Individual Details
Thomas J Reardon
(Oct 1857 - 24 Apr 1905)
Publication: The Quincy Daily Whig: Date: Apr 16, 1885;Section: None; Page: 3
ASERIOUS ROW
In Which SeveralMen Are Severely Injured.
James NealAttempts to Murder Tom Reardon.
ThePrisoner Released by Order of the Mayor, but Rearrested by Order of the Chiefof Police—William Brown Receives a Severe Cut in the Cheek, While James Neal isWounded in the Head.
A serious row occurred on the levee last night aboutmidnight, which came very near resulting in the death of several persons, andone of them, Tom Reardon, was severely wounded. As near as can be ascertained, the enmity between the parties originatedduring the last political campaign, the parties interested being in favor ofdifferent candidates for mayor. Thefirst seen of the trouble last evening was the fact that James Neal ran upbehind Tom Reardon with a double-barreled shot-gun and sent a large load ofbuck-shot into the back part of his head. Neal also attempted to shoot a man named William Beckhart, better knownas Bill Brown, but the other cartridge was defective and failed to go off. The shooting occurred near the corner ofVermont and Front streets. Reardon felland as soon as Neal realized what he had done, he started north on Frontstreet. Just before reaching Hampshirestreet, he was met by Officer Jake Brown, who had heard the firing and wasrunning northward. When the officer metNeal, he took in the situation and at once took the gun from the would-be murdererand placed him under arrest. About thistime, Mayor Jarrett, who was on the levee, arrived and ordered the patrolman torelease Neal. The officer states thatthe mayor repeated this order several times before he obeyed, buthe finally letgo of his prisoner, and the latter lost no time in getting out of the way. After Neal had gone, the mayor was informedof what had occurred and he told the officer to go after him, but Neal was outof sight and could not again be found. Word was immediately sent to the police station, and a patrolman wassent to the residence of Capt. Ording, who had left the station but a fewmoments before. The chief respondedpromptly and went to work with a determination to re-arrest Neal. The detectives were called and officers weresent out to search every place where he could possibly hide. After the officers had started out they weremet by a policeman who told them that a man was seen running north on Secondstreet between Hampshire and Vermont, and they at once came to theconclusion that Neal had gone to hishome, which is situated on the east side of Second, between Hampshire andVermont streets. A search of his home,and that of his mother and sister, had already been made, and the officers cameto the conclusion that Neal was in hiding either in the wood yards or in thelumber yard adjacent. A thorough searchwas made, but the officers failed to find him. About 2 o’clock they concluded to again search his home. Two policemen were sent around to the rear ofthe house, while two others entered from the front, and just as the latterarrived at the gate, Neal was coming out. He was placed under arrest and taken to the station.
A reporter of The Whig was at the police station when theprisoner arrived, and in an interview he told the reporter substantially thefollowing story of the row: He statedthat he, Mayor Jarrett, and several others had been playing cards inKellermeyer’s saloon. The prisoner gotup and started for home, but just as hestepped outside the door he met his brother William, and with him he re-enteredthe saloon to take another drink. He again started out, and on the sidewalk hemet William Brown and Tom Reardon. Theformer accused him of having called him (Brown) some name, which Neal contradicted. Brown then called him a liar, and Tom Reardonalso called him several hard names, after which Brown and Reardon attacked himand gave him a severe beating. Hedefended himself as best he could, and when they left him he started for homeand got his shot-gun with the intention of getting satisfaction. He met both at the corner of Vermont andFront, in front of Schneider’s saloon, and shot at a man he believed to be BillBrown. The balance of his storycorresponds with the account given above.
When James Neal was brought to the station he was coveredwith blood, which was flowing from a wound in the back of his head. An examination of the wound proved that itwas made with a blunt instrument and itis probable that he was hit with a rock. His face was considerably bruised and had the appearance of having beenseverely pounded.
After the shooting, Tom Reardon was taken to the depotbuilding and Dr. Byrd was summoned. Itwas found that the back of Reardon’s head was badly lacerated, but, luckily theskull was not fractured, and the doctor expressed the opinion that the woundwas not fatal. After his wounds weredressed he was taken to his home.
William Brown also received a severe wound in the face,probably with a knife, and Dr. Byrd closed it with five stitches. When Neal was asked how Brown received thewound, he said he was unable to tell, but supposed he got it during the firstfight.
William Neal was also arrested, as he was found with arevolver in his pocket.
The action of Mayor Jarrett, in releasing thewould-be-murderer, is unexplainable. Theshooting had occurred and Neal had the gun still in his possession whenarrested. The officer is also condemnedby many for obeying the orders of the mayor under the circumstances; but itshould be borne in mind that Officer Jake Brown did not know the particulars ofthe affray, but simply arrested Neal on suspicion that he was the man who firedthe gun.
The prompt action of Capt. Ording led to the would-bemurderer’s arrest. Had a moment’s timebeen lost James Neal would probably have made his escape. The officers sent out also deserve praise forthe manner in which they conducted the search.
At the station James Neal stated that he did not intendto kill Reardon. It was Bill Brown hewas after. He was anxious to know justhow severely Reardon was hurt, and when informed that he would recover, he feltmuch easier.
All the participants in the affray were more or lessunder the influence of liquor, and to this fact may be attributed the occurrence.
ASERIOUS ROW
In Which SeveralMen Are Severely Injured.
James NealAttempts to Murder Tom Reardon.
ThePrisoner Released by Order of the Mayor, but Rearrested by Order of the Chiefof Police—William Brown Receives a Severe Cut in the Cheek, While James Neal isWounded in the Head.
