorney Thomas B. Hamilton stated for the Defense that Botkins had no intent to kill but was just administering a corrective punishment.

Hamilton stated, 'He did whip the child, ... but in the capacity of a father in an effort to correct as any mother does with children of that age.' He continued that the degree of punishment was unrealized ... Whatever he did, carried with it at no time the purpose to kill...  Botkins was fond of the child, good to it, took it to shows and picnics, took it with him wherever he went.

After the beating, he took the child to the pantry with the care of a father, washed it and bathed it...  Evidence will show that the child talked after Botkins left on errands the housekeeper had asked him to perform in the city."

The Defense stated that the punishment was given about noon and the child was still alive at 5:00. 

The witnesses then began to appear, beginning with the physicians.

The first witness was Dr. G.W. Huffman:

"The child was dead when I first saw it between 4 and 5. The death was a result of abnormal fluids around the heart and spinal cords. 

By the measurement of the wounds, marks of stitches, shape of bruises, compared to those of the three ply, vicious heavy weapon, displayed as Exhibit A by the prosecution"... it was this heavier strap used instead of the lighter strap Botkins claimed to have used."

The doctor added that the weapon was sufficient to kill. "I doubt the child's ability to talk after receiving such wounds."

In the meantime, Mrs. Bullocks was bailed out of jail by three former neighbors of hers from Lima. They paid the $1000 due and she returned to the Botkins farm.

The State presented its case first by reading the murder indictment, and then going over the facts of the case as he saw them.

He stated that the 50 year old bachelor, Joshua Botkins, had moved to Defiance County from Auglaize County in March of 1920, buying what was known as the Overly farm in Noble Twp. Botkins had already asked Mrs. Bullock to come along as his housekeeper with her three boys, Earl - 7, Jesse - 5, and Arthur Gerald - 3

He described the house and farm layout in detail; Botkins neighbor across the road was Peter Kintner. Both men were working on the public road until a shower interrupted them at noon. The two men decided to go to a neighboring farm to get some buckwheat seed. Botkins called for Earl to get the horses ready for the trip.

At some point, Botkins learned that Arthur had accidentally answered a call of nature. (He had dirtied his pants.) Mrs. Bullock was hanging out clothes in the back. Earl, looking for Botkins, saw him through the pantry window holding up a young, naked Arthur by the feet and beating him with a tug in a brutal way.

"He not only beat him with the tug, but doused him in the tub which was then full with water" said Winn. "If the child was not dead when Earl saw the beating through the window, he was no doubt unconscious from the beating. This tug...was brought from the barn by the defendant to be used for the purpose of beating this child and his brothers. 

Joshua Botkins'photo in The Crescent-News on February 4, 1921

Earl ran for help to Kintners and brought back Ethel Farquahson (Mrs. Kintner's daughter) and Mrs. Kintner. Botkins had left on his errand for buckwheat. The Defiance-Crescent, September 3, 1920.

"Ethel raised the lids of his eyes and found them glassy in death. Then she took the child in her arms, carried it to the rear porch and there made further examination but found that life was gone."

She called two neighbors who were still at the barn and sent them for a doctor, using their automobile. Dr. Huffman verified the child's death. Authorities were notified and Botkins and Mr.Kintner were located on the Clinton Street bridge, returning from their buckwheat seed errand. Botkins was taken into custody.

The prosecutor stated: "When taken into custody by the Sheriff, the defendant admitted that he had punished the child but claimed to have used a lighter strap and that the punishment was not severe. But the punishment WAS severe. It was so severe that it blotted out the life of Arthur Gerald Bullock. It was so severe that the tender, quivering flesh of this baby boy was cut, bruised and torn and mangled...  he (Botkins) passed through the city of Defiance with every opportunity to call medical assistance, but none was called...."

The Prosecutor closed by claiming the premediated intentions of Botkins, who purposely had the tug ready for beatings, who was known for his terrible temper, and who assaulted a helpless child, calling it discipline. It was Murder, he concluded.

Ida Bullocks, Arthur's mother, was subpoenaed by the Prosecution, but was not called to the stand. She had defended Botkins for some days, but as the shock wore off from her child's death, she became less and less supportive.

NOW THE JURY WAS OUT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE VERDICT WAS?  

Comment below.

Dianne Kline, Researcher

William Brown Yeagley - Civil War Soldier Buried in Farmer Cemetery

William Yeagley once described himself as a "capitalist," and he surely was.  He bought and sold land, ran a farm, worked as a surveyor and invested in a canning factory.  William was a Pennsylvania man, born on November 15, 1833, to Andrew and Catharine (Dougherty) Yeagley.  



When he was 21, he married Margaret Hendershot, but after settling the family in Dekalb County, Indiana, and starting a family, he enlisted in the Indiana Volunteer Infantry - Company H, 88th Regiment.  He was twenty eight years old and had three children (and possibly one on the way) at the time of his enlistment on August 12, 1862.  Organized at Newville, Indiana, the 88th met together in Fort Wayne before marching together to Louisville.  They pursued Bragg through Kentucky and Tennessee, losing fifty-six men at the Battle of Stones River.  They were involved in the horrendous battle at Chickamauga, climbed Lookout Mountain with Hooker by November 24th, and then fought at Missionary Ridge on the next day.  They were heavily involved in the fighting on Sherman's march to the sea.  Later, William would name his son, born in 1863, Sherman, in honor of the general he admired.  

