The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-09
r. o. Marsh, of Warsaw In Custody
of Officers In Louisiana, Charged
With Murder of J. C. Schee
of Pennington.
QUARREL OVER BUSINESS
Marsh Is Said r. lave Fired Three
Shots at His Partner, Follow
ing Some Trouble Over
Affairs.

and killed Wednesday night at Port
Barry, La His assailant was r. o.
Marsh of Warsaw. Trouble between
the two men, who were partners in
timber business in the south, was said
to be at the bottom of the whole al
fair Schee 1t was said, had threat
ened to sue Marsh for some money,
who later is said to have shot him fol-
lowing an alteration.
Both Mr.. Schee and Mr.. Marsh are
known here. Mr.. Marsh was pro-
moter Of an interurban line across the
river a couple of years ago. He was
mayor of Warsaw at one time resign
ing from that office when he left the
city. From reports received at War
saw and at Bonaparte where Schee
was well known, Marsh has been tax
en- into custody. Marsh's family was
in the south with him.
The following special from Bona
parte to The Gate. City gives some
light on the tragedy in the south:
A decided sensation was caused here
Thursday afternoon when it was learn
ed that G. H Kelley of Pennington
received q telegram from Opeloussas,
Louisiana, saying j. c. Schee, former
postmaster and prominent business
man Of Pennington was murdered at
that place at Z o'clock Wednesday
morning. The assailantS was Mr.
Schee's business partner, man nam
ed Marsh, it was reported. The first
telegram gave no particulars but a fol-
lowing one told more OF the murder
The message read:
Marsh in Jail, charged with first de-
gree murder Schee was killed by
Marsh while at the breakfast table.
Marsh fred three shots from the hall
a screen door and fired two
more shots into Schee's back as he
lay face downward on the floor. The
first shot was fatal"
Quarrel Over Business.
While details Of happenings leading
up to the murder are lacking, 1t is
known, that there Were business differ
ences between Mr.. SGhee and Marsh.
and that the latter had threatened
vengeance on Schee. The men had
been partners in getting out timber
near Opeioussas, and Mr.. Schee hac
brought suit against Marsh to recover
due him and the trouble grew
out of this suit.
j. C. Schee was good natured.
likable man, and his untimely death
is mourned and deplored by all who
knew him. He was well and favor
ably known here, having few years
ago leased large tract of timber
a short distance east of town and
had same cleared, and made many
friends here who regret to learn OF
his death. Mr.. Schee was for many
years prominent in Pennington bust
ness circles, as assistant cashier of
the First National bank. as lumber
and building material merchant, and
as tmaster there. AS contractor
he cleared the timber from the
islands of Lake Keokuk. Later he
transferred his business headquarters
to FIT. Madison, and still later en-
gagged in the timber business in
louisiana His father and mother,
Mr.. and Mrs. Ed. Schee, live at
Chambersburg. Mo-. nine miles south
west of Pennington, and brother,
Frank Schee, lives at Athens, Mo.
Mr.. Schee was thirty-six years of age.
The body was taken In charge by
the Elks of Opeloussas. and with an
escort of the members Of that lodge,
left that city Wednesday night en-
route 10 rdTUlluStOu "hclc lASy oil
rived this morning. Funeral services
will be in charge of the FIT. Madi-
son Elks, Of which Mr.. Schee was a
member, and will probably be held
some time tomorrow.
Claims Self Defense.
Charles Hollingshead, who had been
associated with both Marsh and Schee
and who accompanied Schee's body to
Iowa. was in Warsaw this afternoon.
He said that Marsh claimed that he
shot Schee in self defense. To a rep
of The Gate City Mr.. Hol-
1ngshead told Of the tragedy.
I had just left the hotel by the back
way when / heard shot followed by
TWO more shots. / turned and ran
back to the dining room, and saw
5chee lying face down on the floor At
he inquest it was brought out that
Marsh had fired through the screen
ioor at Schee. the. first shot proving
fatal. Two more shots were fired at
Schee as he lay on the floor"
The trouble, it seems, was the re-
suit of lawsuit brought by Schee
against Marsh. The company organ
zed by Marsh two years ago was a