The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-07-25
THE NEWS in IOWA

to send cocaine fields, drunkards and
other temporarily deranged persons
to Kelley Institutes for treatment
instead of to state hospitals for in
sane.
Mrs. Peter Fillenvarth of Britt
drank an ounce of carbolic acid with
suicidal intent. At last reports she
was still living, but in critical condi-
ton. She had been married only
about two months and domestic trou-
| bic is supposed to have been the cause
tor the rash act.
Charles McClumsey, a livery stable
employee of Spirit Lake, shot Mamie
Reed three times. He then turned
the revolver on himself and fired
three bullets into his head. The girl
was not wounded fatally, but Medium
sey will probably die. The woman
came to Spirit Lake from Fairmonu,
Mimi, and she and McClumsey are
said to have been engaged for some
time, but later the engagement had
been broken.
Authorities believe they have found
the motive which prompted Fred
Feunhelm to the double murder and
suicide near Glenwood recently. It
is said that recent discovery that
his wife conducted house of i'll
fame in Glenwood prior to his mar
rage so preyed upon his mind that
he was actually crazed. II is also
believed that Feunhelm did not intend
to suicide, but when the neighbours
We're attracted by the confusion, kill
ed himself without attempting to es-
cape.
L. o. Wangdahl, farmer near Bad
ger, was burned to death while de-
tending his home from a fire which
started in the neighborhood fields
from the sparks of a passing engine.
Nangdahl was alone, and, when he
saw the fire approaching his home,
attempted to fight it off without as
sistance. In some way his clothing
caught fire, and when assistance at
tracted by his cries and groans
reached him he was beyond help. His
skin was burned to crisp. He lived
pired in the greatest agony.
A disastrous fire originating in
butcher shop at Riceville, Mitchell
county, nearly laid town of one
thousand Inhabitants in ashes. The
fire broke out about 2 o'clock p. m.
with the thermometer at 10Y, with
slight breeze tanning. The finder
dried buildings on both sides of Main
street to the depot were licked up,
including two hotels, bank, ten bust
ness houses, two lumber yards and
frame opera house. The town had
just voted on q water works propo-
sition, but it was not perfected. The
loss is estimated at 100000. Fire
companies from Alta Vista responded
to the call by special train, but could
do but little. Several fine residence
buildings We're burned, including also
a church and a parsonage.
Martin johnson, prominent
farmer living near Badger, seemingly
crazed by heat and drink, attempted
to kill his wife on the city streets
while driving home with her in
buggy. Johnson had just started
ho1re and while yet in the business
part of the city commenced to beat
his wife. Bystanders were attracted
by her cries and the police were no.
titled. johnson started on and after
he had gone a.few blocks commenced
again to cruelty beat his wife. When
the police overlook him a party of
men had dragged him out of the car
rage and angry threats We're being
made. The arrival of the police pre-
vented mob violence. Mrs. johnson
was bleeding about the face and was
quite badly hurt. johnson is now
under arrest.
A fatal fire occurred at Ottumwa
few nights ago, when from supposed
ly spontaneous combustion the La
Clede hotel was badly burned, causing
loss of about $4,000 on the building
and about $4,000 on the contents, and
the life of John O'Connor, Burling-
ton railway bridge carpenter. The
fire was discovered about 3 a. m. by
Night Clerk Oliver, who went to each
room in the hotel and awakened the
eighteen guests. While he was doing
this the fire department had arrived
on the scene and with the use of lad
ders and fire escapes the fremen
brought all the guests but O'Connor
to the ground in safety. There were
many narrow escapes and two guests
were overcome before they We're got
ten out. O'Connor was awakened, but
the dense smoke overcame him before
he could get to window. and it was
impossible to get inside his room five
minutes after he had been called.
A dispatch from Keokuk states
that Otto A. Gerhard, who is in Jail
at Fort Madison on a charge of va
grancy is also suspected of having
some knowledge of the killing of An
drew II. Pirie, booiSkeeper for the
Considine Manufacturing company
on the night of June 20 at Ferguson.
Sheriff Tucker suspected Gerhard
from the descriptions of Prizes STAY
er sent out by the Missouri officers,
and had him committed on charge
of vagrancy pending an investigation.
1t is generally believed that the man
who murdered Andrew H. Pirie re-
ceived a charge of buckshot in the
back as he was fleeing from the
scene of his crime. George Cherbon-
nier thinks one of the shots fired by
him from shotgun took effect The
report from Fort Madison states that
the suspect held there has marks on
his back that indicate his having been
wounded by buckshot.
Mrs. Andrew Brown has brought
suit against two of Sioux City's big
gambling houses to recover two GER
tificates of deposit worth $1,000.
which she alleges were lost by her