Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1893-09-22
A TRAGEDY AT DALTON.
Town Marshal VIM. MeKnabb Shot Last
Sunday At Dusk by Lewis II. Legg,
Freight Train Brakeman.

sunday ~ Dusk oy Lewis N. Legg,
Freight Train Brakeman.
Last Sunday morning W. J. Buch
anan, a Wabash freight train con.
ductor who runs a through freight
between Moberly and Kansas City,
and one of his brakemen, Lewis NJ
Legg, came up from Moberly to Dal-
ton on No. z, the st. Louis and
Council Bluffs passenger train, and
went down to the cutoff" some
five or six miles below Dalton, where
they spent the day fishing.
They both returned to Dalton that
evening expecting to return home on
the Chicago "cannon ball" between
8 and 10 O'Clock that night.
Shortly after their return to Dal-
ton they repaired to Mrs. Minnie Ar
bogast's restaurant TO get supper.
As they entered the restaurant, Earl,
a little 5-year-old son of G. w. Nc
Knabb, a grsss widower who is liv-
ing at Dalton, ran playfully up to
Legg with his hands up-lifted as II to
push Legg back. Legg walked
around the little fellow, when he
turned and put his hands on the
screen door, supposedly to prevent
Legg's opening it, with aview to get
ting up a romp with him. Legg caught
hold OF Earrs arm and led him to
one side. reaching to open the door
with the other hand. As Legg let 60
the boy, the little fellow fell and COM
menced crying.
1t seems that little Earl made his
home with VIM. McKnabb, the Dal-
ton marshal, and hall nephew oi
g. w. Mcknabb, the boys father.
VIM. McKnabb appeared upon the
scene about this time, and asked
Legg what he knocked the boy of
the sidewalk for, when .Legg replied;
81 beg your pardon. 1 didn't knock
him of the walk" McKnabb, how
ever. insisted that he, (Legg) had
pushed the boy OF the walk, and
|statsd xhnt hs (NfcKnabb) would see
himlater.
With this McKnabb turned and
walked out of the restaurant and up
the street to a pool room OF which
he was the proprietor. armed himself
with a heavy leather cane with an
iron or steel rod running through ii
and started back down the street.
By this time Buchanan and Legg
had ordered their supper, and walked
out on the street until their evening
meal could be prepared. They had
not gone far when they met VIM.
McKnabb, who again asked Legg
Why he knocked the boy of the side
walk. A few words passed between
McKnabb and Legg, and McKnabb
insisted on settling the matter then
and there.
Just here, Buchanan, who was
standing between McKnabb and
Legg, interferred, and laid his hand
on McKpabb's breast and remon-
strated with him mot to be too
fast" But McKnabb's pugnacious
tendency could not be allayed, and,
striking over Buchanan, he dealt
Legg a blow on the head with the
cane, telling him to his knees, and
infiicting a wound on bis right tenn
pie.
Legg then quickly raised his pis-
tol, a 32-calibre American bulldog
weapon, and fred, the ball passing
through Buchanan's left ear. Nc
Knabb pushed on upon Legg, when
Legg fired a second shot, after which
McKnabb knocked Legg of OF the
sidewalk, when Legg got up and fired
the third shot. McKnabb reeled and
staggered some 10 or 20 feet distant
aud fell in the grocery store door OF
+. c. Harke and soon expired.
Legg took to his heels and sue
ceeded in making his escape, but
arrived from Moberly Wednesday
afternoon and surrendered himself
to the authorities. On being taken
before Squire 8. p. Ewing he waived
preliminary examination and was
bound over to the grand jury at the
October term Of circuit court. The
required bond OF $4,000 was fur
nished by Mayor Ragsdale, Police
Judge McNinch, Chief of Police
I,ooh - IN Mart;r T n Am;ct