Sam Megaw (ca. 1850-1880)

MEGAW

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 11/20/2010 at 22:30:23

From Story County Watchman March 12, 1880

WAS IT A MURDER?

The Mystery of the Death of Sam Megaw

On Sunday morning last it was telegraphed to this city from Colo that a man was found dead on the track about two miles east of Colo. The facts as far as learnd at the time were that Sam Megaw, a man of about 30 years, living with his mother five or six miles south of Boone, was found by the employes of a freight train on Sunday morning, lying near the track east of Colo, dead. He was badly bruised in the head, and the supposition was that he had fallen from the passenger train going east on Saturday afternoon. He had got aboard the train at Boone, and that was the last seen of him alive by those that knew him. The remains were brought to Boone on Monday. An inquest had been held in Story county, but no foul play was suspected, and no post mortem examination was held.

On Monday afternoon, however, news came to this city from State Center that foul play was suspected there. Megaw had been in that city, and had had a fight, and been terribly beated over the head with a pump handle. He had told the marshal lof that town that he believed his "head was broken in," and did not seem to know what he was about. It is stated that he started to walk west on the railroad track. Certain it is that he did not take the cars. State Center was considerably excited with the news reached there that Megaw was found dead, and the facts as far as known, were sent to the officers in Boone.

Yesterday the body was taken to the city hall, a post-mortem examination was made. It was found by the physicians that two blows had been struck by some sharp cornered instument, crushing the skull.

The fight occured in the saloon of a man named Harris in State Center, and Megaw was struck with a pump handle by Joe Hoffman or Louis Bachman. There was others in the fight, but it is believed one of these struck the fatal blow or blows.

Megaw was a fine looking and intelligent man, but the demon of drink had possession of him, sad he was cut down in his prime.

The officers are busy looking the matter up, and do not give any information for publication at present.
--Boone Democrat

Coroner Boggess was notified of the finding of Megaw's dead body east of Colo and went to that place and held an inquisition over it on last Sunday. The jury not hearing of Megaws being at State Center concluded that he had fell from the train going east on Saturday afternoon, and rendered the following verdict:

STATE OF IOWA }
Story County } SS.

An inquisition holden at the depot, in Colo, in Story county, Iowa, on this seventh day of March, 1880, before J. W. Boggess, Coroner of said county, upon the body of ___________, person unknown, there lying dead by the jurors, upon their oath do say the deceased is about 30 or 35 years of age, about 5 feet 10 inches high and weight about 160 to 170 pounds, was a laborer during his life, and have reasons to believe his residence to be at Boone, Iowa, or near about, from passbook and papers found on his body, and also from papers in his possession we believe his name to be S. W. E. Megaw, that the deceased came to his death about four or five miles east of here, near the railroad track on March 6, 1880, in the evening. Also, that the cause of his death came through the deceased being intoxicated and falling off the train while in motion, through his own negligence, and striking his head on a rock and producing concussion of the brain, which caused the deceased instant death.

In witness whereof the said jurors have hereunto set their hands the day and year aforesaid.

C. W. Gross }
J. W. Ambrose } Jurors.
John Broughard,}

Attest: J. W. Boggess, Coroner