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

darkened with an ever blighting shadow,
all the result of quarrel over so cents
in poker game.
The above tells the story in few
words of a tragedy which was enacted
in the woods just north of the Park at
Davis City Monday evening, which
resulted in the killing of Frank Thomp-
son by Enoch Burrcll. The story as
gathered from eye witnesses and
personal observation is a sad one, but
one that is too often the result OF gamb-
ling. At Davis City it has been a com
mon occurrence for a crowd of men to
go out in the woods north Of the city
park to play poker. Monday afternoon
party composed OF Enoch BulTell,
Frank Thompson, Wm. Kimball, George
Martin, James Barnes and Davis Burrell
were playing cards. There was thirty
cent jack pot which was opened and
when the cards were shown Thompson
had four dcuccs, but one of the players
noticed the backs were not the same
color as the cards they were playing
With, Thompson having slipped i'll a.
hand from another deck. conccaIing his
real hand under his leg. Thompson
picked up the money, and Enoch Bur-
rell demanded that he give him the 30
cents, claiming it was his money.
Thompson laughed at him and said he
would not give up the money. B.urell
Il ,I :;
for him to get it, if he could, at the
same time clenching his fist and start
ing to get up from where he was sitting
on the ground. Just as he was getting
up Brrell struck him full in the face,
knocking him over Oh his back his head
and shoulders falling under the lower
wire of a fence. Thompson pulled him
self on under the fence, and was almost
stepped between the wires and was also
on the other side struck him again and
Thompson fell over and partly through
the fence, his body resting on the wire
with his head hanging down to the
ground. He fell limp and motionless,
and never moved or uttered a sound
after being struck. The other parties
saw that Thompson was badly hurt, aud
as Burrell started to walk away one of
them told him he had hurt him pretty
bad, and he had better take care of him.
At this Burrell came back and Thomp-
son was lifted through the fence and
stretched out on the ground, but he was
to- all appearances dead. Burrell sent
one of the men for a doctor, and worked
in vain to bring Thompson too, his grief
being intense when he realized that
Thompson was dead. When DR.. Reed
arrived he found no pulse at the wrist,
but his heart beat for Il minute or two
The news was soon spread in Davis
City, and hundreds of people went over
to see the dead man. Burrell went up
town after Thompson was pronounced
dead, and went to the livery barn fnn
by his father, and few minutes later
in company with his father left town in
a buggy saying they We're coming to
Leon to give him up. The father re-
turned to town about eight o'clock, and
when it was learned that young Burrell
had not appeared at Leon to give him
self up there We're many who expressed
the opinion he had skipped to Missouri
to avoid arrest. AS soon as the news
of the murder was phoned to Leon Sher-
iff Martin and Coroner Layton drove to
Davis City. The elder Burrell as soon
as Sheriff Martin appeared told him
that Enoeh was out east of Davis City
about three miles and was ready to
give himself up. That he had not run
him off from the law, but had merely
taken him away so that any possible
trouble might be avoided during the
excitement. In company with Mr.. Bur-
rell Sheriff Martin went out and arrest
ed Enoch Burrell, and brought him to
Leon and lodged him in Jail about 2
o'clock in the morning.
DR.. Layton upon arriving at Davis
City, held an inquest, the jury being
composed Of Geo. p. Campbell, Geo. w.
the witnesses who were present at the
time of the killing were examined and
also DR.. Reed, who was called to attend
Thompson, the following being in SUBJ
stance the evidence submitted at the
inquest:
WILLIAM KIMBALL.
Was the first witness called, being
sworn testified as follews My name is
William Kimball. Reside at Davis City.
was over north of the park yesterday
evening about o'clock, playing cards.
All there We're playing but one. Bnoch
Burrell and Frank Thompson were
among the players. They got into a
dispute over the card game after we