Iowa
Old Press
Bellevue Leader
Bellevue, Jackson co. Iowa
November 18, 1886
ANOTHER SHOOTING AFFRAY
About eleven o’clock last Thursday night a fight and
shooting scrape occurred in the street a little west of Haney
& Campbell’s butter-tub factory. Only three persons were
present-the two combatants, Henry Regner and Frank Lang, and a
young man by the name of Dunne. It appears that both Regner and
Lang had been drinking and were intoxicated. They happened to
meet on their way home, for both parties lived near each other in
the southwest part of Bellevue, and soon engaged in a quarrel,
and then a fight. Regner had been out in the country hunting that
day and carried a shotgun. It appears that after the first
scrimmage, Regner seized hold of his gun to shoot Lang, when Lang
too, grasped the muzzle of the weapon, when it came off, the
charge of shot taking effect in the calf of Lang’s right
leg, making a frightful looking wound. Regner then fled and
concealed himself until the afternoon, when he walked into
Justice Farrell’s office and surrendered himself.
We have not been able to get all of the facts of the case, as the
two men tell different stories, and Dunne, who was an eye
witness, refuses to talk on the subject. The calf and muscles of
Lang’s leg are badly torn and one small bone fractured. Dr.
Hollister is attending him. He will likely get up a cripple for
life. Lang is a young man of family, while Regner has none. Lang
is very poor in purse, so the county will be called upon to
defray the expenses incident to this drunken fracas. He is a
section hand on the railroad and Regner is an itinerant butcher.
We do not know which one of the two men is chiefly to blame for
precipitating this unfortunate affray. One thing, however, is
certain, and that is if Lang had gone home at a seasonable hour,
as any man of family should have done, he would not now be in the
pitiful condition he is in. Regner waived examination of the
Grand Jury. He has secured the services of Hon. D. A. Wynkoop to
defend him. He claims he fired the shot in self defense.
[Transcribed by K.W., September 2010]