Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-12-04
Double Murder In coldwntor, Michigan.

Double Murder In Coldwntor, Michigan.
The following are the details of a ter
rible tragedy which took place in Gold
water, Michigan, lately, which re-
suited in the almost instantaneous
death of George o. Brown, a law stu
dent, and Mrs. Ebenezer Leach, by the
hands of Ebenezer Leach, the husband
of the lady:
About four years ago, Leach sepa-
rated from his wife. Incompatibility of
temper was the cause of their separa-
ton. The wife then opened a small
millinery shop, and to the date OF her
death supported herself by its profits.
Leach was an idle, worthless fellow,
and followed the trade Of carpentering
and Joining fora living. Though.the man
had renounced the society of his wife,
and had withdrawn from her his protec-
ton, he scanned her actions with no
casual eye. Of late he has continually
watched her. Mr.. George o. Brown and
Mr.. Holcomb were the first persons in
Coldwater who aroused his Jealousy.
Four weeks since he met Holcomb, and,
after a few words Of e~xpostulation,
drew a revolver on him, and threatened
to shoot him. Holcomb succeeded in
wrestling the deadly weapon from his
grasp. Since the date Of this event
Leach repeatedly menaced the two OBJ
jects of his jealousy. On Saturday night
the two men above named were at Mrs.
Leach's shop. When about to go homo
(she lived with her father, Mr.. Dough-
erty, about a half mile. distant she re-
quested one of them to accompany her.
Brown accepted the invitation, and the
two started off. Mrs. Leach, it appears,
stood in fear of her husband, and it was
on this account more than any otherthat
she had requested protection. When
the two had reached the Oriental Hotel,
they were overtaken by Leach, with n
revolver in his hand. He stepped up
within four feet of Brown, aimed n pis-
toll at him and fired, before n word was
uttered. He then fired at Mrs. Leach,
and scarce two minutes had elapsed
from the opening of this awful drama,
till two of its principal actors lay on the
ground, struggling in the last agonies
of death. A crowd of excited people
Immediately gathered around, and the
murderer was secured. Mrs. Leach's
| father arrested Leach. On examining
the wounds Of the victims, it was found
that both must prove fatal. Mrs. Leach
was shot in the breast; one inch below
the left nipple, the ball penetrating the
| heart, and causing almost instant death.
| Brown received the fatal missile in his
left side. It entered below the tenth
rib, penetrating the body, and came out
between the seventh and eight ribs.
He was conveyed to his home, but died
within twenty minutes after being shot.
The affair took place between nine and
ten o'clock. Mrs. Leach was a woman
of thirty-four years, handsome, ~virtuous
and well educated. She was never
known to have committed any act which
could have called down so summary a
vengeance on her head. She leaves two
children, n boy Of fourteen and a girl oil
eight years. George o. Brown was a
young man of but twenty summers, very
popular and intelligent. His family is
one of the oldest in the State, and his
death will be deeply and widely Ia.
mented. He had just graduated at Ann
Harbor Law School, but had not YET
been admitted to the bar. His atten.
tons to Mrs. Leach were but those of q
gentleman to u lady, and it is not likely
that a boy Of twenty could f%ascinate a
married woman of thirty-four. The ex'
citement in Coldwater is very great,
and fears are entertained that Leach
will be lynched.