Daily Davenport Democrat Davenport, Scott, Iowa Monday, May 2, 1870 Almost a Murder, A Man Nearly Pounded to Death A murderous affair occurred last night in Rock Island, which nearly reslted in the death of a man. The following are the particulars as collected by our reporter. A shoemaker, named Henry Schmidt, in the employment of R. Trenneman, was paid off Saturday and proceeded forth with that evening on a bender. He remained in that condition nearly all day Sunday. Last evening while walking about the city he accosted a colored woman, one of the baser sort, and was entered into an alley near John George's malt house. A woman named Mrs. Herman, living nearby, was sitting at an open window when she heard the dull "thud" of a blow struck apparently with a club. This was immediately followed by a cry, and a moment later another blow, then the person fell to the ground. Groans were heard and blows apparently showered on the prostrate body. Mrs. Herman rushed out and down the alley just in time to see a woman in a white dress running away. A little further on she discovered the body of a man lying in a pool of blood. She raised the alarm and in a few moments a crowd collected. The man Schmidt was taken up and carried to his boarding house and the police ran for the ferry where, on examination, they found a negress in the cabin dressed in white, whom they immediately arrested. Shcmidt's pocket-book was found near him, turned inside out and contents gone. The story of the Negro woman was that she went into the alley with two white men and they began to quarrel and one knocked the other down whereupon she ran, but as there was blood upon her dress that didn't wash. This morning the sounded man presented frightful appearance. His head is a mass of ghastly looking flesh and bone smashed cut and broken. Strange to say, the doctors say he will recover. The instrument used was an iron dray pin. No clue has yet been found of the other party to this transacton and nothing can be gained in way of information from the negro woman. May 3, 1870 District Court-May term Cases of James Peters and E. Forden, charged with breaking the peace, discharged. In the matter of State of Iowa vs Claus Offt indicted last term for disorderly conduct and charged for keeping a disorderly saloon. A plea of guilty was made and it appears that the nuisance has been promptly abated and that the defendant was now earning his living by the sweat of his brow, the court fined him in the moderate sum of $5 and costs. State of Iowa vs James Gortland with passing forged check-rehearing from February term in which a verdict of "guilty" was set aside. Jury empaneled after considerable skirmishing. May 4, 1870. In Limbo. A colored party, bearing the name of Harry Williams, was arrested at Clinton and brought to Rock Island this morning. This Williams has figured extensively in our police courts and is well known as a thorough going rascal. He confesses that he is the man who struck Henry Schmidt the other day in Rock Island. He is now in jail, awaiting trial. No preliminary examination can be held until the proecuting witness is able to appear in court and it is very doubtful whether Schmidt will be able to do so. He lies in a comatose state and is still suffering from his terrible wounds. Meanwhile Williams remains in jail until Schmidt either dies or makes his appearance. District Court-May Term The case of State of Iowa vs James Gartland was continued from yesterdays session and the defendant was discharged. The case of Vanderzee, for alleged swindling of a widow lady by the name of Susanna Moore, and the case was set for 2 o'clock. First witness called, Miss Susanna Moore testified as follows: Know defendant; employed him to fix my house; I gave him my note for $50, Mr. Ackley called with him; I was surprised to see a lawyer; I signed the note, a small piece of paper; nothing was said about a mortgage; the first I knew of it when Mr. Renwick presented it. He wanted the note to raise money with which to get lumber. He contracted to build my house for $583 and $50 for extra work. I paid him $831. Here witness produced receipts. No one was present except Mr. Ackley and defendant when I signed the note; nothing was said about mortgage; I did not sign any mortgage; knew nothing about any mortgage until Mr. Renwick presented a note to me for $907.75. I would not give a mortgage to him if I had been asked. The cross examination only showed that though the conract price was $583, Vanderzee managed to get most of the work in under the head of "extra work" and hence probably the $881. Mr. Vanderzee still claimed more money for extra work. Second witness was Johann Moore, testimony about as preceding witness. Third witness called was Henry E Evans, a boarder with Mrs. Moore about the same line of testimony. Cathy Joynt Labath Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm