Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-24
BAD REP IN THE WEST
Christopher Leonidas Essayed
Various Roles Before APP
pearance Here.
ONCE IN STUNT WITH soHLATTER
Then Proprietor of Notorious Dance
HaIl-Dead Mems Effects
Inventoried.

\ clipping from the Denver Post
gives something of the past history
of christopher Leonidas 81 Son." the
medicine men killed on the Diamond
10 steamer Dubuque by Mate Dan
Breen three weeks ago. According to
the Post the elderly man had an eX-
ceedingly unsavory reputation about
Denver, where he was known for
number of years. His real name is
said to be Joseph NJ. Taggart and he
is supposed to have hailed from Mis-
souri,.
1t is claimed that he went west in
1871 and taking up his abode in Chi
huahua. Mexico, he played the part
of religious ''penitente," allowing
his hair to grow long and finally pro-
Tossing to possess miraculous pow
ers. Here and elsewhere he created
quite a following, and il was in this
guise. it is said, that he met Francis
Schlatter. the divine healer" and the
two worked together for time.
Poses as Persian Hermit.
In 1890 Taggart posed as a Persian
hermit at a museum in Denver and
then he took up advertising. acting as
| n Tyrolese mountaineer. Soon after
this he began the manufacture of his
hair restorer and at the same time
he evolved an evangelistic scheme
that found favor among the people
of Colorado and brought to the orig
inator much filthy Iucre.
The money he raised in this way,
the Post claims. was used to start
dance hall in Denver. The place in
time hppana Sn nntnrinnS that even
Denver would not stand for it, and
Taggart was run out of town. Soon
after this he was arrested in Chey-
enne, Wyo., for the alleged murder
of girl that he had lured from her
home in Mexico, Mo-, but he was not
convicted. What he did from 1891
till he turned up here is not known.
Schedule of Effects.
The schedule of the Leonidas eff
fects will be interesting when made
by Z. ~. McManus, of Daven-
port. who was appointed admin
istrator by the court Monday.
When the coroner took charge of
the effects he caused them to be re-
moved to the Boies undertaking par
lors. where they are being held as
surety for the burial expenses. These
effects consist of a camping outfit.
viz: \ large tent and complete set
of stakes to hold il with. Also
dressing tent which is attachable.
Set of driving mallets. carpen-
ter's tool chest in which were the
following: Two cold chisels, one rip
saw, one straight cut saw, one mitre
box and saw. one try square, one set
chisels. one set of bits and a brace,
one 3-foot rule, one mallet, three or
four hammers. one lathing hammer,
set of planners. etc, one spoke shave.
one draw knife. and an assortment
of screws and nails. In the trunks
of the two men were found Indian
costumes for both, wearing apparel,
all sorts of fishing apparati and de-
coys. a quantity of hair restorer and
many empty corn cure boxes. Labels
were found for these boxes in great
numbers. Letters in the trunk dis
covered the fact that they had some
where ready for delivery a great
quantity of printed matter. There
were two bowie knives with springs
| in the handles found among
their effects. Also two revolvers of
bIued steel Smith & Wesson make of
30 and IS calibre, and 81 i'm money.
Col. u. w. McManus, as administrator
of the estate, will take an inventory
of the above in the near future.
There is also among the possessions
of the two deceased (alleged) cow
boys. one bloodhound which is par
italy of Cuban and largely of mon
grel breed.