The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-01-30
OVER THE STATE


Nicholas Komas, an old resident of
| Dubuque, was fatally hurt. He was
| walking the track and stepped in
front of one train to meet another
| from the opposite direction. No blame
| attaches to the company.
| Judge Wakefield of Cherokee found
| Harry HOFFMAN. accused of shooting
| Miss Florence Porter, guilty of muir
der in the first degree, and fixed the
penalty at death. Hortman on his
knees begged the pardon of Lewis
Porter, the father of the murdered
young woman. The decision OF the
judge meets the general approval of
the community.
| When Harry HOFFMAN of Cherokee
was brought up for trial for the muir
der of his sweetheart, Florence Por-
ter, he changed his plea of not guilty
to guilty.. The court ordered that the
evidence be taken in order that he
might determine tn degree of guilt
and act wisely in passing Judgment on
the accused. The indictment charges
| murder in the first degree.
Loren Bone of Mason City, who was
on trial at Charles City for manslaugh-
ter, pleaded guilty and was sentenced
to eight years in the penitentlary and
the payment of $1,000. At previous
trial he had been sentenced to sixty
years. He mad served two years Sc
curing a new trial he got a change of
venue to the Floyd county court, with
the result as above stated. A drunken
fight with neighbor whom he killed
about three Years ago, was the origin
OF the matter.
The right OF cities to enact ordi-
| nances regulating the privileges of
vehicles on streets is upheld by the SUI
preme court in the case of Des Moines
VS.. w. S. Keller, the defendant hav-
ing been convicted of violation of
the city ordinance requiring bicycle
riders to carry a light after dark when
t-ding on the streets of the city. The
| defendant was fined the minimum
amount under the city regulations and
the case was appealed to test the
validity of the ordinance.
Thomas Peaslee, who shot and al
most instantly killed his nephew,
James Peaslee, at River Sioux, was
aiken from Little Sioux, where he
gave himself up to the authorities. to
River Sioux by Constable o. o. Rock
and later taken to Logan. About all
that he would say as to the tragedy
was that he was sorry that the affair
had occurred and that he didn't con-
slider he was to blame for it, His wife
has returned to her home ana seems
to take the affair in a most unconcern.
ed manner.
George McCaulley, an aged farmer
residing three miles east of Lake City,
was gored to death by ferocious bull.
He left the house to drive his cattle
out to feed not returning at usual
time it was thought he had gone to a
neighbours, but his prolonged absence
gave the family some alarm and a
daughter was started out to look for
him ana found his lifeless body some
what mangled, lying in the road. No
one saw the happening, but all indica-
tons point to the fact that he was
killed by the bull that was with the
cattle he was driving
William Detar was instantly killed
by Wabash passenger train at Abba
Detar was rural mail carrier and
was on his way to the postoffice to get
his mail when the accident occurred.
The shock of accident threw HIM upon
the pilot of the engine and he was car
ried quite a distance before the train
was stopped. When he was picked
up his neck was found to be broken
and life was extinct. His wagon was
demolished, but the term was not in
jured. The accident occurred on the
crossing of the Burlington and Wabash
roads and in deep cut.
The Clinton county grand jury has
indicted Bernard McGovern, charging
him with assault to commit murder.
His wife is the complaining witness.
According to evidence before the
grand jury, McGovern went to Clin-
ton about month ago, became intox-
icated and went to his home in the
country a few miles west of the city
and made a vicious assault on his
wife. he broke three OF her ribs, SER
iously bruised her body in a number
of places and then threw her into a
creek. She was confined to the hos
pital for three weeks and for few
lays it was thought she would not re-
cover. McGovern was arrested, but
las VIE refused 10 prosecute MIN. He
was then charged with intoxication
~ the chief of police and was sen.
enced to thirty days in the county
ja.4. 1t is now understood Mrs. Nc
Govern will appear against her hus-
band.
A terrible shooting occurred at the
saloon of Morgan Bros, at Muscatine
few days ago. Thomas Morgan,
the bartender, was approached by Kid
Noble, an all around tough and bad
character, and in one-sided dispute
With Noble about a dog collar, Nor
gan was felled to the floor by blow.
Morgan retired behind the bar, while
the asailant ran out cursing. only
to return in about fifteen minutes with
double-barreled shotgun. which, af-
ter telling Morgan Ito get his gun and
come on he leveled at him, shooting
him twice, the first shot taking effect
in the abdomen and the second in the
leg. Morgan died within few hours.
The murderer escaped through the
back door of the saloon and is still at
large He was a dncnerato ri, q ,.o nj or