A serious row occurred on the levee last night aboutmidnight, which came very near resulting in the death of several persons, andone of them, Tom Reardon, was severely wounded. As near as can be ascertained, the enmity between the parties originatedduring the last political campaign, the parties interested being in favor ofdifferent candidates for mayor. Thefirst seen of the trouble last evening was the fact that James Neal ran upbehind Tom Reardon with a double-barreled shot-gun and sent a large load ofbuck-shot into the back part of his head. Neal also attempted to shoot a man named William Beckhart, better knownas Bill Brown, but the other cartridge was defective and failed to go off. The shooting occurred near the corner ofVermont and Front streets. Reardon felland as soon as Neal realized what he had done, he started north on Frontstreet. Just before reaching Hampshirestreet, he was met by Officer Jake Brown, who had heard the firing and wasrunning northward. When the officer metNeal, he took in the situation and at once took the gun from the would-be murdererand placed him under arrest. About thistime, Mayor Jarrett, who was on the levee, arrived and ordered the patrolman torelease Neal. The officer states thatthe mayor repeated this order several times before he obeyed, buthe finally letgo of his prisoner, and the latter lost no time in getting out of the way. After Neal had gone, the mayor was informedof what had occurred and he told the officer to go after him, but Neal was outof sight and could not again be found. Word was immediately sent to the police station, and a patrolman wassent to the residence of Capt. Ording, who had left the station but a fewmoments before. The chief respondedpromptly and went to work with a determination to re-arrest Neal. The detectives were called and officers weresent out to search every place where he could possibly hide. After the officers had started out they weremet by a policeman who told them that a man was seen running north on Secondstreet between Hampshire and Vermont, and they at once came to theconclusion that Neal had gone to hishome, which is situated on the east side of Second, between Hampshire andVermont streets. A search of his home,and that of his mother and sister, had already been made, and the officers cameto the conclusion that Neal was in hiding either in the wood yards or in thelumber yard adjacent. A thorough searchwas made, but the officers failed to find him. About 2 o’clock they concluded to again search his home. Two policemen were sent around to the rear ofthe house, while two others entered from the front, and just as the latterarrived at the gate, Neal was coming out. He was placed under arrest and taken to the station.
A reporter of The Whig was at the police station when theprisoner arrived, and in an interview he told the reporter substantially thefollowing story of the row: He statedthat he, Mayor Jarrett, and several others had been playing cards inKellermeyer’s saloon. The prisoner gotup and started for home, but just as hestepped outside the door he met his brother William, and with him he re-enteredthe saloon to take another drink. He again started out, and on the sidewalk hemet William Brown and Tom Reardon. Theformer accused him of having called him (Brown) some name, which Neal contradicted. Brown then called him a liar, and Tom Reardonalso called him several hard names, after which Brown and Reardon attacked himand gave him a severe beating. Hedefended himself as best he could, and when they left him he started for homeand got his shot-gun with the intention of getting satisfaction. He met both at the corner of Vermont andFront, in front of Schneider’s saloon, and shot at a man he believed to be BillBrown. The balance of his storycorresponds with the account given above.
When James Neal was brought to the station he was coveredwith blood, which was flowing from a wound in the back of his head. An examination of the wound proved that itwas made with a blunt instrument and itis probable that he was hit with a rock. His face was considerably bruised and had the appearance of having beenseverely pounded.
After the shooting, Tom Reardon was taken to the depotbuilding and Dr. Byrd was summoned. Itwas found that the back of Reardon’s head was badly lacerated, but, luckily theskull was not fractured, and the doctor expressed the opinion that the woundwas not fatal. After his wounds weredressed he was taken to his home.
William Brown also received a severe wound in the face,probably with a knife, and Dr. Byrd closed it with five stitches. When Neal was asked how Brown received thewound, he said he was unable to tell, but supposed he got it during the firstfight.
William Neal was also arrested, as he was found with arevolver in his pocket.
The action of Mayor Jarrett, in releasing thewould-be-murderer, is unexplainable. Theshooting had occurred and Neal had the gun still in his possession whenarrested. The officer is also condemnedby many for obeying the orders of the mayor under the circumstances; but itshould be borne in mind that Officer Jake Brown did not know the particulars ofthe affray, but simply arrested Neal on suspicion that he was the man who firedthe gun.
The prompt action of Capt. Ording led to the would-bemurderer’s arrest. Had a moment’s timebeen lost James Neal would probably have made his escape. The officers sent out also deserve praise forthe manner in which they conducted the search.
At the station James Neal stated that he did not intendto kill Reardon. It was Bill Brown hewas after. He was anxious to know justhow severely Reardon was hurt, and when informed that he would recover, he feltmuch easier.
All the participants in the affray were more or lessunder the influence of liquor, and to this fact may be attributed the occurrence.
Events
| Birth | Oct 1857 | Quincy Township, Adams, Illinois, United States | |||
| Marriage | 22 Nov 1892 | Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, United States - Margaret Smith | |||
| Death | 24 Apr 1905 | from lobar pneumonia - St. Mary's Infirmary, St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |||
| Burial | 25 Apr 1905 | St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church Cemetery, Quincy Township, Adams, Illinois, United States |
Families
| Spouse | Margaret Smith (1865 - ) |
| Child | Mable Virginia Reardon (1896 - 1969) |
| Child | Michael Thomas Reardon (1899 - 1973) |
| Child | Catherine Amelia Reardon (1903 - 1984) |
| Father | Michael Reardon (1828 - 1895) |
| Mother | Amelia Burns (1832 - 1906) |
| Sibling | Mary Amelia Reardon (1856 - 1906) |
| Sibling | James A. Reardon (1859 - 1918) |
| Sibling | Mary Reardon (1861 - 1865) |
| Sibling | John Edward Reardon (1865 - 1921) |
| Sibling | Michael J Reardon (1866 - 1938) |
| Sibling | Patrick William Reardon (1871 - 1926) |