Amos Gibson, a 18 year old farm labor, was living with a widow, Mrs. Mary Ann Kinder, in Savoy, Texas. Amos Emory Gibson was born in Illinois, to a large family who frequently moved. Amos lived with his parents in Missouri before the family moved to Texas in about 1870. At a preliminary hearing on May 3rd, he reported the following incident[1]:
Amos E Gibson being sworn says I am
acquainted with Rice Dunbar, Scott Vanvickle and M.G. Bobbitt and recognize the
defendants as being present. Mr. Dunbar, Mr. Bobbitt, and Vanvickle come to the
house where I was on the 25th of April. I recollect as if I was
there, He (Dunbar) called me out, told me I was his
prisoner. I asked him of what authority I
was his prisoner, he Dunbar told me it was none of my business and told the
other boys to take me.
They, Dunbar, Vanvickle and Bobbitt took me some fifty or sixty yards from the house. They asked me where a certain pistol was and told me they knew I had it that day. Mr. Dunbar said if I did not get the pistol, he would take me out and hang me up. They gathered me up and rolled me in the mud and rubbed mud in my face. They told me if I did not get the pistol for them, they would hang me. I went and got the pistol and gave it to Mr. Dunbar. I gave the knife to Mr. Bobbitt. Then they took me out on the Bonham Road and asked me where I had been at work last. Told them at Mr. Fleming’s. (William Fleming was a 55 year old farmer from Tennessee. He and his wife Louise, who was 20 years younger had 8 children occasionally employed Amos as a farm laborer.)
They asked me if I could find the way down there. (about a 10 mile walk.) I told them I could if it was important. They told me to take the road and go to Flemings and stay there until they came after me the next morning when they would march me to Bonham. I got off about ten steps from them, one of them said “Let’s shoot.” I don’t know which one said so I then went to Mr. Carroll’s, (There are several Carroll families in the area) then to my brother’s. (His brother Cornelius, who is two years older lived in the area.)
I changed clothes. Next morning went to Flemings and asked if they (the men) had been there. Fleming told me they had not been there. All this took place in Fannin County about 10:00 o’clock at night at Mrs. Kinder’s (Mary Ann Kinder, a recent widow from Virginia in her mid-sixties, lived in the area. Amos was probably a boarder). The night was dark and cloudy. I have not told anyone that other than parties connected to the robbery.
I have not seen nor heard of the pistol since I gave it to the parties. Mrs. Kinder lives in Fannin County. I never told anyone that any other person except Mr. Bobbitt got my knife. I have not said since (that) Mr. Vanvickle and Dunbar were the parties that committed this offense.
The other men arrested with Rice were all southerners. Rice was the only Yankee. This may have been a factor in this trial. The other named men are:
Winfield Scott
Vanvickle – born in Iowa 1852, and grew up in Missouri. Oldest of seven children born to Jackson and
Eliza Vanvickle. Jackson was a
Confederate soldier.
Meridon Gentry
Bobbitt – born in Tennessee 1849, Confederate Soldier
William R.
Truitt – probably born about 1848 in Alabama and lived in Texas most of life.
A second
witness came forward to the sheriff on May 3, 1975. Thomas Richardson was a
tall slender 25 year old farmer. Born in
Missouri, married for 7 years to his wife Nancy, they had four children
including one infant daughter. Thomas was sworn in and gave this information.
I live
in Fannin County. Last Sunday night
between nine and ten o’clock I heard Mr.
Dunbar, Vanvickle and Bobbitt come out of Mr. Updegraff’s house which was
vacant. (The Dencer Clinton Updegraff family had lived in Savoy for just a
couple of years, where D.C. had worked as a laborer. Dencor and his wife, and
infant son had recently moved to Hennipen, Putnam, Illinois so the house was
vacant.) I heard Mr. Dunbar holler (I know his voice). These parties went to the
Updegraff house about early candle light and stayed there until half past nine or
ten o’clock, crossed the fence in the direction of Mr. Dunbar’s house. I have no time piece, but to the best of my
knowledge, I think it was about the time I have stored.” T.J Richardson.
On the same
day, May 3, 1875, one of the four men turned confessed. The court papers state: William R. Truitt co-defendant in the
above entered cause, who upon his oath says that if the court will protect him
from prosecution, he is ready as a witness for the state to tell the truth the
whole truth and nothing but the truth, that he can and will tall who the
parties were and to the best of his knowledge, what said offense was committed.
William R Truitt, co-defendant being
duly sworn says there was four persons went to Mrs. Kinder’s last Sunday night
one week ago. These four persons were
myself, William Truitt, Rice Dunbar Bobbitt, and Vanvickle. We called Gibson out, took him down the road,
some of the party got from Gibson a pistol and knife. Mr. Dunbar asked Gibson for the pistol.
While Truitt
was given immunity for his testimony, it was determined that there was enough
evidence for a trial for Rice Dunbar, Scott Vanvickle, M G Bobbitt. They were accused
of having falsely personated themselves as officers of the law and having
robbed Amos Gibson. Bond was set at $750 for each defendant. ($17,000 in 2015
dollars) Dunbar was able to pay and be free until he appear in county court in
July 1875. Rice’s bond was probably
posted by his wealthy father. Vanvickle
and Bobbitt could not post bond and remained in jail.
The jury trial
began on Monday, July 12, 1875, in the Fannin County seat, Bonham, Texas. The county court house consisted of two log
cabins with a breezeway connecting the two. Jurors sat above the courtroom in a
loft that could be reached only by an outside ladder. The trial was short. The charge was robbery and fraudulently
taking from Amos E Gibson a crime committed with violence and fear of life or
bodily injury. The pistol was valued at $10, ($220 in 2015) and the knife $1.
($22 in 2015). Dunbar and Vanvickle
pleaded not guilty. Only Amos E Gibson,
Thomas Richardson were called as witnesses for the prosecution and they gave
the same accounts as they did in May. The
defense tried to discredit Gibson by implying that Gibson had no regular home.
Dunbar
came to the stand and testified: Gibson
had become to me nuisance and my object in helping to roll him in the mud was
to get rid of him. We took nothing else
from him but his arms. Gibson was
accused of stealing horses.
J.T Bradford
was the single witness for the defense. He was a respected, older citizen, (54 years
old), and served as Savoy’s doctor. His testimony included: I have heard Amos Gibson to be accused of horse stealing. I know nothing of my own knowledge only
hearsay. These defendants are
industrious, working men. They live on
my farm.
After the
trial, the judge’s instructions were given to the jury on the same day. If
convicted the sentence could be 2-10 years in prison. Dunbar was confined to
the county jail to wait the jury’s decision.
After hearing
the evidence, the jury deliberated for about a day. On July 15th, the jury foreman, H.
S Randell announced these decisions; We
the jury find the defendant Rice Dunbar guilty as charged in the indictment and
assess his punishment in the state penitentiary for 2 years. Scott Vanvickle found not guilty.
This meant Rice
O. Dunbar was a convicted felon and going to Huntsville, Texas. 
Huntsville in the 1870's
[1]
Information in parenthesis and not italicize were added by the author to
clarify.
