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MURDER ON THE STEAMER MUSCATINE
Researched and Transcribed
by Sue Rekkas
The on the front of the Muscatine, Capt. Jenks, arrived here about midnight and left for
St. Paul at two o'clock yesterday morning." The Daily Gazette, July
19, 1867.
The Daily Davenport Democrat, Thursday, July 18, 1867, page 1.
FEARFUL TRAGEDY.
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Two Men Killed and a Third Wounded in an Affray on the Steamer
Muscatine.
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The Murder of Hill previously
determined on.
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Verdict of the Coroner's Jury.
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One of the most horrible affrays that ever occurred in this
vicinity took place on the steamer Muscatine at about twelve o'clock
at night, resulting in the death of two men, and the wounding of
another.
It seems that two raftsmen named Edward Gardner and Homer Marvin,
who arrived in this city last Tuesday on a raft, had an old grudge
against Myron D. Hill, an old raft pilot, in consequence of his
interference in a quarrel which the two were engaged in at Clinton
some months ago, and on his arriving here in charge of another raft,
yesterday, they determined to "settle with him" as they expressed it
to their comrades. To this end Gardner and Marvin inquired during
the day where brass knuckles could be obtained, but finding none at
half past eight o'clock in the evening they stepped into the
hardware store of Sickles & Preston, and each bought a dirk knife,
the blades of which were six inches in length.
The parties met at a saloon on Front street, during the evening,
and Hill, who had been warned by a friend of his, determined to
brave the affair out, he was unable to get away from Gardner and
Marvin. Words ran high at the saloon and the proprietor turned then
out. They then determined to have a fight on the levee, but the
police succeeded in frustrating their design. All were somewhat
under the influence of liquor, and when the steamer Muscatine, on
her way up, landed, they got on board. Captain Jenks refused to
receive them, but having other duties to attend to they were on the
boat when it started for the Rock Island side. The boat was crowded
with passengers, most of whom had retired, but a number of them
observed the three men in an angry dispute in the cabin near the
clerk's office. Hard names were called, intermingled with fearful
oaths, then followed blows, and finally Gardner stabbed Hill with
his dirk knife which entered in the back to its full length, making
a slight puncture in the breast. The wounded man started back
though the cabin, and on arriving near the middle passage way he was
struck on the head by Marvin. This felled him, and in a few minutes
he expired.
Judge Grant of this city, and others of the passengers gave the
alarm, and the boat by this time having touched the shore, Policemen
McConchie and Feeley, of the Rock Island force, went on board.
They, with several other gentlemen, had been standing in front of a
saloon, on Illinois street, and hearing an unusual noise at the
levee, went down. On reaching the cabin deck, Judge Grant pointed
out the man Gardner, who had stabbed Hill, he himself having taken
charge of Marvin. Gardner, who was on the guards on the shore side,
when the police attempted to arrest him, drew his dirk and made a
lunge at Feeley. The blow was warded off, and Feeley pushed him
back about six feet, Gardner falling down. While he was recovering
himself, Feeley drew his revolver. Gardner than sprang over the
railing of the boat and advanced toward the place where McConchie
was standing. McConchie ordered him to give up his knife or he
would shoot him, brandishing his weapon in the policeman's face,
until McConchie was compelled to draw his revolver and fire. The
ball entered his breast near the left shoulder. For a few moments
he gave evidence of being shot. Then he threw the knife behind him
in the river where it was afterwards picked up. He was seized and
hauled over the railing, and it was soon found that the wound he had
received was mortal. In about two minutes he expired.
In the fracas which took place in the cabin, a passenger who
declined to give his name as he did not wish to be detained as a
witness, said to be a commercial traveler for a Chicago house,
received two accidental cuts in his arm above the elbow. They are
not of a serious nature. Several of the lookers on were struck by
chairs which were freely used. The conduct of Gardner and Marvin is
said to have been outrageous, as they danced, shouted and laughed
round the body of their victim like incarnate fiends. Marvin was
taken to jail at once.
A coroner's jury, consisting of L. M. Haverstick, Foreman, J. E.
Fleming, Chas. Gleim, Water S. G. Gates, Thos. Saulpaugh, Andrew
Schneider, Geo. W. Burneston, J. Warner, Chas. H, Geim, W. R. Boyle,
L. C. Burwell, Roy D. Cross, was impanelled by Mr. Huggins, Justice
of the Peace, who, after examining a number of witness, rendered the
following verdict.
"We the jurors called to view the body of Myron D. Hill, now lying
before us, do find, for our verdict, that the deceased came to his
death by a wound on the left side of the back, inflicted by a dirk
knife in the hands of Edward Gardner, who was aided and assisted by
one John C. Malvon. (This name should read Homer Marvin, Ed.) now
in jail in Rock Island; and we do find said Gardner and Malvon are
guilty of feloniously, with malice aforethought, killing and
murdering said Myron D. Hill."
