Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-03
Greek Fruit Peddler Dismisses
What Promised to Be Sen.
sational Case.
Kowry, the Plaintiff, Was All.
most Killed by Ward Def.
fenbaush's Dog.
He Claimed That Deffenbaugh
Set the Vicious Bulldog
Upon Him.
special ito Times-Republican.


Webster City, March 3.-Something
of a sensation was sprung in the dis
trict court here this morning when
Clerk Meadow announced to Judge
Richard that the case OF kowry
against Deffenbaugh had been dis
missed by telephone message Satur
day evening from Healy & Healy, of
Fort Dodge, attorneys for Kowry. The
case was brought for $4,000. Its his
tory is extremely dramatic.
In August of last year Kowry, a
Greek fruit vender of Fort Dodge, to-
gether with his son, boy about
twelve years of age. was driving across
the country to Cedar Rapids. When
in the near vicinity of this city they
stopped at the farm home of Ward
Deffenbaugh to get drink of water.
The boy held the horse while Kowry
went to the house for the water. As
to what followed the stories told by
Kowry and Mr.. and Mrs. Deffenbaugh
differ radically. Kowry says he went
to the door and asked Mrs. Deffebaugh
rected him to the we'll at the wind mill
some littue distance away. Starting
toward 1T he met Deffenbaugh coming
from the barn and at his heels fe-
rocius looking bull dog. Deffenbaugh.
thinking Kowry to be a peddler, or
dered him off the place and to make
his orders the more plain set the dog
upon the Greek. The huge animal
lacerated Kowry in twentysix differ
ent places. The calves of his legs
were bitten thru in several different
| places. His right arm was so badly
torn that the bones of the forearm
were visible. When the dog was
finally taken off him Kowry was so
weak as to require help to get to his
wagon. He was brought to this city,
where his wounds were dressed. Def
fenbaugh was arrested and brought
here, charged with assault with intent
to MAIN. The charge could not, how
ever be sustained. Both Deffenbaugl,
and his wife swore to the fact that
the dog had not been set upon Kowry
That the dog is not a vicious ami
NAL, but that Kowry had provoked 1t
by kicking him. That the dog then
attacked him and that Deffenbaugh
did all in his power to help Kowry and
finally did actually pull the brute off
| the Greek. When Deffenbaugh was
dismissed Kowry brought suit against
him for damages In the sum of $4,000
After having been bitten Kowry lay
for weeks upon pile of straw in his
hovel racked with pain and at times
lowering between life and DEATH For
! days he was crazed with fear lest his
wounds result in hydrophobia. 1t was
about three months before he fully
recovered.
Deffenbaugh may have settled. II
so, no records show 1t.
Another interesting case assigned
for Wednesday Is the state VS.. DR.. III
G. Wheeler, city physician of Webster
City, for selling liquor contrary to law
Webster City has no saloons; it is
strictly prohibition town, at least
SO the prohibitionists beast. 1t is q
cause of much pride to them that it is
the only city of 1000 population in
Iowa without q saloon. The doctor
was suspected of dispensing liquors
not strictly for medicinal purposes
He was arrested, tried In justice
court, found guilty on three counts and
fined $50 and costs. The case in the
district court is an appeal.
The case In the lower court revealed
an astounding condition of affirs. The
doctor has not even license from the
state board to practice medicine
Webster City found herself in the pc
culiar position of having a city ply
sidan with no legal authority to prac-
tice his profession. Strange to relate
the city council have not removed him
He is still the city's recognized ply
sician. The case has, however, Its pa
thetic side. The doctor is an old SOL
der. He served with honor and stood
high In the community until the above
status of affairs was made public
The case can but result a second time
disastrously to the old man, as his
only defense was his right to dispense
liquors as a regular physician. County
Attorney Boeye having proved that he
has no license to practice, has knocked
from under him his only prop.