The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-02-26
THE M'DANIELS MURDER
More Particulars of the Murder of
Barney MCDanlels.

murder OF barney McDanlelS, former
resident of Eden township and the ar
rest of his wife and Bert Livix charged
with the crime. The following particu.
lars are cleaned from the Maced donia
News;
Saturday morning about IL O'Clock
word was brought to town that Barney
McDaniels had committed suicide by
cutting his throat with razor. The in.
formation was brought by Bert Livix,
who came for doctor. Drs. Stempel
and Borglum responded promptly but
the injured man died in about three
minutes after their arrival.
According to the story told by Mrs.
McDaniels and Bert Livix, Mr.. McDan.
iels is said to have been sick with
something like la grippe and nothing
serious was the matter With him until
shortly before he ended his own exist
ence, when they noticed him acting
queerly. When questioned by the fam
lily he told them that he had swallowed
strychnine. Livix says he at once
started tor doctor but he had hardly
stepped outside the door before Nc
Daniels jumped from his bed, kicked
the top off the bureau drawer, grabbed
a razor and with it cut his throat. He
then ran out of the house and out near
the road where he fell from loss of
blood.
Word was sent to Coroner V. l..
Treynor, Of Council Bluffs, who came to
Carson on the late train and drove
from there to this place. Assisted by
Drs. Borglum and Besore, he made the
post-morte1n examination. The coro-
ner's jury consisted of w. O. Young,
Frank Perks and E. A. Davidson. 1t
was found that there was two cuts in
the throat, one just below the larynx,
or Adams apple, which was slight
wound. The other was above the lar
ynx and extends to the bones in the
back OF the neck, severing the jugular
vein. Iivix and Mrs. McDaniels and
her 16-year-old son were carefully ques-
toned while before the jury, but held
to the suicide story.
During the day there was consider
able excitement in town. People on
the street talked freely of the crime
and there were good many different
stories in circulation about the affair.
On Sunday morning the citizens were
thoroughly stirred up as more inn
portant witness in the case had been
located. The jury met again at 10
O'Clock Sunday morning and Al Smith,
of Emerson, was called. Mr.. Smith
testified that he had been hauling some
machinery to his farm west of Carson
and was on his way home. When in
front of the McDaniels home Mr.. Nc
Daniels ran out of the house, beck koned
him for help and several times cried
out, "They did it'll" He came on down
toward the road but soon fell from loss
OF blood. Mr.. Smith hastily tied his
team and was just about to climb over
the fence to run to Mr.. McDaniels,
assistance when Mrs. McDaniels and
Livix came running from behind the
houce down to the dying man. Mr..
Smith says he then hesitated and the
two called to him, "There is no use to
go to him; you can't do anything for
him." just at this time j. f. Burger,
living south of Henderson, came along
from the south. Livix got into the
wagon with him and went to town to
call doctor. Mr.. Smith says that a
few minutes later he started on to his
home, thinking he could be of no assist.
ance. After he had gone short dis.
tance he says be looked back and saw
Mrs. McDaniels returning to the house.
After hearing his evidence a warrant
was issued at 8 p. m. for the arrest ot
Mrs. McDaniels and Livix. The ar.
rests were made by Constables Whitsitt
and Miller and City Marshal Johnson
The prisoners were brought to town and
lodged in the city Jail.
At the preliminary hearing Monday
afternoon before Justice Ray burn, Coun
ty Attorney Killpack appeared for the
state and L. 7. Genung, of Glenwood
for the defendants. The evidence wa.
practically the same as given before the
coroner's jury, and the justice bounc
Bert Liyix and Mrs. McDaniels over te
the grand jury, charged with the mur
der Of the latter's husband. There
we're five witnesses, AL Smith, of Emer
son, John Berger, Marshal Johnson anc
Drs. Borglum and Besore, who assisted
Coroner v. L. Treynor at the coroner
inquest.
MIR. Berger testified that after taking
Livix into his rig to drive him to tow1
for doctor he used the whip freely OF
his horses, but was told by Liyix not tt
do soto let the horses take their time
that the man, meaning McDaniels
y 10