The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-01-09
CONSTABLE SHOT.
Officer Fatally Hurt While Max
ing an Arrest.

ENdhbg AOWd, y All. f--OOHeidDIGJ Onu
RuRgenberg, Of this place, was shot
and fatally injured while attempting
to arrest Roy Leighton, colored, at
the Rock Island depot about 900 o.
clock Saturday morning. Ruggen-
berg was hit in the groins and there
is little hope of recovery.
The tragedy is the outcome of a
fued and fight between some white
and colored boys, originating during
a charivari at a wedding Wednesday
night. A white boy by the name of
julie Laden had his clothes badly cut
and his dignity hurt during Wednes-
day night. Friday he sought out his
colored as-ailant, a boy by the name
of Wright, AID a fight ensued. This
was the start for tree-for-all fight
which occurred at O'Brien's saloon.
O'Brien shut the crowd out but they
battered down the door and took
possession. In the melee, 0'Brien
was licked senseless with chair,
Laden W lard cur with brick and
Paul Evans was rendered unconscious
with pop bottle. Several guns were
flashed but no shots were fired. Over
dozen were mixed up in the quarrel
and bitter feud was ingendered. In
the interests OF peace and good order
Constable RuggeDberg went to 0ska-
loosa early Saturday morning ard
swore out warrents before Esquire
Rice for the arrest of the following
pa ties: Oscar Burgess, Henry Steele,
Jim Brooks, Robert Wright, Sam
Cara, Roy Leighton, Nen Washing
ton, Cisco jackson, Harry Parker,
John ]. Jor es and Leonard Canes.
He bad just arrived here and was
serving one of the warrants on
leighton when the shot was fred.
His assailant and several others who
had been mixed up in the fight took
the remainder of the warrants from
the officer and have skipped out.
Ruggenberg was assailed at the
depot by both Leighton and Oscar
Burgess. He had his revolver in one
hand and reached in his pocket with
the left for the warrants. At this
juncture Leighton struck the officer.
A scufIie iDsued during which the of
ficer's gun was discharged. Either
dazed by the wound or struck by one
of the gang, the fficer fell from the
depot platform, and the warrants
dropped from his hand. A member
OF the gang grabbed the papers and
tore thems up, Then Leighton aud
the rest off his party skipped out.
Sheriff. Cricket was at once notified
and he and tCounty Attorney Dewitt,
Constable Andrews and other officers
from Oskaloosa came here. Several
deputies were sworn in and a posse
is now in search Of the gang.
Ruggenberg was taken. into the
depot and cared for by Drs. Briggs,
of this city, and Berringer and Muir,
of Oskaloosa. The ball went COM
pletely through the left thigh, danger
ously near II not through the groins.
The wound is very serious and there
is but little hope of recovery.
The rumor that race riot was i'm
minentais not feared here. The best
citizens of both colors deprecate the
crime and will help in the punishment
of the guilty parties.
Later.-Four of the gang, including
Leighton, who did the shooting, were
arrested this afternoon.
Late this afternoon two more of the
gang we're arrested at Leighton. and
as soon as they arrived here the six
were semitic Oskaloosa on a special
train forssafe keeping. There is con-
STRENGTHENING evidenced here and
trouble is expected when the mines
close this evening. AS precaution-
airy measure Sheriff Cricket has
ordered all saloons closed.