The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-10-17
Additional Information About the
Killing of Russ Warner and
Kit Lorenzo at Fairfield.


A brief telegram from the sheriff of
JEFFERSON county, Iowa, to the sheriff of
Decatur county was received at Leon
tuesday morning informing him that
the bodies of two young men had been
found by the side of the G. B. & O..
track near that place Fairfield during
the night and from evidence found on
the bodies they were from Decatur
county. The telephone was called into
requisition and it was soon settled be-
You'd much doubt that the unfortunate
boys were Russ Warner, son of Geo. w.
Warner, Of Morgan township, eight
miles west of Llneyile, and Kit Lorenzo,
son of f. M. Lorenzo, of the same town.
ship. The boys had left town on Mon
day morning, September 80, in company
with George Danielson and Charley
Cocherham, of the same neighborhood,
all about the same age, their objective
point being Leon and their purpose to
seek work on the construction train of
the @. z. q @. railroad in the vicinity of
Charlton. Nothing was heard from
them by their parents after their depar-
ture until the message from the sheriff
at Fairfield conveyed the awful news of
their death. Mr.. Warner and Mr.,
Lorenzo came to Lineville Immediately
and communicated with the sheriff at
Fairfield and took the afternoon train
for that place, having been convinced
beyond doubt that the bodies were
those OF their sons. Arriving at Fair
field on their sad mission they found
that the authorities had removed the
bodies to the undertaker's room, where
they were prepared for transportation
and burial and cared for them in the
most careful ard tender manner. The
identification of the bodies by the
fathers was complete. The inquest by
the coroner was in progress, but could
not be completed before the following
-yesterday-so we are unable
to give full report of the proceedings
in this issue. The facts escertained
were that the bodies were seen by the
engineer of the east bound fast mail
train about nine o'clock Monday even
ing lying by the side of the track one
and half miles east of Fairfield in a
deep cut. A message notifying the
authorities of Fairfield was sent back
from the next station and the officers
Immediately proceeded to the spot.
The bodies were found lying side by
side, their heads toward and near the
track, Warner on his back and Lorenzo
on his face. There was no evidence of a
struggle and there was no blood about
except where the bodies lay. Each
bore frightful wound on the side of
the head, the wound on Warmers head
being on the right and that on florence
on the left side, in each case the skull
being crushed. No other; marks were
y found on the bodies except some slight
abrasions and scratches ION Lorence's
face. 1t seems incredible that both
boys should have been instantly killed
by falling from or being struck by a
train and the general theory entertain
ed by the people here is that they were
murdered, either by tramps or slugged
by trainman and thrown from a train.
They were in Fairfield about dark that
evening and were described by the keep.
er of restaurant where they got 8
lunch. Neither was supposed to have
had much money when they left home
and only fifteen cents was found in
their pockets.
The fathers of the boys arrived al
Linevjlle yesterday morning with the
bodies and the funeral was held at the
M. +. church, South, in the afternoon
attended by large number OF sorrow
ing relatives, friends and people from
the neighborhood where they were bor1
and raised. The interment was in one
grave at Evergreen cemetry. The War
ner boy was past Is and the Lorenc,
boy past IL years of age. The parent
and relatives have the deepest sym
pathy of ali in their sorrow and bereave
ment. The fathers of tie boys express
their grateful thanks for the kind anC
tender sympathy received at Fairfield
from the officers and people generally
J.inevile Tribune.
q q IS rr % "a
Bears the n1he Kind You Have Always Bought