The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-18

The Postmaster at Florence, Stephen
son County, MurderOusly
Attacked.
Freeport Bnlle tin.


"Your money or your life were the
words which startled John William Mey>
er, postmaster and grain merchant at the
little village of Florence, seven miles west
of Freeport last Monday evening, and in
the next instant leaden bullet pierced
his right breast. The shot came from a
death dealing revolver in the hands of a
masked stranger who had silently en-
tered his store, but whether upon mis-
sion of murder or robbery is as yet an
unsolved mystery. This most tiendsh
and ruff1anly assault was made at about
a quarter past eight clock, and in very
few minutes afterward the information
had been received at FreepOrt. A Bu8le.
tin representative, in company with DR..
Caldwell, FASTENED to the scene of the
shooting, reaching there not far from half
past 10 o'clock. The injured man was
found in his Mouse, occupying bed in
the upper story, and with the exception
of being somewhat excited. hit looked ms
strong and rugged as could be. He was
surrounded by members of his family,
some of whom were half scared to death
for fear he might die. DR.. Caldwell as
soon as he had removed his heavy coat,
began search for the bullet. 1t had
struck Mr.. Meyer in his breast, some four
or five inches above the right nipple, the
spot being marked by blood. In probing
for the dangerous piece of lead, Dr. Cald
well traced it's course to the right and IL
little upward, nearly four inches. but its
exact location could not be definitely
fixed. There wers no indications that 1t
had entered the chest cavity, and very
little pain was at that time caused by the
wound. While the doctor was making
this fruitless search for the bullet, AIR.
Meyer, he having taken no choroform or
anything of that nature, talked about the
shooting and wondered why it was done,
for, said he, II have no enemy in the
world that know Of
IN THE STORE.
The Bulletin scribe was shown into the
store, and the situation at the time of the
shooting described to him by Miss Emma
Meyer the injured mans daughter, who
was the only person in the building be>
sides Mr.. Meyer and the villain when the
shot was fired. The store is small,
wooden structure. situated u few rods
back from, south of and facing the c. i,
M. & st. p. railroad track 1t is entered
by an ordinary doorway and when the AS
sAult was made Mr.. Meyer was sitting at
the farther end from the doorway, of a
counter that was perhaps twenty five feet
in length. He was reading the news of
the day from the Chicago Times, and his
daughter Emma stood on the opposite
side of the store behind another counter
ard facing him. The man with a revol-
YER entered the room very quietly, as his
presence was not noticed until within
some four or five feet from his victim,
when, looking Mr.. Meyer in the face, and
presenting revolver, he cried out,
YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE"
Mr.. Meyer, started by that strange re-
mark, arose from his chair and said to the
man, Are you joking?" and laughed, be -.
| cause he thought the person before him
was one of the neighbor boys playing Il
| trick on him. The villain made no reply
and Mr.. Meyer started toward him. and.
he thinks. tried to grab the revolver from
the would-be murIerer's hands. The
stranger wore black shining mask re
sembling oilcloth, over his face, and
thr ough the holes cut in it Mr.. Meyer saw
his dark eyes glistencd with excitement
The man said not word, but jumped
back ii little and fired. the bullet taking
effect as before stated. The moment the
shot was fired the man, without speaking
made the utmost haste in getting out of
the store, and that was the last any one
saw of him.
A dispatch received from Florence
Tuesday afternoon, says Mr.. Meyer res
mains about the same. and that no clue to
the villain who perpetrated the dastardly
deed has been discovered,