The Leon Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
Thursday, January 17, 1901

One man and two women made things lively for a couple of hours in this city last Saturday evening. The fun started when Sheriff WOLEVER received a telegram from Mrs. C. W. SHERMAN, dated at Mt. Ayr, requesting him to arrest "Whiskey man SHERMAN and a red-headed woman" and hold them until she arrived on the evening freight. Sheriff WOLEVER instructed Deputy Sheriff Burns to look after the matter and going to Hotel Leon he found that C. W. SHERMAN, a traveling salesman for a St. Joe liquor house and Miss Sadie FARMER, of Mt. Ayr, had registered at the hotel on Friday evening and were assigned to different rooms. Acting on the telegram he placed them under arrest and held them until Mrs. SHERMAN arrived about six o'clock. After consulting the County Attorney, who refused to take a hand in the proceedings, as SHERMAN and his wife have established a reputation all over southern Iowa by their constant fights and quarrels, they having created a scene in this city about a year ago, the parties were released and ordered to leave town.

Landlord BROWN ordered all of them to leave his hotel as he would not permit any of them to stay in the house. SHERMAN and the FARMER woman went out on the sidewalk and were followed by Mrs. SHERMAN, who made a vicious attack on Miss FARMER with a beer bottle, but Landlord BROWN caught and held her until SHERMAN and the other woman got away from the vicinity.

SHERMAN and the other woman started for the depot to take the 8:40 train for the north and were accompanied by Mat PULLEN, clerk of the hotel, who was carrying their grips. As the party reached the top of the hill leading to the depot, just in front of Mrs. Mattie GARDNER's residence, a cutter driven by Creighton MILLER drove up close to the walk. Mrs. SHERMAN was the other occupant and without stopping to renew the quarrel she drew a revolver and fired two shots. One struck the FARMER woman just above the knee, but merely grazed the skin and the other bullet passed through Mat PULLEN's overcoat and pants near his hip, but did not injure him. The FARMER woman cried out that she was hit and on orders from Mrs. SHERMAN, MILLER drove hastily away from the scene.

By the aid of numerous matches and quite a crowd of men and boys who had followed the party, it was soon learned that Miss FARMER was not seriously injured and after consulting a local physician, SHERMAN secured a livery rig and taking Miss FARMER, drove west from here, going to Decatur City.

After the shooting, MILLER drove to his home between this city and Davis City, where Mrs. SHERMAN remained over night, departing very early Sunday morning for Andover, Missouri, knowing that she would be safe from arrest as quick as she was across the State line.

The authorities here made no effort to arrest any of the parties as it would cause the taxpayers to pay a big bill of cost to prosecute them, but if any of them show up here again they will be arrested and prosecuted.

The same three parties were wrangling all last week at Mt. Ayr, and Mrs. SHERMAN asked the County Attorney of Ringgold County to have the parties arrested there, but he refused and when they came to Leon advised her to have them arrested and prosecuted in Decatur County, evidently for the purpose of saving Ringgold County the cost of the prosecution.

SHERMAN and his wife make their home in St. Joe, but recently Mrs. SHERMAN has been staying at Diagonal and making trips to towns which her husband visited, creating a scene everywhere. They at one time, lived at Davis City and the people of that town were rejoicing when they moved away as there was a constant row whenever they were both at home.

Miss FARMER, the red-headed woman, is a resident of Mt. Ayr, and has been married, but resumed her maiden name after being through the divorce courts. Her reputation is reported as not being as white as snow. She returned to Mt. Ayr Monday evening and consulted an attorney with a view of prosecuting Mrs. SHERMAN.

SHERMAN passed through this city Monday afternoon going north on the passenger train.

Leon is glad to be rid of the whole crowd, but it will not be healthy for any of them to show up here again.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, December, 2008