Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-17
Club and Hoe.

Last week We mentloneu HgHt az
Clay township between Silas Renirow
and G. w. ScantIing, in which a club
aud hoe were used as weapons. we
are now able to give the particulars OF
the difficulty:
Scantling has for several years been
engaged In herding cattle in Texas,
| Missouri and Kansas, as an employee
of owners. He came into Clay town
ship last Autumn, and has since been
engaged in feeding a lot Of Texas
cattle for j. r. Brady d. Co. on the
Johnson &c Frush farm, boarding
meanwhile at the house Of Samuel
Anderson on an adjoining farm.
! Renfrow lives on his own farm, in
fhe neighborhood. Came there from
Missouri something over q year since.
II appears that some time last winter
Scant!ing insuIted Renfrow by telling
him that Missourians never knew
when they had finished a meal where
the next would come from unless they
h ad coon freed. Renfrow felt the
banter, and retorted, but there the
matter ended for the time. On subse'
uuout occasions when they accidentlly
met Scantling called Renfrow coon
| cater and otherwise endeavored to pro-
woke him, aud Renfrow retarted In
such manner ~ to touch the pride
of Scantling. RefnrOw sent scantllng
written notice to stay off his farm,
but subsequently Brady bought a lot
Of corn from Renfrow and the latter
gave Scantliug permission TO go to his
crib for the corn. When S. hauled
the last load away he told II. that he
tS.) bad cheated him (R.) out Of $50 in
measuring the corn, and wished he
| could cheat him out Of 500.
Sunday evening, 9TH inst, Renfrow
was at work in his field (being an
adventist he kept Saturday for Sab
hath, when ScantIing came by 10 the
| road with three young ladies. The
party made remarks and laughed at
r., as he says, and II, retorted upon >.
by saying" Hurrah for Brady's bnll!"
These words spoken in hearing Of the
ladies, so enraged S. that he armed
himself with hickory club about two
feet long and the next day went into
RS. field where II. was hoeing corn.
When he came tosthe fence II. warn
| ed him not TO come into the field, but
Scantling swore he had come TO whip
a coon-eater, and would knock his
brains out. Scantling advanced, Rem
frow met him with his hoe, and broke
the handle ut the first blow. lie then
grasped one end OF the clgb while
| Scantling held the other. They
cliuehed and went down S. under
ueath. S. then turned r. under, when
the latter called his son. The bow
came up and pulled $. Off his father,
when II. picked up the hoe and struck
s. on the forehead with the back Of
the hoe, mashing in the skull. Rem
frow, i'm the first encounter received
two heavy blows upon the head from
the club, by which severe gashes were
cut. lie suffered terrible loss of
! blood.
| When r.. had delt the last blow
and quilted his adversary he left s.
lying in the field apparently dead, and
| went IL the house.
| Samuel Anderson and Solomon Nc
Millen Jr. came and carried Seautling
la a wagon TO the house of Mr.. Ander-
| son.
The above may be somewhat one.
sided report, but we give 1t rs we hear
1t from parties In the neighborhood.
Renfrow and his son were arraigned
before Justice Hart OF this city, and
waving examination were-hound over
to appear at next term of District court,
the father giving bond in the sum of
| $4,000 and the son s. 900.