The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-01-17
HOWARD BURGESS
SHOT NEAR BUXTON
KILLED IN SELF-DEFENcE BY
MARION THOMPSON.
WAS BAD MAN WITH BIG KNIFE
Burgess Had Threatened to Put An
End to Thompson and Entered
Restaurant 6randishine
the Weapon.

Buxton, Iowa, Jan Murder has
again been done here, but not in the
town proper. Marion Thompson shot
and instantly killed Howard Burgess.
Both are colored men. Thompson
fled Immediately following the shoot
ing and is still at large.
The tragedy occurred in Marion
Thompson's restaurant on the south
side of Buxton at a place called
"Sharp End" between eleven and
twelve o'clock Sunday night. How
ard Burgess, known locally as big
Boy" has reputation as trouble
maker and bad man generally. He
had been in Thompson's place AMI
had made trouble at a previous time.
He took exception to the treatment
that Thompson gave him and made
threats of what he would do to the
restaurant keeper. He told his wife
that he was going to finish Thompson.
Mrs. Burgess was frightened by her
husbands manner and warned Thomp-
son to look out, telling him that Bur
CESS was bad and meant business.
Thompson procured shot gun and
placed it within reach. Burgess en-
tered the place again after elsven
o'clock. He had a big knife in one
hand and was threatening in manner.
He made for Thompson and the res.
taurant keeper took no chances. He
shot the man dead.
After seeing the result of his shot
Thompson turned from the room ami
ran from the house. The officers
were notified Immediately of the
shooting and the county authorities
were communicated with and were
on the look out. Thus
far Thompson has eluded all efforts
60 lind him and is still at large. ~
Public sentiment is generally in
Thompson's favor, as all believe the
shooting was done in self-iefence.
The killing was witnessed by Mrs.
Burgess, wife of the deceased, and
by William Banner, a colored man.
When Burgess came into the room he
found his wife there talking to
Thompson. He demanded to know
why she was there, ordered her to
go on home, and was most unreason-
able in his attitude. The woman
protested and he knocked her down.
Thompson then demonstrated and
said that he should not fight in his
place, if any fighting was to be done
they must leave the house. Burgess
then angrily demanded what Thon,p
son had to do with this matter any.
how. He saw large butcher knife
lying near and seizing this he made
for Thompson, who was behind the
counter. Thompson backed away as
Burgess advanced and shouted to him
several times to stand off and keep
away. He picked up his gun and
again warned the man with the knife
to stay back. He fired once over
Burgess to frighten him and make
him stop. This made the assailant
half crazy and he shouted: Now you
have got to do it. You have got to
shoot" Thompson had now retreat
ed to the far end of his counter and
was against the wall. He could get
back not another inch. Burgess was
now also behind the counter and was
advancing rapidly, fiouTishing the
knife and shouting. Thompsoa fired
the second time and shot to hit. The
victim fell in his tracks with a hole
blown through HIS heart.
Burgess was a giant in stature and
wonderful specimen of physical
strength. He stood seven feet and
was most likely the largest man in
all Buxton. He was a quarrelsome,
obstinate and unreasonable fellow,
Jomineering in disposition and of a
disagreeable nature. He liked to
have people fear him and would
stand no interference of any sort. he
has been thought by those who knew
him best to be half demented at
times.