Fact or Fiction
Sometimes it is difficult to separate fact from folklore as illustrated by the stories surrounding “Horse Thief Cave.” Horse thieves operating in the area are rumored to have hidden stolen horses in a local cave, which came to be known as “Horse Thief Cave.” Some say that the horses were driven from the south and then led through the river to confuse trackers. The cave’s location was west of Center Point. One person, who claims to have visited the cave, remembers that there was a tunnel, which connected the cave to the banks of the Cedar River at a location known as Sand Prairie. Over time, the tunnel began to collapse and the main cave as well as the opening near the river were sealed shut. Dave Craig remembers slipping thru the narrow opening of the cave as a youngster and dropping stones into the hole and it would take some time before the stones would hit water. One morning before school Dave and a friend tried to dynamite the opening, but to no avail. Remnants of the cave opening are still visible on the Raymond Attwood farm.
Dr. Kenneth Andersen remembers another story related to the cave. Ray Knight, who heard the original version from his uncle, told this story to Dr. Andersen. In the early morning hours around the year 1880, a mob of local residents marched through town carrying large kerosene soaked torches. Several men with megaphones were shouting to wake local residents.
The men claimed that a horse thief named Brody had been apprehended. Local residents had found stolen horses at a hidden cave. Brody’s claims that he found the horses were dismissed. The mob proceeded to the northeast corner of Vine and Summit streets where, at that time, there was a large pine tree. The “horse thief” was hoisted into the air while some spectators cheered and others protested.
The story of the hanging cannot be substantiated. Several gangs of horse thieves have been documented in Linn County from the 1840s to the 1850’s. One of the more prominent gangs was the Brody gang. The group was reputed to be involved in stealing horses, counterfeiting and selling whiskey to Indians. Rumor had it that a family member appeared before every session of the Linn County court. There is no way to substantiate the rumor since no records can be found. It is highly unlikely that the incident told to Dr. Andersen is accurate because the dates don’t match, the Center Point marshal would likely have objected to the hanging and no records exist in early history accounts. Readers will need to decide for themselves whether “Horse Thief Cave” actually existed.
Early history records, however, do document a shooting. William Langsdale was indicted for killing Joseph Barnes in July, 1872, at the Langsdale Store. The testimony filed in the office of the Clerk indicates that Barnes was drunk when he started a fight with another customer. Mr. Langsdale pulled a pistol from behind the counter and shot Mr. Barnes. Barnes was taken to a doctor’s office where he died. Langsdale was tried in March 1873. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.