Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-04
MAN M|GHT HAVE
KNOWN sLAYERs
THEORY ADVANCED BY DAvEN.
PORT POLICE IS THAT GAL.
LAGHER RECOGNIZED THEM.
SPOKE BUT FEW WORDS
No Eye Witness to Shooting of Of
turnwa Man by Footpads But
Neighbor Was Soon
With Him.

That James Gallagher of Ottumwa,
who was shot and killed by footpads
in Davenport early Sunday morning
may have known his murderers is the
theory upon which the authorities in
that city are now working. Gallagh-
er's statement to the patrol officers
who rushed him to q hospital there
after the shooting has given Acting
Police Chief Schlueter Of Davenport,
the impression that the victim was
acquainted with his assailants and a
rigid search is being made all over
the city in an effort to determine the
whereabouts of every person with
whom the slain man was acquainted.
The Davenport Times has the fol-
lowing:
Nine suspects were lined up at
police headquarters Monday, and
Frank Risler, who is thought to have
been held up by the same men who
shortly afterward murdered Gallagher
attempted to identify some of them.
The attempt was failure, however,
Risler declaring that none Of the sus-
poets were the ones who robbed him
Saturday night.
uCIc WciO 1lO CyC W1IACooOo W tAAO
actual shooting, but j. M. Buzzard,
1864 West Second street, who heard
the victims cries for help and
reached his side just after he had
dropped, stated that he saw two dark
forms moving through the alley east
of the Kohrs Packing Co., Office.
Spoke Few Words.
according to a few words spoken
by Gallagher as he lay in the street,
two men had sprung from the alley
as he passed about 1915 o'clock and
to hold him up. He was
turning to escape them when one
fired the bullet entering the right
side, about one inch above the nipple,
penetrated the lung and came out
Near the backbone. The bullet was
found by Dr. f. o. Ncke, who was
called to attend him at Mercy hos
pital a short time later, in Gallagher's
clothing.
MIR. Buzzard, an employee Of the
Konrs Packing Co., had just arrived In
his room at Second and Fillmore
streets, when he heard shot, fol
lowed Immediately by call Of Help!
Murder!" He ran at once to the win
dow and looked out and saw Gallagher
stagger diagonally across the street.
He came down stairs then and ran
to the injured man. Just before he
reached him, however, Gallagher col
lapsed and sank to the pavement, face
down.
Buzzard turned him over and lifted
his head to his knee, at the same time
asking what was the trouble.
Olives Description.
They got me- gasped Gallagher,
as the blood began streaming from
between his lips. "They tried to hold
me up and one of them shot me-" He
then told Buzzard that the men had
jumped out at him. and described one
as being short and heavy set and
wore cap. The other was tall and
wore dark SLOUGH hat. The smaller
Of the two men is the one who fired
the actual shot, according to the dy-
ing mans statement.
Police on New Theory.
Late last night the police depart
ment began work on new theory
and an investigation was started that
is expected to result In every friend
and acquaintance of the dead man be-
ing subjected to rigid inquiries. Ac-
cording to Patrol Driver A. q. San
ford GallagheT's statement at the hos
pital gave him the impression that the
victim of the murderers was acquaint-
ed with his assailants, but lapsed into
before he could tell
their names.
When we reached the scene of the
shooting, Gallagher was unconscious"
said Sanford last night, but on the
trip to the hospital the air rushing
through the patrol wagon, seemed to
revive him and he was conscious when
we carried him into the hospital. He
told us in reply to our questions, his
name and where his relatives lived.
We then asked him how the shooting
occurred and he replied that two men
to hold him up. When he
told us this, he remarked, 1t was a
dirty trick for those fellows to do
The manner in which he said this
struck me as peculiar and at that
time I wondered If he knew the men,
but Immediately after he asked to
have a priest sent to him and seemed
to be suffering, SO I did not question
him further"
County Attorney Henry Jebens be-
gan work on the case yesterday and
has secured the names of several per-
sons who were near the scene of the
tragedy. He will assist the police in
the examination of the suspects.
To Trace Victims Movements.
Captain Schlueter detailed several
of his men last night for the purpose
of discovering Gallaghers movements
the evening. According to
his brother, Thomas Gallagher, the
victim Of the killing, left the Eagles
club rooms about II o'clock Saturday
night, but after that time no one, so
far as can be learned saw him. 1t is
in hopes of determining definitely
whether or not Gallagher walked home
alone, that this investigation is being
conducted. 1t is hoped that the move
ments of the slain man between the
time he left the club rooms and the
time he met his death can be traced.
There is little doubt in the minds of
the police that the same men who
help up Risler are the ones who are
for the Staying of Gal
lagher. Risler reported his case to
headquarters at 11:45 o'clock and said