The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-03-19
MURDERED BY
SHOT IN ANKLE
Santa Fe Workmen In Drunken erawi
Which Results In Murder
Case for Lee
County.
BLEEDING THREE HOURS
Assaiiant OF Jose Ponce Had Time to
Escape and Took Train for
GsIesburg After the
Shooting.

Az the result Of drunken brawl at
Fort Madison on Saturday, Lee county
has another murder case. The dead
man was shot In the ankle, but neglect
caused him to lose so much blood
that death resulted from what might
otherwise have proved but a minor
injury. The Fort Madison Democrat
Of last evening says OF the crime:
After nine hours Of suffering. Jose
Ponce, the victim of the shooting az
fray which occurred Saturday noon
In bunk car at the Shoptown yards.
euccumbed to his injuries at the
Santa Fee Employees hospital. The
death, which occurred at about 9
o'clock Saturday evening was due to
an excessive loss of blood. resulting
from bullet wound in the ankle, in
hicted by weapon in the hands of
Julio Hernandez, a fellow workman
who has made good his escape.
Exact details of the ARRAY cannot
be gained, as the other three men
who were present at the shooting are
reticent and refuse to give out any
information of the incident. Through
the investigation of the police de-
partment and Santa Fee officials of the
track department, under whose super
vision the men we're employed, 1t has
developed that the murder was the
outcome of an alteration which start
ed In downtown clothing store Sat
urday morning. Ponce refused to pur-
loin an article of clothing at the in
stance of Hernandez, after which.
boarding car, they rode to the West
End, leaving the car at the intersec-
ton OF Peck street and Santa Fe
avenue. Before continuing their way
to their abode in the yards they en-
tered Schnitker's restaurant at $500
Santa Fe avenue at about il o'clock
While standing in the restaurant the
men became engaged in a heated
argument. Hernandez was In an In
toxicated condition but Ponce seemed
to be in full control Of his faculties.
After reaching the bunk cars the
two men seemed to be on more anna.
bic terms and were drinking and car.
ousing with three other men, until the
quarrel of an hour before was resum-
ed What led up to the shooting can
not be definitely learned, but an
abrasion back of the left ear on the
head of the dead man. caused by a
blow with a blunt instrument, shows
that a brawi preceded the firing OF
the shot which was accompanied with
disastrous results.
Immediately after the shooting Her
nandez escaped from the car, rar
southwark to the main line tracks Of
the Santa Fe, and proceeded to the
Santa Fe station and purchased E
ficket for Galesburg, Ill. He boarded
eastbound Santa Fe train No. 2
which arrived in this city at abou
1870 Saturday afternoon. 1t i:
thought by the police that he left tn.
train at Appleton, Ill, few mile
this side of Galesburg.
Following the fray, Ponce, VIII,
was in a semi-unconscious condition
probably occasioned by the blow Oh
the head. was allowed TO remain Il
the car for three hours before tn
hospital authorities were notified. A
the wound bled freely the blood SUI
ply was almost exhausted before med
ical attention was obtained At tn
hospital Ponce was informed tina
amputation of the member would b.
necessary but he would not allow il
The surgeon. unable to overcome hi
reticence and realizing his condition
removed the shattered bones from tn
member and attempted other mean
to save the life OF the man, all to NJ