The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-09-30
MURDER AT DAVIS CITY
Sam Hamilton Shot and Killed by
France Hamilton on Monday in
FiQht Following Poker Game.

other murder on Monday evening
about dusk, when France Hamilton
shot and killed his cousin, Sam Ham
ilton, the result of a quarrel over a
poker game which had been in pro-
gress just north of the park, within
short distance of where Frank
Thompson was killed by being struck
by Enoch Burrell in poker game
quarrel just a few years ago.
There are, of course, always two
sides to such tragedies, and we will
endeavor to give both versions, with
out prejudice and the public may
form their own conclusions.
Monday afternoon Sam and France
Hamilton, with three others, two of
the Osborn boys and Sherman Wheel
er we're playing poker in the high
weeds just north of the Davis City
park. Along towards evening there
was some trouble between Sam and
France Hamilton over money matters
and Sam grabbed France around the
neck and struck him several times
in the face, blacking his eye and
bruising his face. and France claims
that at the same time he told him he
was going to kill him, and believed
he would do it right then. France
away AAom 0oA esAu
ran away. He went directly back to
town purchased 80 calibre revolver
at Lon Fulton's store. Mr.. Fulton
had no cartridges which would fit the
revolver, and France went to Jeffries
store and purchased twenty cents
worth of cartridges, loading the gun
in front of the store. 1t is claimed
that he told parties he was going
back over to get Sam and that these
parties tried to dissuade him and
advised him to stay away, but France
denies this part. Be that as it may,
France after loading the revolver
started back across the bridge to-
wards the park, and just as he left
the north end of the bridge he met
Sam Hamilton and Sherman Wheeler
coming towards the bridge. Here
again the reports differ. France
claims he asked Sam what he meant
by jumping on him the way he did,
and Sam replied with an oath that
he ought to have killed him and
would do it now, at the same time
reaching in his pocket for his knife
and started towards him. France
says he thought his life was in dan
ger and leveling his revolver he fired
twice, the first shot missing but the
second one struck Sam in the side of
the head and passed through his
head, coming out just above the left
ear, and he fell forward unconscious.
After the shooting France went to
his home in Davis City and told his
wife about the shooting and remained
there until he was arrested short
time afterwards by constable Hillary
Osborne. The other report is that
when France got within about sixty
five feet of Sam, who was walking
along with his hands in his pocket
talking to Wheeler, France pulled
out his revolver and said he had him
now and was going to kill him. Sam
said something about he had better
cut that out and stepped over to-
ward the other side of the road to
go up towards the east side of the
bridge when France shot and at the
second shot he pitched forward on
his face with both his hands in his
pockets, just as he had been walking
along.
There were several parties within
short distance of the shooting be-
sides Wheeler, but none of them
were close enough to hear the con-
versation between the two men.
Wnen Sam Hamilton was picked up
both his hands were in his pants
pocket. He was taken to the home
of his father, John Hamilton, in
Davis City, and several physicians
were summoned. He never regained
consciousness and gradually his life
ebbed out and he died about noon
on Tuesday.
France Hamilton was taken before
Justice j. H. Farris and an informa-
ton filed charging him with assault
with intent to commit great bodily
injury. He waived examination and
was bound over to the grand jury.
Deputy sheriff F. L. Lorey was in
Davis City at the time and he took
charge of Hamilton and brought b IN
to Leon and placed him in Jail. 1t is
probable that no other action will be
taken in the case until the grand
jury convenes on Nov. 8, as county
attorney Baker does not think it nee
essary to fill new information
charging him with murder, as he is
already in custody and will probably
make no effort to give bonds until
after the grand jury makes their re-
port in the case.
The funeral of Sam Hamilton was
AO4O AAOA CAO uOAS VI ulS ldCQ0T,
John Hamilton, at Davis City, on
Wednesday afternoon at o'clock,
interment being in the Davis City
cemetery.
Sam Hamilton was 32 years old
last June, and from a boy he had
lived stormy life and had caused
his estimable parents many heart
aches. When he was only eighteen
or nineteen years old he got in
fight at Davis City and severely cut
Robert Harvey with a knife. He
was arrested and confined for some
time in the Leon Jail, but Harvey re-
covered and Hamilton escaped with
fine. A few years after he cut
another man with knife down near
GAINESVILLE, and for this crime he was
convicted and served four years in
the Missouri penitentiary at Jeffer-
son City. He then got into trouble
in South Dakota where he was con-
victed of horse stealing and served
couple of years in the penitentiary,
being released about two years ago.