All the witnesses testified to the peaceful disposition of Hill,
the man who was stabbed. It was also shown that Marvin also
brandished a knife during the first part of the disturbance, but
Hill got it from him and threw it in the river.
In the case of Edward Gardner the verdict was, "that he came to
his death by a pistol shot in the left side, near the shoulder, at
the hands of Robert McConchie, a policeman of Rock Island; and we
find that said Gardner was resisting said officer, and that said
officer was justified in inflicting said pistol shot."
At the close of the Coroner's investigation the bodies were taken
to Harris' warehouse, whence the city undertaker removed them this
morning for burial.
Mr. Myron D. Hill is well and favorably known all along the river,
and is the oldest raft pilot in the west out of Black River, having
followed the business for nineteen years, and bearing an excellent
reputation. He was forty-three years of age, very well off, having
considerable money in one of La Crosse banks besides a good farm
near Fulton, Ill., on which his aged parents reside. Five hundred
and fifty dollars was found upon his body. But little is known of
Gardner, who was shot by the policemen. His home is at La Crosse.
He was married a few months since and his wife is working for
Sheriff Scott in the La Crosse jail.
Marvin, who is now in jail, seems to have been most to blame in
the affair. Acquaintances say that he did all in his power to keep
up the vindictive feelings of Gardner, and his great animosity to
Hill is shown in his knocking him down with a chair after he had
received his death wound. Marvin is about twenty years old, and has
ever been very wild and reckless. He has two young sisters
dependent upon him at La Crosse.
In this connection it may be well to state that the affair took
place in so short a time that no one cold possibly have prevented
it, and no blame can possibly attach to any of the officers of the
Muscatine--Captain Jenks was on the upper deck assisting the pilot
in the management of the boat and the whole affair occurred without
his knowledge. The other officers of the boat were engaged at their
several posts.
A post-mortem examination of the bodies was held this morning,
previously to the interment by Drs. Truesdale and Plummer. On the
body of Hill was found a wound from a knife 1 1/2 inches in length
situated 1 3/4 inches to the left of the spine, and between the 7th
and 8th ribs passing inward through the lower left lung, severing
2/3 of the aorta about four inches below the arch, and penetrating
the pericardium, or heart covering.
On the body of Gardner was found a shot wound entering between the
left nipple and point of the left shoulder passing down through the
upper lobe of the left part of the pericardium wounding the
pulmonary artery near the right ventricle of the heart.
The Daily Gazette, Friday Morning, July 19, 1867, page 4.
AFFRAY AMONG RAFTSMEN.
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ONE OF THEM KILLED
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The Murderer Shot by A Policeman.
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Wednesday about midnight, upon the arrival from St. Louis of the
Northern Line Packet Muscatine Capt. Jenks, several raftsmen
belonging to rafts that had been sold here and at Moline went aboard
to go up river. Among them were Myron D. Hill, an old and well
known raft pilot of La Crosse, Ed. Gardiner, and Homer Marven, or
Melville, raftsmen who also resided at La Crosse. The last two
named men had been noticed about town the previous day, apparently
on a spree, and once or twice the timely appearance of the police
only prevented them from fighting among themselves, or at least
Gardner and Mellville appeared determined to "to for" the pilot
Hill, who, we are informed told them he "did not want to get in a
row in Davenport, but if they would wait until they got to La Crosse
they could have all the satisfaction they wanted." While the
Muscatine was crossing to Rock Island, the party got into a fight in
the forward part of the cabin. Chairs, fists and knives were used
and Hill was stabbed in the back by Gardner, and afterwards knocked
down by a blow from a chair in the hands of Mellville. Hill in a
few minutes expired, whilst his two murderers danced around,
shouting, and cursing their prostrate victim.
The uproar alarmed the passengers who mostly had retired for the
night and attracted the officers and crew. The two murderers
defiled, with curses, any one to touch them. As the boat neared the
shore they made their way to the guard evidently intending to try
and escape. Fortunately Judge Grant of this city was on the boat.
He called to those on the levee for policemen, and not to allow
anyone to go ashore. As the boat touched the shore, Policeman
McConchie and Feeley rushed on board, and Judge Grant pointed out
Gardiner, and the policemen went for him. He was on the outside of
the railing, on the upper guards, on the shore side, had a long
knife in his hand made a lunge at Feeley, who caught his arm, pushed
him back and threw him down. While Gardiner was recovering Feeley
got his revolver ready when Gardiner sprang over the railing towards
McConchie, who ordered him to give up his knife or he would shoot
him. Gardiner defied him and McConchie shot him in the left
breast. He still refused to give up his knife and threw it into the
river, where it was afterwards found. He was seized and it was soon
found that his wound was mortal. He died in a short time.
