The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-12-01
ANOTHER MURDER
NEAR BURLINGTON
This One Was Committed With a
Knife as Weapon and is Similar
In Some Respects to Nc
kinney killing.
SUSPECT IS CAPTURED
Coroners Jury Brings In Verdict of
Murder, and Dead Mans EN-
pIoyer Is Star
Witness.

Another murder occurred near
Burlington Thursday night, and ike
the Mckinney affair was committed
with a knife The following is from
the Burlington Gazette and tells OF
the tragedy:
Joe Cough, a farm hand, 80 years
OF age. who last night murdered Abe
Platt, fellow farm hand, at the u.
T. Noble farm, six miles south OF
Danville, where both were employed,
was captured by Sheriff James Shep-
herd Of Henry county at an early
hour this morning, and is now safely
behind the bars at the Des Moines
county jail.
Sheriff Charles G. Earnest went to
Mt. Pleasant this forenoon, and
brought the muir derer. who was cap
tured by Sheriff Shepherd at Salem,
where his mother resides. The Henry
county sheriff got the man at his
mothers home at 8 o'clock this morn
ing. The sheriff was there waiting
for him when he arrived. The pris-
oner walked from the scene of the
fatal occurrence, distance Of many
miles.
Pleads Self Defense.
Cough made no rcsistance-in fact,
did not have a chance to-when he
was arrested He Immediately an
nounced that he would plead self de-
tense. Sheriff Shepherd stated to the
Gazette on long distance phone this
forenoon that Cough bears a good
reputation in the Salem neighbor-
hood, where he has Long lived. Cough
Is about thirty years of age, and un-
married.
Sheriff Earnest felt certain that he
would go to his mothers home in
Salem, but did not follow his "hunch"
because at that hour-lt was in the
wee hours this morning-he was
afraid the man would know that the
sheriff was in the auto, and that the
light would give him a signal in time
for his escape through the feds. He
notified the Henry county sheriff
that he probably could get the man
at Salem.
Abe Platt, the victim, who died
after the younger man had slashed
his throat, was sixty-six years OF age,
and it Is said that the trouble occur
red over a dispute that came up in
regard to the laying of pipeline on
the Noble farm. Mr.. Noble and
Cough were discussing the matter, 1t
is said, when Platt who had retired,
came down stairs and an argument
ensued. Then, it is alleged, Cough
called the old man a vile name,
which he resented, with the resyE
that the alteration ensued During
the fracas, Mr.. Noble told the men
that if they wanted to fight they
would have to go outside.
Made Hurried Getaway.
Suddenly Cough hastened from the
room, Just as the old man fell to the
floor, crying: my God, I'm done for;
Cough has cut my throat" Mr.. Noble
cared for the dying man, and sum-
moned Dr. James Miller of Danville,
but the physician at once saw that
the wound-the jugular vein had been
severed-would prove fatal.
1t was nearly midnight when Sher-
iff Earnest and Coroner B. A. Prugh
We're notified of the mans death
and Mr. Prush brought the victims
body to his morgue here.
Jury Finds Murder Verdict.
In the dismal wee hours Of the
morning the coroner held an inquest
at the house where the cutting
scrape occurred, and the jury. COM
prising A. J. Denny, E. Eddington and
a. Gaten. returned the following YER
dict:
I'VE, the Jurors, find that Abe
Plat came to his death by having
his throat cut by knife or some
sharp instrument, the knife or in
strument being in the hands of
Joseph Cough"