The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-08-15
INERT COZAD STABBED
Reno Willis Uses Knife in a Quar-
rel at an Ice Cream Supper in
Morgan Township Friday.

AS the result of a disturbance created
at an ice cream supper given at the
home of Robert Dunham in Morgan
township last Friday evening, Mert
Cozad well known young farmer OF
Morgan township, was stabbed in the
neck by Reno Willis, another young
farmer who lives in the east side Of
Morgan township.
MIR. Cozad accompanied by his wife
and children had attended the party at
which number of the neighbors were
present. During the evening young
Willis and several companions who had
not been invited to the party appeared
on the premises, and were invited into
the house to eat some ice cream but
refused the invitation and remained
outside. They had liquor with them
and had been drinking before they
arrived, and young Willis was in quar-
relsome mood. 1t seems that few
bottles of beer were taken from one of
the buggies during the evening and
when the party broke up to go home
about l o'clock there was some talk
about anyone who would be guilty OF
stealing from the buggies. Willis was
drunk enough to be quarrelsome and
took otfense at the remark made by Mr..
Cozad that it was low down trick.
Cozad was hitching up his team to take
his family home when Willis came up
and said he had taken the beer and
started a quarrel, threatening to cut
Cozad into shoestrings. He finally ap-
piled an epithet to Cozad who jumped
toward him and gave him a shove, and
then resumed hitching up his team,
While other parties tried to get Willis
| hn hf,~
to make threats. He started toward
Cozad with knife in his hand and Merit
met him and gave him blow which
Knocked him down, but at the same
instant Willis struck him in the neck
with the knife, which penetrated his
coat collar and shirt and inflicted a
wound about two and half inches
deep, the blade of the knife striking
his collar bone. The wound bled pro-
fusely and Mr.. Cozad came near bleed
ing to death before Drs. Macy & Son
could be summoned from Pleasanton.
An examination disclosed that the knife
blade had missed the jugular vein less
than an eighth OF an inch, and had it
deviated that much would have killed
Cozad.
MIR. Cozad's wife was Frustrated when
she .learned her husband had been
stabbed and became unconscious and
has ever since been under the care Of a
physician, being still in quite a critical
condition.
An information was filed before JUS
tice John Holden in this city Saturday
by Mr.. Cozad charging Willis with as
sault with intent to commit murder.
He was arrested the same evening by
John Osborne and brought to Leon. He
retained Marion Woodland to defend
him, and waived examination, being
bound over to the grand jury under
bonds Of $500 which he gave with his
faster, Alb Willis and father-in-law, j. B.
Vaughn, as sureties and was released
from custody.
Prior to the quarrel there had never
been any trouble between the parties,
but it is said that Willis is a hard
, drinker and has on numerous occasions
threatened to use a knife on other par
) ties, and has been in the habit of carry
ing a dirk knife. He is about % years
: of age and was married last winter.
Willis lived about three miles from the
scene of the trouble.