The surviving murderer was taken to jail. The coroner was
immediately notified, and inquests held. As to the death of Myron
D. Hill, the jury's verdict was "that the deceased came to his death
by a wound in the left side of the back, inflicted by a dirk knife
in the hands of Edward Gardiner, who was aided and assisted by one
John C. Malvon, now in jail in Rock Island; and we do find said
Gardiner and Malvon are guilty of feloniously, and with malice
aforethought, killing and murdering said Myron D. Hill."
The verdict in the case of Edward Gardiner was, "that he came to
his death by a pistol shot in the left side, near the shoulder, in
the hands of Robert McConchie, a policeman of Rock Island; and we
find that said Gardiner was resisting said officer, and that said
officer was justified in inflicting said pistol shot."
On searching the bodies, $515 in money was found upon the body of
Hill, and $21.10 upon the body of Gardiner.
Malvon, the surviving participant of the bloody tragedy, is a
young man, about 21 years of age. Gardiner was about 30, and Hill
about 40 years of age.
The bodies of Hill and Gardiner were taken to Harris' warehouse,
where a postmortem was held by Drs. Truesdale and Plummer.
On the body of Hill was found a wound from a knife 1 1/2 inches in
length, situated 1 3/4 inches to the left of the spine, and between
the 7th and 8th ribs, passing inward through the lower left lung,
severing two-thirds of the descending aorta, about four inches below
the arch, and penetrating the pericardium, or heart covering.
On the body of Gardiner was found a shot wound entering between
the left nipple and point of the left shoulder, passing down through
the upper lobe of the left part of the pericardium wounding the
pulmonary artery near the right ventricle of the heart.
City Marshall Cropper telegraphed to La Crosse in regard to the
affair and an answer was received to hold Hill's body, and it would
be sent for immediately. The body of Gardiner was delivered to City
undertaker Knox, for burial.
Mellville will probably be held on a coroner's warrant, for trial,
in September, he being said to be the leader in the affray which led
to the death of Hill.
Since the above was written we have learned that the original
cause of the difficulty was the discharging of Gardiner a few weeks
ago by the pilot Hill. The parties had since quarreled and was
supposed to have settled their difficulty.
We learn from L. S. Davies, Esp., that the pilot Myron D. Hill had
run several rafts this season for Messrs. French & Davies. The day
preceding the fatal affray he had called upon Mr. Davies in relation
to bringing down a raft. At six p.m., when he left Mr. D., he was
perfectly sober, and expressed himself as feeling particularly well,
and gratified that he has made $500 by his last trip. Mr. Hill is
said to have many friends in La Crosse, where he was well known. He
was unmarried. His aged parents reside near Fulton, Ill.
Davenport Daily Gazette, Saturday, July 20, 1867, page 4.
THE MURDERED PILOT.--Yesterday Messes. James C. Follmer and
Abraham Tooney, of La Crosse, who were partners of Mr. Myron D.
Hill, the unfortunate man killed in the late affray, arrived in Rock
Island, and paid all bills in preparing the body for burial, and
left with it on the steamer Burlington, en route to Waukon,
Allamakee county, in this State, where the mother and sister of the
murdered man reside. Mr. Follmer, who was in our office yesterday,
says the name of the surviving murderer, now in Rock Island in jail,
is Homer Marvin. He has the reputation of being a desperado, and
from the fact of his being one-fourth Indian, is known to raftsmen
as the "Indian boy." His Indian extraction may account for Marvin
jumping and yelling over the dead body of Hill. A number of
witnesses have been found who can testify to Marvin's threats that
he would kill Hill, who it appears, some weeks ago when running on a
raft with Marvin, had a difficulty with and struck him. Mr. Hill,
the pilot, is represented by a number of gentlemen in the lumber
business in this city, as having been a very clever and industrious
man. His friends will undoubtedly endeavor to have full justice
done in the trial of Marvin, who it may yet turn out struck the
fatal blow.
Daily Davenport Democrat, Saturday, July 20, 1867, page 1.
REPORT--It is reported on the streets today that Judge Grant,
who was on the steamer Muscatine at the time of the murder of the
pilot Hill and the shooting of the murderer by the police, and who
went on up the river, has telegraphed to the authorities to hold the
prisoner Marvin at all hazards, as facts have been developed showing
that he is the murderer of Hill, that it was he who struck the fatal
blow. It is known that he made threats to kill him and did jump and
yell over his dead body on the boat, which circumstance will go a
good ways towards convicting him. His character is that of a
desperado and a villain. If the above report should be true he will
probably learn too late that such freaks of Indian character are not
appreciated in a civilized community.
The Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock Island County, page
698 states:
On
the 18th day of July, 1867, Myron D. Hill was killed by being
stabbed with a large knife. Homer Marion was arrested and indicted
for the commission of the crime.
It does not mention about a trial and sentence.
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