The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-04-09
MURDER is DONE
WITHOUT MALICE
FRIEND MEETS DEATH AT THE
HANDS OF FRIEND.
THEY ToYED WITH BIG KNIFE.
Engineer Frank Benson, Of the Iowa
Central, Kills Brakeman Byron
E. Body in Scuffle at
MarshalItoWn.

Marshalltown, Ia, April GA most
unfortunate outcome of what, from all
indications, appears to have been a
friendly scufle resulted late Friday
night, when Byron e. Body. an Iowa
Central brakeman, 20 years old, was
stabbed in the left breast by Frank
Benson, an Iowa Central engineer.
Body died less than half hour later
as he was being removed by the police
and surgeon to st. Thomas hospital.
The scuffie took place on East Main
street, about in front of the Reflector
Office After Body had been cut the
six men in the party went into the A.
Bowman saloon to ascertain just how
badly Body was hurt. Body Stun
bled as he entered the saloon. and
grasped the bar for support. he fell
to the floor a moment later and the
police we're call"d. The man was i'm
meditely removed to the hospital but
it was seen that he was dying before
the journey was half completed. He
gasped his last as the hospital doors
were entered
Knife Belonged to Harrison.
The knife used was big jack knife,
commonly known in boys parlance as
toad stabber." 1t had a blade four
and one-quarter inches long. and op.
ened with a double spring. The knife
belonged to Harry Harrington, an
Iowa Central brakeman, who had han
ded 1t to Benson shortly before Body
declared he had been cut.
Story of the Cutting.
All witnesses to the affair tell prac-
tically the same story. Benson, VIM.
Benskin, a Great Western fireman,
living in ues Moines, and Joe Jen-
sen, Of this city, an Iowa Central Ire
man, were together and came up
Third avenue, intending to take in
the 10-cent theatres. On Main street
they met Harry Harrington, Central
brakeman, Body and r. P Ward, an
other Central brakeman. All the men
knew one another and all were friend.
ly. They started for saloon to
have another drink.
Claims Was Trimming Nails.
Benson, as well as his companions.
claim that he was standt .,7 n Z 4
his nails when Body. htA 20 ~
mood, threw his arms around Eli
sons neck The knife was place %f
his hands, according to Benson, and
according to others Benson asked
Harrington for it, although he had a
knife of his own. At any rate, the
first thing all knew Body was I'M
steady on his feet and claimed that
he had been cut. All of the men say
that there was no hard feelings, no
words and nothing but the most
friendly relations between any Of the
members of ,.e party.
Dead Man Here Short Time.
Byron Elwood Body, the young
man who was killed, was only ~
years of age. He was the second son
of a widowed mother, Mrs. c. w. Boo
dy, living at 300 West Railroad street.
He has four brothers, Louis A, of In
diana; John, Eugene and Roy, or this
city, and one sister, Maybe, who is
also at home. The family came here
Sept. 1, 1907. from Thayer, Mo-, where
Boody's father died ten months ago.
The young mans body will probavly
be taken to Thayer for interment.
Benson Married Man.
Frank A. Benson, who held the
knife that killed Boody, is a young
married man, and has been in the en-
ploy of the Central for a number OF
years. He is 80 years old and has
wife and one little daughter. He is
well liked by his associates and pears
good reputation. e is a Hardin
county boy and was reared at Gift
ford. where his mother. Mrs. Emily
Benson, aged rs, now lives.
William Benskin. who was held as
witness, formerly lived here at ITO
South Third street. He ran out of
here with Engineer Wells johnson. on
the Great Western. He now lives in
South Des Moines and has wife and
an adopted daughter. Harry Harring-
ton Is comparative stranger and
came here week ago from Kentucky.
He has been braking on the chain
gang and quit Friday.
Charge Of Murder Filed.
An Information charging murder
was filed by the state in Justice Mil
lards court, Harrington will be held
as a witness, and unless he can fur
nish bond will be kept in Jail. Ben.
skin will be released.
Frank A. Benson, the young Iowa
Central engineer who stabbed his
friend, Byron Boody in friendly
scuffie at Marshalltown Friday even
ing. was we'll known in this city, hav.
ing resided here number of years.
While here he bore an. excellent repu-
tation and was well liked by his many
railway friends in the city. He is a
brother of Elmer Benson, Tie ball
player who played third base for the
oskaloosa club the early part OF last