Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-09-04
Midnight Murder.
Two Policemen Shot While on
Duty.
Burglars Supposed to be the
ASSaSSinS.

GENEVA, ILL.,, Aug. 81, Two police
men were mysterieusly murdered
Friday night in this little village right
IN the center of the town, and thus
far is no explanation of the bloody
| deed. The victims are John McNett.
one OF the three policemen of the yil>
lage, and Joseph Grant, the nights
watchman at the depot. The shoots
ing occurred near the courthouse
about midnight, and aroused many
who were sleeping in the neighbor>
hood, and, although shooting in the
streets, and especially such fusilsde
as 1t now appears there must have
oeen at that hour, IS a most unusual
occurrence here, few arose from their
beds or Went out to investigate, and
1t was reserved for party of merry,
makers, returning from q picnic about
l o'clock, to find the bodies of tlae
murdered mcu and give the alarp1.
ONE DEAD AND THE OTHER DYING.
McNett was found dead with a bul-
let-hole in the region of the heart.
his revolver. with five of its chambers
emptied, lying near him. The corpse
was lying on its face as if death had
suddenly stricken down the tall. pow
erfnl man. McNett lay at the south
east corner of the courthouse. and
several rods away, on the sidewalk; :;
was found City Marshal Grant, also
with a bullet hole ia the breast. but
on the right side, still breathing
slightly, but unconscious, and the
last life sparks fast dying out. The
blood oozea slowly out of his mortal
wound. He was taken home, few
blocks distant, and died on the way.
A coroner's jury was summoned this
morning, but adjournedto allow time
for investigation.
THEORIES OF THE CRIME.
There have been several attempted
burglaries in the town OF late, the last
one occurring but night or two ago
at the house of Mr.. Plato. 1t is sup
posed that last night the officers dis
covered the burglars either at work or
leaving the scene of their unlawful
activity, and that in the attempt to
arrest them. the officers bsing separat>
ed, the fatal shots were fred BY the
thieves. Grants pistol was found
near his side. four chambers being
empty. Both murdered officers have
excellent regulations. Grant was the
smaller, and was known to be peace.
able. quiet, but determined man, while
McNett was a good and vigilant po>
llceman. Both the deceased leave
large families. The possibility that
their death was due TO quarrel be-
tween themselves is precluded by the
fact that they We're good friends; that
they were seen late in the evening in
amlcable intercourse, and that their
| bodies were found quite distance
| apart from each other They had Just
eaten lunch together and had gone to
look after d bonfire which some tramps
had started just before the shots we're
heard.
Just over the fence of Mrs. Whaley's
yard, west one block from the scene of
the shooting at noon a revolver was
found with the mouth filled with
| fresh mud. An examination showed
that not cartridge bad exploded,
and that the murderers of the dead of
ficers had apparently thrown the
weapon away after the crime and
while fleeing. The revolver was
marked continental No. "a" 1t did
not belong to either o the dead men.
They wore bulldog pattern revol
vers of 3S caliber. The discovery of
the continental" revolver gives rise
to various theories There were those
who held to the idea that perhaps the
dead men had sho! each other. The
bullet which caused the death of Nc
Nett was taken out by the corridor
and measured. 1t was found to be OF
3S caliber; so it was certainly not
fired from the pistol found in Mrs.
Whaley's yard.