William J. REYNOLDS

REYNOLDS, HALE, DAYTON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:00

14 May 1862 ---- 18 November 1914

Murderer Fired Four Shots, Two Taking Effect, One in Front of Left Ear and Other in Leg. Two Suspicious Characters Lodged in Humboldt Jail. Coroner Held Inquest Here Wednesday (This was sub headline of paper)

This community was horrified Wednesday morning by the account of the murder of Conductor Wm. J. Reynolds in the caboose of his train near Rutland as he was coming from Hawarden. It occurred about 3:30 a.m.

When about three miles west of Rutland a man entered the car with his face muffled and with drawn revolver ordered those in the car, Brakeman H. H. Dale and Thos. Crane of Sioux Rapids who had a car of poultry in the train to throw up their hands and fired one shot toward Mr. Dale's feet. The two men threw up their hands and just then Conductor Reynolds entered the car, and grappled with the robber. Three shots were fired and one of them struck Mr. Reynolds just in front of the right ear and came out at the base of the skull. The shots filled the car with smoke and Mr. Dale found that Mr. Reynolds was not in the car so he went over the cars to the engine and when it was found Mr. Reynolds was not on the train they immediately went back in search of him. He was found lying along the side of the track and still breathing but he died as the train was pulling into Rutland. The remains were brought to Eagle Grove immediately and taken care of at the Kastler-Cunningham undertaking parlors.

At the coroners inquest held Wednesday morning it was found that another bullet struck Mr. Reynolds in the leg between the knee and thigh. A few minor bruises were also noticeable on the body but no bones were broken by the fall from the train and death was caused by the bullet wound in the head.

Posses were immediately organized here and at Humboldt and a strenuous search is being made for the murderer. Mr. Crane, the stockman, says the man let out a shrieking laugh as he entered the car and shot at Mr. Dale's feet and believes the murder was committed by an insane person. The Northwestern has special detectives on the trail and undoubtedly the man will be apprehended.

Conductor Reynolds was one of the best known and universally well liked men on the Northern Iowa Division. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, W. O. W. and trainmen orders. He is survived by his wife and three boys, one son Guy, having been killed in a railway accident about a year and a half ago. The funeral will probably he held Friday and a complete obituary will appear next week.

A man was arrested in the country, near Rutland who was found to have blood on his shoes and clothing and he was placed in jail in charge of the Deputy Sheriff at Rutland.

It is also stated that the overcoat found near the scene of the tragedy was identified by a 16 year old Rutland lad as having been worn by the suspect at Rolfe Tuesday. A special train was sent to Rutland Wednesday afternoon with the coroner, the jury and railroad officials, Mr. Dale and Mr. Crane in hopes of identifying the man in the Rutland Jail.

The sheriff of Humboldt county's out with blood hounds in search of additional evidence.

Obituary

William J. Reynolds was born at Buchanan, Michigan, May 14, 1862. On April 8, 1886 he was married at New Era, Mich., and came to Eagle Grove in the fall of 1886 and entered the service of the C. & N. W. as brakeman and has been in the train service continuously since that time. He has been a conductor for the past twenty-five years. He has been a resident of Eagle Grove all this time with the exception of two years when he moved his family to Tama, when he had a run with headquarters at that place. He is survived by the widow, and three boys; John, Claude, and Leonard, two children having died previously, a little girl, the oldest in the family having died in infancy and Guy, who was killed who was killed on the railroad here about a year and a half ago. He has one sister living, C. F. Hale of Lowell, Michigan, and two brothers, J. E. Dayton, and Chas. Dayton of Fort Dodge.

The deceased was a faithful and appreciative member of the Masonic lodge and of the Order of the Eastern Star, and it was one of his chief pleasures to follow out the principles of Masonic teaching. He was also a member of the O. R. C. and the W. O. W. orders.

He was a man fearless and conscientious in the performance of his duty and his untimely end was the result of his unswering devotion to the interests entrusted to his care. He was stricken down by the murderous assault of a bandit in the way car of his train early in the morning of the 18th day of November, 1914, and died inside of an hour after receiving his fatal wound.

As evidence of the high esteem in which he was held it is only necessary to state that rarely in the history of Eagle Grove has there been so large an attendance at a funeral service. Hundreds were unable to find standing room in the Congregational church where the exercises were held. Special trains were run and friends from all over this part of the state were in attendance. Rev. Pierce preached the funeral sermon and the Congregational choir furnished the music. The pall bearers were, W. J. Robinson, W. J. Tompkins, Wm. Boylson, Chas. Chance, A. L. Stuart, Warren Stowe. The .Masonic lodge had charge of the services at the grave and with the members of the Order of Eastern Star occupied seats in a body in the center of the church.

In the untimely death of Mr. Reynolds the fraternal orders lose an ideal and highly cherished brother, the community a model citizen and the home a loving, indulgent husband and father.

His sad and tragic death stirs the heartfelt sympathy of the entire community and their prayers for the enfolding arms of the heavenly Father to uphold and sustain the stricken family in their great affliction.

EAGLE GROVE EAGLE --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
November 26, 1914

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source -- Paul Wilde