Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1912 — CITY MARSHAL USES CLUB ON C. W. RHOADES. [ARTICLE]

CITY MARSHAL USES CLUB ON C. W. RHOADES.

Killing of Latter’s Dog Precipitated Trouble That Might Have Resulted Very Seriously. - The most deplorable thing that has occurred in Rensselaer within recent years occurred at abbut 3 o’clock Monday afternoon when City Marshal George Mustard and Assistant Chief pf the Fire Department C. W. Rhoades, the barber, engaged in a fight at the corner of Washington and Van Rensselaer streets. ■’■ The timely action of Sheriff Hoover in separating the men is all that prevented serious results, according to the sheriff and to several who saw the latter part of the mix-up. The direct cause of the trouble was the killing of Mr. Rhoades’ rat terrier dog by the marshal. There had, however, been previous trouble between the men but it was the killing of the dog that precipitated the fight. According to Mr. Rhoades, he has taken care of his dog and either kept it muzzled or confined to the house. Last Friday morning a member of the Rhoades family left the house early in morning and the dog got out. Its absence was not noticed, however, and Jater when Dr. Hansson’s son went to the shop - and asked Mr. Rhoades to borrow the dog for use at rat catching at the farm, Mr. Rhoades told him to go to the house and get it; It was then that the dog was missed. A search was made for it but it could not be found and nothing was seen of the dog during the day. On Saturday Mr, Rhoades met the marshal and informed him that the dog was out and that they were trying to find it and asked him to not kill the dog if he saw it but to let him know where it was and they would get it and care for it The marshal is said to have promised to do this. But, according to them, be had -already killed the dog, which he had found near the residence of Mrs. Anna Tuteur. Monday afternoon Mr. Rhoades saw the marshal talking to Sheriff Hoover and went to them. He was angry about the dog and addressed the marshal in a nather angry tone: “I suppose you are satisfied now, you have killed my dgo,” said Rhoades. Mustard accused him of not having taken care of the dog gnd Rhoades said that he had and accused the marshal of spite work, using a few cuss words and the marshal told him that he could not talk to him that Way. He replied that he would talk any way that he wanted to. Both were quite angry \ by- this time. The marshal told Rhoades that he was under arrest and the fight started. Rhoades says that the marshal grabbed him and struck him over the head with his billy. Mustard says that he caught Rhoades by the arm and that Rhoades hit him with his fist tn the right eye and that he then drew his club. Sheriff Hoover has not served as a referee lately and says that things Were coming too fast for him to keep track of the exact succession in which things moved. He talked freely with a reporter for Th? Republican and states that Mustard grabbed Rhoades rudely by the shoulder and that Rhoades then struck st him. The marshal got out his club and began swinging at 'Rhoades and struck him across the top of the hea<j. Sheriff Hoover stepped between them and forced Rhoades back and Mustard is alleged to have followed and to have reached around the sheriff's shoulder and struck Rhoades again, the second blow being across the left '’’ ■ v ear. . • The marshal is said to have been very angry and to have acted like a demon as he swung his club and Sheriff Hoover says that he believes if he had not interfered Mustard would have killed Rhoades. Mustard went before Squire Irwin and swore out a wavant for Rhoades’ arrest on the charge of assault and battery and the warrant -was served this Tuesday mornig by Sheriff Hoover. The case is being tried this afternoon in the east court room.