By 1870, William and Margaret had settled in Center Township, Williams County, where he farmed.  Their children, at that time, were Blanche, 14; Park, 13; Lottie, 8; and Sherman, 7.  The first two children were born in Ohio and the second two in Indiana.  

Washington Township, Defiance County, was the family's home in 1880.  Little Madge, who was 5 then, was now in the family.  Park and Sherman helped their father on the farm.  In 1886, William purchased 80 acres in Farmer Township from Allen Barrows, and at some point the family moved there.  William not only farmed, but he was a businessman, too, investing in and serving on the board of the Farmer Canning Company.

Defiance Weekly Express, August 10, 1899

In the 1900 census, William, then 66, gave "capitalist" as his occupation, as did his sister, Catharine J. Britton, a widow, who lived with him.  Margarette, 62, also had Madge, 25, single, at home, and Ella B. Tharp, 22, a granddaughter.  Madge worked as a saleslady in a grocery store and Ella was a dressmaker.  It was noted that Ella was married less than a year, but her husband's whereabouts...and name...are unknown.

About 1901, Madge married Vernon E. Cunningham, a house painter, and the couple lived with her parents.  William was then 76 and Margaret, 72, in Farmer Township.  

William died on February 19, 1915.  His obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on March 5, 1915:

Daniel D Diehl, comrade of William Yeagley in Company H

Margaret Hendershot Yeagley lived on another ten years, passing away in February, 1925.  Her obituary appeared in the Crescent News on February 7, 1925:

Farmer Cemetery

  

Meet the Lawyers of Defiance County - 1894

From the Defiance Democrat - November 22, 1894

"LAWYER'S FADS

Some Peculiarities Noticeable in the Legal Gentlemen.

 Judge Sutphen wears his beard trimmed in a faultless manner and is always crowned by a soft hat.  When not engaged in his law office, he can be found putting in some spare moments looking after the grounds which surround his Jefferson street residence.

Hon. Henry Hardy is a student who applies himself to reading.  He delights to draw on his fund of reminiscences of Defiance and knows much of its early history.

B. B. Kingsbury is something of a searcher after more light on the subject of spiritualism and is perhaps one of the most persistant readers among the attorneys of this city, and has an extensive library stocked with scientific works.

Henry Newbegin is a born fighter and is in his element when engaged in a case that is stubbornly contested.  He loves to sit in the court room and listen to an argument by a brother attorney.

John W. Slough likes a bit of an argument himself and is one of President Cleveland's most ardent admirers.

W. H. Hubbard, aside from being a good lawyer, is one of the most entertaining story tellers among the members of the bar.  He is in his element when making a political speech.  His silk hat always looks immaculate.

 

W. H. Hubbard

Henry Hockman has a 'hankering' after educational matters and was formerly considered one of the successful teachers in the county.

Hon. John W. Winn is something of a horse fancier and dabbles in equines some.  John is an expert wheelman and is at home in politics.  He is also a zealous member of the Knights of Pythias and holds an exalted position in the grand lodge.

John W. Winn

B. F. Enos has the largest collection of pipes of any attorney in the city and things theatrical interest him.  Mr. Enos is in his element when engaged in criminal practice.  His forte is in examining witnesses.

N. G. Johnston is perhaps the only exponent of Blackstone at this bar who combines agriculture with law, and he does it with success.

J. P. Cameron is one of the unmarried lawyers and perhaps his fad is in not becoming a head of a family.  Mr. Cameron has a farm or two and helps make hay when the demand for laborers exceeds the supply.

Mr. Harris affects soft hats and cape overcoats.  He is wrapped up in his business and has a memory he can rely on.  He fights every inch of the ground in a law suit.

Judge Baker's fad is loans.  He is one of the staunchest Democrats in Ohio, and makes a brilliant political speech.  H. G. has travelled extensively and is an entertaining conversationalist.

K. V. Haymaker will arise in the night to tell you a story and when he has told it to you, you'll laugh.  K. V. excels as a wag and always has something new in his line.  He is now interested in the loan association which does not afford him much opportunity to practice law.

L. B. Peaslee is a college bred man and can impart much valuable information on almost any subject.  He is familiar with history, smokes a pipe and is somewhat of a Bohemian.

Solicitor Latty is one of the youngest members of the bar.  He dreams of ordinances, Guss Wagner, Dey Ayers and Jess Shulz.

Squire Orcutt attends to his justice business, marrys couples and enjoys life about as well as any of his colleagues.  He is a bachelor.

Prosecutor Woods is still enjoying single blessedness along with his law practice.  Jim has a good supply of the substantials of this life and has served the country faithfully.

Of all the attorneys in this city, Wm. Carter has the finest collection of whiskers, which make him look decidedly distinguished.  Mr. Carter's fad was the Centennial and he did splendidly as secretary.  He represents several large firms in this city and has a penchant for literary work.

Judge Hay is an orator.  His fad is politics and looking after fences.  He is an enthusiastic wheelman and is always well dressed.

Justice Ansberry is the youngest member of the bar and perhaps one of the youngest justices of the peace in the country.  Tim as come to the front through his own efforts and may yet represent this district in congress."

Timothy Ansberry