The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-07-09

Then they got up to fight. Thompson
had his arm drawn back and fist
clenched. Didn't see Enoeal strike but
ono lick. Saw him strike as Thompson
was on the fence. suppose he hit him
before because Thompson was hanging
on the fence. Bill Kimball and / took
Thompson Off the fence. Never saw
Eoch kick him, and only saw one blow.
The money they were quarreling over
was stake money. 1t was jack pot
opened for a quarter.
DR.. RERD
being sworn, testified: L was called to
the scene by one Of the former witnesses.
They gave me history Of how he re-
ceivcd his injury about ten minutes be-
fore arrived. When ! exama1ed him
he had no pulse at the wrist, nor could
l detect any breathing. | heard the
heart sound. Don't think it was an
affection OF the heart. So far as | could
tell the heart kept up action about three
minutes after got there. The cause OF
his death was a rupture of blood yes-
sci in the brain. In reply to the ques-
tion as to whether he noticed any marks
OF violence about the head or body, the
witness said he did, around the orbit.
Ecchymosi- no !acera ton to amount to
anything. Was also Il bruisc on right
check | believe, but am not sure where
that one was. i gave him a hypo-
dermic stimulant. Did not see him
move his head or limbs after saw him.
In my opinion his death was due to q
jar or blow. | don't think he could
have died from heart failure, and my
reason for so thinking is because the
heart beat for three or four minutes
longer than any other symptoms of life.
DR.. Reeds testimony concluded the
examination, and the coroners jury
retired to make up their verdict After
being out about two hours they re-
turned verdict that the deceased came
to his death from blows on the head
delivered by Enoch Burrcll in feloni-
GUS manner, the verdict in full being as
follows:
Coroner's Verdict.
State of Iowa
Decatur County %
An inquisition holden at Davis City in
Decatur County, Iowa, on the 9th day Of
July A. d., 1908, before II. r. Layton,
coroner of said county, upon the body
of Frank Thompson there lying dead;
by the jurors whose names are here
unto subscribed.
The said jurors upon their oaths do
say, that during the afternoon of July
9th, A. d. 1908, at or near to the Davis
City Park, in said county and state, the
deceased Frank Thompson came to his
death by blows upon the head and face
delivered by one Enoch Burrell in a
felonious manner.
GEO. p. CAMPBELL,
GEO. w. SHoEAAKER,
f. NJ. FREEMAN,
Jurors.
At the request of the family of
Thompson and also the attorneys of Bur-
rel an autopsy was held Tuesday after
noon to determine the exact cause of
death. Drs. A. Brown, II. r. Layton, J..
w. Wales and r. G. Reed performed the
operation. The left eye was badly dis
colored, there being slight abrasion on
the lid, also the mark of blow on the
right cheek, but no other mark of vio-
lence was found on'the body, there be-
ing no mark from any kick. AT the base
of the brain a small blood vessel was
ruptured which caused clot of blood
to form which resulted in death, the
rupture being the result of confusion.
Both OF the participants in the fight are
young married men. Frank Thompson
was 2G years old, the son of Luther
Thompson and lived for several years
in Leon, moving from here to Davis
City. He had been an extensive travel
er, having visited nearly every state in
the union while employed with different
circuses. He was powerful fellow,
six feet or over and weighed about 200
pounds. He was inclined to be quarrel
some, especially when under the inf1u-
ence of liquor, and had been in numer-
Gus fights. He leaves a wife and little
son four months old. His wife was
Mary Jones, daughter Of James Jones
to whom he was married March 3, 1901.
Enoch Burrell who did the, killing is
also resident Of Davis City, bping en-
gagged in the livery business with his
father, and was formerly brakeuan on
the Q railroad. He has the reputation
of being quiet and peaceable man. He
is Is years old and rather slight in
build weighing 145 pounds He was
married December %, 1900 to Miss Mel
lie Fulton, daughter of T. P. Fslton, of