The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-09-29
MURDER AT LINFVILLf

is. w. Wallace, a Former Leon Resi-.
dent, Shot and Instantly Killed
by City Marshal Dan Elsy.
s. W. Wallace, former we'll known
citizen of Leon, was shot and instantly
killed at ILineville shortly after 1
o'clock last Friday morning by Dan
Elsy, city marshal of Lineville, the
shooting however occurring just across
the line in Missouri, so that at the time
of the murder Mr.. Elsey was merely a
private citizen and not an officer.
In conversation with eye witnesses of
the shooting the following particulars
are learned:
On Thursday Mr.. Wallace accompan-
led by his wife and two little sons went
business matters and visit the reunion
being held in that town. They return
ed to Lineville on the night train, which
reached Lineville about lis Friday
morning. After getting Off the train
there were couple of travelling men at
the depot who were making inquiries
for a hotel and Mr.. Wallace stepped up
and told them that the best hotel was
over this way, pointing to the hotel
which he owned and which was con-
Quoted by his son-in-law, Walter Work
man. They went over to the hotel and
on the way the travelling man told
Wallace that the night watch had tried
to tell him the hotel was up the other
way, referring to hotel on the Iowa
side of the line. There had been bad
| feeling between Wallace and Elsey for
some time and the fact that Elsy had
tried to steer the travelling men to the
other hotel seemed to enrage Wallace.
A few minutes after they had reached
the hotel for some reason Elsy stepped
into the office of the hotel. Wallace
| was talking to the travelling men and as
soon as he saw Elsy he stepped up to
him and wanted to know what he was
doing in there, as he had told him he
did not want him to come about his
property or premises. Elsy made no
reply, and Wallace reached out and
grabbed the heavy walking stick which
| Elsy carried and took it away from him.
saying that if he had come over there
for a fight he was ready to fight him
square fight if he would take Off his
guns. About this time the men mixed
little and exchanged a couple of blows.
| Mrs. Wallace who was standing near
the door rushed between them and
begged Elsy to leave to avoid trouble.
She showed or pushed him out of the
door and they We're struggling out east
toward the road running north and
south, being followed up by Wallace
who had taken off his coat in the hotel
Office. Walter Workman had been try
| ing to pacify Wallace but he broke
away from him and rushed up toward
where Elsey was and said he would
give him one anyway. Here the story
differs, some of the witnesses saying
that Wallace struck over his wifes
head at Elsy, while others say he did
not strike him, but at this time Elsy
pulled out his revolver and shot at
Wallace either four or five times. The
first shot struck Wallace under the left
arm, the bullet passing entirely through
his body and coming out under the
right arm, piercing his lungs. The
bullet did not touch his vest entering
at one arm h,le and coming out of the
other. AS soon as he was shot Wallace
started running back toward the hotel
and Elsey kneeled down and fired either
three or four more shots at him, none of
them taking effect however. One bullet
struck the hotel, another tree in front
of it, and a third in coal house door.
| This accounts for four shots.
After being shot Wallace stumbled
along few feet falling and getting up
again until he reached some trees in
front of the hotel where he sank down
and died. After being shot he never
uttered word, but apparently tried to
say something, but could only make a
gurgling sound, his death being almost
instantaneous.
Immediately after the shooting Elsy
ran to his home and told his wife of the
taffair and then secured a team and
drove to Corydon and gave himself up
to the sheriff, claiming that he fired the
shot after he had reached Iowa soil.
This is disputed however, and at The
coroner's inquest the testimony of all
the witnesses as we'll as the course Of
the bullets which struck the house and
tree showed that Elsy was in Missouri
at the time of the shooting, and the
jury rendered verdict that Wallace
was shot and killed by Elsey in the
state of Missouri.
Elsy is man Of mature age, being
abomt 55 years old, and has been city
marshal of Lineville for six or eight
months. Only a couple of weeks ago he
l WCuO dSIOSS Uuo liuo lilVO OilC VI CHO
Missouri drug stores and after filing
up on tangle-foot, made everyone in the
house stand in line and drawing his
revolver threatened to shoot those who
did not dance. One man finally got be-
hind him and he was disarmed. He was
suspended from the office as marshal,
and later resigned, after paying fine
for being drunk. At the time he claim
ed he had been drugged, but physi-
clan who examined him testified it was
simply plain drunk. A week ago
Monday night Mayor Leachman re-
appointed him as marshal agreeing to
give hinr another trial and the city
council confirmed his appointment, as
he had made good officer, and about
the only one the town had had who
was. not afraid to tackle anyone who
was causing trouble.
Elsy was interviewed in the Corydon
Jail and claims that he fred the shot in
self defense, as just before he fired
Wallace had struck him with his heavy
L. 4 II HL