The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-04-19
.CnAS. MCCAIN KILLED!
Shot by Artie Cave at the Cave
Farm North of Decatur City,
last Thursday EVENING.

lOAS 11SI VI AoloIltlCo " HUI nave OC-
Cured in Decatur county, when Chas.
McCann was shot and killed by Artie
Cave at the Cave farm two and a
half miles north OF Decatur City, last
thursday. evening about 6 clock,
and whlskey in Ihis case was the
cause OF the murder, as the men mad
always been good friends.
The facts OF the terrible tragedy,
as we, gather them, are that on
Thursday Afternoon, young Cave went
10 Decatur City, and while there was
drinking, and the evidence OF eye
been drinking. Between five and six
O'Clock Artie Cave, John and Cliff
Woodard and Charles McCann drove
out 10 the Cave farm in the Wood
ard auto, for the purpose OF seeing
some hogs which Woodard and Nc
Cam were trying to buy from young
Cave. Arriving at the Cave farm
they remained there for some little
time, talking about the hogs, and
finally they were purchased About
this time Mrs. Ed Cave, the mother
OF Artie Cave, who resides a short
distance away, came over to the
place, and upbralded her son on ac-
count of his drinking. This enraged
young Cave and ne went into his
house and secured revolver, and
came out flourishing it and threaten
ing to shoot his mother, mis- father,
and Others. BY this time Mrs. Eu
cave had started away from the
Artie Cave would shoot some one as
he was crazy drunk, Charles Mccain
went up to him to try and pacify
him or secure the revolver. Here the
story differs as told by the witnesses,
some saying the men locked arms
and We're struggling when the re-
yolver went off, and others insisting
that Mccain did not touch Cave. But
at any rate McCann fell to the
ground, with a bullet in his head,
Just above the left temple. Witnesses
say that Cave shot again at Mccain
hit him. lie also fired three shots
in the direction of the other parties,
and refused to allow anyone to come
near him or McCann. Word was
phoned from a nelghboring house to
sheriff John A. Fulton, and also to
pany with deputy sheriff John Os-
born and Frank Farquhar, sheriff
Fulton drove at once to the scene
When he arrived there everybody
was hiding down behind the railroad
embankment, afraid to go near Cave,
but Fulton and Osborn started for
the house, supposing. Cave was in
side, but as sheriff Fulton crept near,
keeping an auto between him and
the house, he discovered Cave lying
in the front OF the auto, apparently
asleep or in a drunken stupor, with
the revolver by his hand, and hes was
in custody before he knew it. By this
time quite crowd had gathered at
the scene and sheriff Fulton return
ed at once to Leon with Cave and
placed him in jail. He claimed he
did not know he had shot anyone,
and insisted on; giving bonds instead
OF going to Jail. Drs. Layton, Bow
man and Eikpr arrived on1 tho nod,
OF Mr.. McCann which was lying on
the ground, was carried into the
house. He was still breathing, but
passed away in short time, the bull
let having penetrated the brain and
severed an artery, being necessarily
fatal
There was considerable talk in
various parts of the county, about
organizing mob to take Cave from
the sheriff, and Friday evening he
was taken to the county Jail at Cory
don for safe keeping and to avoid
trouble, as sheriff Fulton is not the
kind OF man to turn prisoner over
to a mob.
The murdered man was very
popular citizen of Decatur City, being
3S years, 5 months and 27 days old
His death is the more patheti> from
vember, leaving seven children, the
Oldest being only thirteen years of
age, and Mr.. McCann had since her
death devoted practically all OF his
time to caring for the children, &c
fusing to allow them to be sep,rat-
ed
The funeral of Mr. McCann was
held at Decatur City Sunday morn
ing, and there were 1l9 autos lined
up in the streets adjoining the
streets adjoining the church. His
body was taken to Lamont for inter.
ment by the side of his wife, and
about IS cars were in the funeral
Leon on the way to Lamont, and al
Lamont there were more than zoo
cars in the procession, which was
without doubt the largest funeral
ever held in Decatur county. Mr.
RcGann n ,a1no was asj member member of the X; Of
orders, and these orders attended his
funeral in body.
Coroner Layton held an inquest in
this city on Saturday, the cOrOner's
jury consisting of G. K. Farquhar
F. A. Gardner and Chas. E. Hurst
and after hearing the evidence of the
eye witnesses the coroner's jury re.
turned the following verdict:
I'VE do find that the deceased
wound in the head, inflicted by q
gun in the hands of Artie Cave, with
felonious intent, on the 18th dav OF
April, 1917, in Decatur township, De
catur county, Iowa.
The. following is transcript oi
the evidence taken at the coroner's
inquest:
Arthur Andrews, being sworn. tes
titled as follows:
Reside in Leon, Iowa; occupation
auto mechanic and livery: age 2e
years.
Q-You may tell the coroner's
jury where you were on the after
noon of April 18th. Apart of the
afternoon l was in Decatur and the
rest of the afternoon at Artie Cave:
house.
Q-Were you a witness to the
death of Charles Mccain? Ayes
sir.
own language all the things you saw
and heard from the time you frs