Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-11
THAT RIVER TRAGEDY
Killing OF the Two Cowboys OF
the Steamer Dubuque Was
Evidently Unsuitable.
Mate Dan Breen, Who Did the
Killing. Held Awaiting an
Investigation.
Story Of the Shooting as Told
by Eye Witnesses of the
Affair.
10 Times-Repuhl!can.

Special TO Times Republican,.
Davenport, July 1.-THE fnques
ever the dead bodies of Christopher lie,
cndas and son. the cowboys who Were
! Killed OH the steamer Dubuque yester-
day, has developed nothing new in the
case. Mate Dan Breen. who did the
killing. has been arrested and is being
4 held. There is no disposition to blam,
4 him for the shooting. as his life was
/ clearly in jeopardy and the men whom
he shot gave every evidence OF intend
, ing to shoot. The tragedy occurred
just as the Dubuque pulled out from
| the docks here. The men did not at
tempt to hold up the Dubuque as was
reported in last evenings dispatches
! but was the result of insolence on the
part of the cowboys and their interior
j,erce with the roustabouts, which
brought on a quarrel. The tragedy is
the sole topic of conversation here.
Dan Breen, mate of the steamer Du-
buque. upon which the tragedy oc-
Cured. and who played such a promi-
nent part in the affair, is an old river
man and is about So years of age. Up
to the time of the present trouble he
has always enjoyed a reputation as be-
ing exceptionally peaceabe and his men
say that he is exceedingly quiet. He
has family living in Dubuque. Mr.
Breen has retained Attorney Bush to
look after his interests in the case. On
account of the fact that the shooting
happened at almost exactly noon most
Ia, ,,1,, oil Iva fS
of the boat were at dinner. SO there
were few witnesses to the affair.
The Times publishes the following
grapic story of the shooting:
The men, Christopher Leonidas and
son, or Lee Leonidas and son, as they
were booked ON the steamers list.
boarded the boat at Rock Island. They
took seats on some boxes sitting over
the forward hatch on the main deck.
The boat left Rock Island at about
11:40 and came directly across the
river. In this city the boat took on a
small amount of freight and then
backed out preparatory to going up the
river.
In the meantime trouble had been
brewing. The elder Leonidas. a man of
perhaps 60 years. had left his seat and
gone out on the open deck. Both the
men We're dressed in the proverbial
western style. with revolvers and
knives showing plainly. The elder
Leonidas on the deck. began to flash
his long cowboy whip and make slashes
at the legs of the colored employees of
the boat.
Mate Dan Breen scented trouble then
.lo,. Il, - 1n,, A1nr
ris killeen, he borrowed that gentle
mans revolver to be prepared for an
emergency. But as he returned to the
deck with the gun the elder Leonidas
bad Quoted down and presently re-
turned to his son, man of perhaps 20
years, who had remained seated on the
hoXes A deck hand. Matt NimmoW.
went to the main hatch to Shift about
some of the freight. The cowboys OBJ
jected Nimmow persisted and the
Younger man made movement as to
draw his gun. remarking at the same
time that they had paid their passage
and owned the ID boat, and likewise
the id captain. until they got off"
When the gun came into play Nimmow
desisted in the argument and left.
He went to Mate Breen and told him
OF the difficulty. Breen went below and
over to where the men We're. He ordered
them not to bother his men in the per-
Torrance of their duties and said that
when his men started to move the
boxes they should do so in peace. John
Selectman, a colored porter, and John
Rreen. brother of the mate. and :: deck
hand on the steamer were close behind.
Killeen.
AS Breen finished speaking the two
drew their revolvers, which were hang
ing from holsters at their belts. sui
quicker even than they. Mate Dan
Breen whipped the borrowed revolver
from his pocket and opened fire.
Stories as to how many bullets he
fired vary but most reports say that
he shot five times With lightning ra-
pidty The first shots We're directed
at the elder Leonidas. who seemed
to be the principal cause of the trou-
BILE. The first bullet struck him on
the thigh He dropped the revolver and
sank to the floor. AS he sank to the
ground another we'll aimed bullet
struck him in the right side of tn
stomach, piercing the liver He fell
to the ground, dead Meantime the
son. with the revolver still in his hand
started to retreat toward the rear OF
the boat and Mate Breen turned his
fire upon the son. fearing an attack
from that quarter A bullet, probably
the second fired, struck him just above
the crest of the left groin and he sank
helpless to the deck The shooting
was over Almost Immediately the en-
trance to the deck swarmed With pas
and employees and tn" boat
was stopped just after whistlng for
the bridge and put back to this city.
United States Marshal Georg.
Christian, of Des Moines. happened L,
be on the boat. having just boarded it
with mis- daughter for a pleasure trip
to Clinton. He rushed at once to
tho scene and found Breen still stand
ing with the smoking revolver in hi:
hand. He had made no effort to
escape. Mr. Christian at once placed
him under arrest. believing that the
murder was committed in territory UNI
der the control of the government
When the boat was back to the land
ing the ambulance was at once no
fled to come for the bodies and Mar |
shall Christian with Breen went to
Commissioner Bush's office. Mr.. Bush |
upon looking up the law decided that
the case came under the supervision
Of the state of Iowa, so the man was |
accordingly turned over to the police
He is now in a cell a the city Jail.
ny I1a1 f1n ,,..i,r