Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-29
A BRUTAL ACT.
The Way an Upper End Peda-
gogue Treated His Pupils.
MKEEvER AS AN INSTRUCTOR.

i
Among People Who Know His Opponent
| as Well as Himself Other Political Mat
| ters-Port Byron Notes
PORT BYRON, Oct 27.-As election
day draws nearer, interest in politics
| increases. and the merits OF the diff
| ferent candidates. and their posi-
tions in the race. are freely dis
cussed. Charlie Nesus has many
friends here who are hopeful OF his
election. Dad Gordon is quite fav
orite, and many of our people who
have been recipients OF many of
those little kindnesses which Dad"
distributes so cordially and lavishly,
feel special interest in his success.
That superintendent Marshall has
made good officer is conceded on
all hands, and our people do not
manifest any desire to experiment
with Mr.. Mckeever. who, by the
way, is not a stranger in these parts,
as he taught the Rose Hill school in
this neighborhood some years ago.
McKeever's Brutality.
| Rose Hill is name given to lit
tie school house, situated some three
or four miles east of this place. 1t
is quiet rural neighborhood made
up of thrifty and contented farmers
The school house is the intellectual
center of the little community, and
it was here that the most of the now
resident farmers received the rudi-
ments of their education. Into this
quiet retreat Pedagogue McKecver
came to wield the ..birch," or, as
subsequent events proved, the
poker" Your correspondent
CHANGED to drop into group of
farmers few ago.days who were re-
calling "reminiscences of their school
days. Among them was Jolly,
round-faced farmer who recalled
many ludicrous experiences with f.
b. Mckeever, the most noteworthy
of which was Mckeever's brutal
treatment of William Cox, then a
boy of Is years. Desiring to know
the facts, your correspondent hunted
up MIR. Cox. and asked him to relate
the circumstance. The following is
in substance Mr.. Cox's statement OF
the affair: 1T happened on the last
day of school. A number of us bows
were roaming the woods near the
school house when we started a coon,
which we soon freed. and in the en-
citement which followed, we, of
course. became oblivious to time,
and returned to school very late.
Mckeeyer selected the smallest boy
in the group, and proceeded
to beat him numerically. /
stood it until it became appare MT
that Mckeeuer in his ungovernable
rage was liable to iniure the child.
when l rose in my seat. and said /:
For Gods sake don't kill him, Mr..
Mckeever." Quick as flash and
without any warning, McKeever
turned from the child, picked up
large iron poker and dealt me ter
rible blow on the head" When Mr..
Cox reached this part of his MARIA
tive, he raised his hat. and showed a
long deep scar Just above his temple,
which he will carry to his grave: a
"Reminiscences of Mr.. McKeever which
will never lose its painful memory to
Mr.. Cox, who would not be here to
tell this story if the blow had been
delivered an inch lower on his head.
Mr.. Cox is now a substantial farmer
in Hampton township. and will veri-
fy this statement. David Page, one
Of the noblest and kindest of men,
who, through his writing has in
spired thousands of teachers with a
love for children, and a sense of deep
responsibility to them. says: 1.-The
man who cannot control his own tenn
per and spirit is not fitted to be the
guide and and pattern OF the young"
Think of it. parents, if your boy were
brought home to you today with his
head broken open, disfigured for life,
by cruel blow with an iron poker in
he hands of his teacher, what
would be your feelings? AS looked
at Mr.. Cox and thought of the utter
incompetency of this man as teach
er, could not help wonder if he
were fitted for the broader work to
which he aspires.
Port Byron Talk.
A. II. Wendt is repainting the front
of his furniture establishment. Pure
white is being used.
Business is improving in all lines
here. The merchants all make sub
stantial gains in sales.
John Mullhollen and wife have
gone to spend the winter with rela-
tives in Audubon. Iowa.
John Devinney has purchased the
farm owned by Benjamin Schneider,
situated east of Rapids City.
Mrs. Henry Hall. of Moline died a,
L 4
was the mother of our esteemed citi.
zen, Warren S. Hall.
The c., NJ. 4 st. p. railway i.
making some needed repairs on cul
verts; cast iron pipes are being
placed in instead of rock.
The high school recital was un-
usually well attended last week
Prof. Fife should receive praise fol-
his efforts in making these entertain
ments success and of interest t.