Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-30
RED" RUSSELL ALIVE
bad Man" Of Eldon May Possibly Re-
cover From Injuries Received in Re-
cent ARRAY There-MarshaI Grow
Not Seriously Hurt-History of Bad

Special to Times Republican.
Eldon, Jan. S0.-"Red" Russell, the
bad man" of Eldon, who was believed
to be fatally injured i'm the shooting
ARRAY here Saturday night, was still
alive at last reports, and may possibly
recover from his wounds. Neither
Frank Russell nor Marshal Crow, who
were also shot. are seriously hurt.
About December 20 Russell was ar
rested for intoxication and disturbing
the peace and Mayor Brownfield gave
alm the opportunity to leave EIdon,
with the alternative of serving a sem
tence of thirty days in the county Jail.
Russell said he would leave town. and
he was not seen on the streets again
until Saturday. The affray that night
was development in a feud of long
standing between Red Russell's gang
and Night Policeman Grow. Russell
has long held reputation as the bad
mar" of Eldon, and Whenever there
nas been trouble in town it has been
1T. lie considered every officer of the
law natural enemy and Night Police
man Crow has had more than his
share of trouble with the Russell
gang" Some three or four weeks ago
"a farmer was beaten into insensibility
by the ruffians in a dark alley here and
because he resembled Crow in appear
ance. When an investigation of the
assault was attempted nothing could
De learned for the clan of Red" has
always been we'll provided with alibis
and proofs of entire innocence.
For years Eldon has regarded Red
Russell as bully" and he has de-
served the title. Tales of the wild
west are full of dad men, but Red
was the equal of any of these in cour-
age and resourcefulness. Like them,
too, he had strong desire for liquor.
1t was when partially intoxicated that
he shone at his worst Saturday
night has been his chosen time for as
sorting his ownership of Eldon. Time
and again he has frightened women
and the more timid men into the
stores and off the main street. A loud
piercing yell would be his only warn
demonstration that on the frontier
would be called painting the town red.
He is the son of Patrick Russell, an
old citizen of Eldon, and has several
relatives in the town, nearly all of
whom are we'll respected people. His
brother Frank, who became involved
in the affair of Saturday night, is sober
and Industrious, and is employed as a
brakeman on the Rock Island. Red
however, has never worked steadily,
and in the thirty-five years or more
of his life he has been the central fig
ure in more escapades than usually
fall to the lot of two men. He has
been arrested on scores of charges,
and has served term at the Fort
Madison penitentiary for larceny. His
desire for drink has been the cause of
many of his wrongs, and he has gained
the title of bad man" as the result
of his years of lawlessness in Eldon.
But in spite of his many faults,
Red" was a true friend to those upon
whom he chose for his pals" The re-
suit is that he collected about him
gang" that has ruled Eldon for long
time. Only once did Red ever meet
his master among the officers of the
law, This was when Sheriff Cremer
was marshal of the town. He arrested
Russell one night in the opera house
and when the prisoner resisted he
simply threw him down two flights OF
stairs and pummeled him into submits
sion. Ever after that Red" bowed to
Cremer's will, but when a change of
officials was made Red" resumed his
SWAY. He has worried Officer Crow so
long that the latter came to expect
some bnd of an attack. whenever
Russell Was at large. About year ago
Grow shot at Russell when the latter
resisted arrest. but the bullet flew wide
of it's mark Since that time feud
has smouldered between the night po-
liceman and the tribe of Red"