Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-27
Thomas Callahan, of Des Moines,
Victim of Horrible Crime
For Moneys Sake
SUICIDE THEORY ABANDONED
Callahan, Who Is Thought to Have
Been Dead Several Days, Was Found
With q Ghastly Cash in His Throat,
Lying in a Pool of His Own Blood
Detectives Investigate.
Special to Times Republican.

pes Moiles, June 27.-Tho'nas Gala
ha.l, II, aged cobbler, residing In his
sllcp at tie south approach to the
West Fifth street bridge. vas founi
Slu,,y afternoon lying on the floor of
his bedroom, with u CHASTITY cash In
his throat extending from ear to ear.
From all indications he had been dead
several days.
Murder is the theory upon which the
police are working as II is believed the
old man was possessed of considerable
money which he kept in his little shop.
He was over SO years of age.
THE deed was discovered by an ltal-
ian iruit yender who operates in
small building adjoining the cobblers
shop owned by Callahan. The Italian
no. having seen Callahan for several
days grew suspicious and endeaVored
to find him. Going to small window
at the rear of the shop where Gala
hans bedroom was located he peered
u:,eier the curtain. On the white bed
clothing he saw blood marks smeared
about giving most gruesome appear
~ B.
Ance 70 the darkened room.
Thinking his, worst suspicious corr
rect the Italian summoned the police.
Detective McNutt and Assistant Chief
Peterson went at once to the scene OF
the crime. Gaining no response to
their calls at the door, force was ap-,
Dl,ed. and as the frail door burst open
sight most horrible was disclosed to
the eyes CT the officers.
Lying on the floor beside his bed In
a reritable pool of his own blood. his
head almost severed from the trunk
nv a terrible cash in his throat his
eyes g,aring hideously at the smoke be-
dimn1ed rafters Of his room, his teeth
ret IN dreadful agony. a shocking
right hand clutching cobbler's knife
with n grip Of death, and his limbs
draw III a fearful contortion. a horri-
Tying spectacle presented itself.
Struggled for Life.
Every Indication pointed to a terrible
struggle with death. The condition of
the bed clothing showed that the awful
dee. had been committed while the
man was IN a reclining position. Evil
IDENTITY Callahan had retired to his room
and while there had been approached
from behind. One foul wrench of the
cnbbler's knife keen edged tool. the
very instrument with which he gained
his daily bread. did the awful work.
reariy severing the old mans head.
Grasl,irg with an awful tenacity
stile bloody steel, he writhed and twist
sen about in his fearful agony until he
had fallen to the floor, there to die.
A Disgusting odor met the nostrils OF
! theScf.Iesfs As they entered the dtngy
room. Taking hasty survey, how
ever. Cor ener Beck was summoned and
THE body removed to the Patrick
,norgue, where a jury was impanneled'
to inquire into the manner of the old
mans death.
For time after the discovery of the
body it VAS believed that suicide had
%heen he cause of the deed. but this
theory &as discarded by the police
soon afterwards. The position of the
body on the floor and the appearances
OF an awful struggle in the little bed
room gave every Indication that Gala
han had been foully murdered for the
money which he is believed to have
boarded in his lifetime.
Detectives Make Search.
Last night Detectives McNutt and
Bracket We're detailed with a number
OF police Officers to make a complete
Investigation Of the neighborhood with
view to confirming the suspicious of
murder. A close scrutiny of the house
In which the old man lived failed to
reveal any further evidence.
- 1t is presumed that the assassins
procured the shoe knife from the shop
portion of the house and perhaps in a
friendly mood while conversing with
Callahan in his bedroom struck the fa- ]
tai blow. Aside from the Indications
of the death struggle in the room, little
could be found in disturbed state.
Information reached the police de- 1
partment to the effect that a
daughter of the dead man resides in !
Nevada has been followed up by tele- 4
grams to various parts of the state in
an effort to learn her whereabouts. A
With this one exception there are no
ether relatives known.