Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-08
TRAGEDY AE ALBANY.


night over o tragedy at Sianwix Hail.. I'd
At about SO this evening, Breyet Briga-
dier General Cole, of Syracuse. stepped up
to l.. Harris Hiscock, member of the, last
Legislature, and delegate to the Constitp7
tional Convention, aud charged him with
committing rape on his Coles wife, while
he (Cole) was at the war, He Immediately
drew a pistol and shot Mr.. Hiscock in the
head, the ball. entering just above the right
eye, lodged in his brain, General Cole then
turned to the bystanders and said "he was
satisfied. This man, he. declared, "had
ravished his wife; and he was content with
the deed he had committed.'' He also
stated that he knew that death only await
ed him for committing the deed. "He was
ready to die" he said, and then called for
policeman himself. ~ 81. -
Mr., Hiscock fell to the floor, the blood
pouring out of his wound with great pro :
fusion. They were standing Immediately
in front of the desk in the office of Stan wax
Hall. Mr.. Hiscock fell heavily upon the
marble aoor. He rolled over once or twice
until he was completely covered with the
blood which lay in pools around him o'.,
The immense loss of blood soon satisfied
every person that it was mpossible for him
to1iFe long Medical assistance was i'm.
mediately, secured and everything that
was possible was done to save him He
fingered about half an hour; but at a few
minutes past nine o. lock it was announced
blAb ne was Q6dQ-
The report of the pistol was heard near
ly two blocks, and the cry soon went ont
that man, was shot. An immense crowd
gathered at the Stanwix Hall, rendering it
necessary TO clear the room, In order that
the doctors might be able to- do anything
for him. ti!Tu1 DiA l'tt - IL r ~ 1.l2 % j
The deed will throw a gloom over the
Convention. 1.+ '''49- .. .SShS4 +.
Mr.. Hiscock has been member f three
successive Legislatures, and was last vim
ter Chairman OF the Judiciary committee
OF the Assembly. -' -,.Ata t3-i'l1o y
70; ,I9asl STATEMENT OF COLE. 10 1891 I
The following is statement of the pris-
oner: rs-ef .-.,+se.,-.,l-, +e .,-,,,,.-..I -..i,
The cause of the tragedy is this: 1 had
a friend, L. H. Hiscoek; / though him the
best friend | had in the world 4 have a
wife and two children; she is as pure as
snow, or was before he became acquainted
with her, in 1854; was in the army, first
as q private, and last as q Major General; /
was in the army five years during the war.
In 1854 my wife was taken sick, and ex-
pected to die, and sent for this lawyer to
make her will, knowing him to be friend
of mine. While she was in bed he came
and lifted her up, and kissed her. All this
time be expressed world of friendship for
me, and sympathy for her. After her re-
covery he came again. One evening he
came under the .guise of business when the
family with whom she boarded (relatives of
hers) were absent; when he started to
leave, she started to the door to bid
him good night. He threw his arms
around, her, and endeavored by all
means in his power to have GRIM
inal intercourse with her, she re-
1nonstrating, and praying him to desiSt
which he finally did, bu5 not until after
shamefully insulting and exposing. her.
She was still weak from the result of her
sickness. He then went away, and she
sank to the floor with shame and exhaus-
tion, fearful to make any alarm, as he had
been there so frequently before, and false
opinions might be formed she was fearful,
also, of the consequences if should know
It.; he afterwards called again, and express
ed so much sorrow for his conduct that she
did not make any exposure. After that he
continued to call, and endeavored by all
means in his power to seduct her, and even
made similar forcible effort again. She,
oppressed with a feeling of shame and guilt
for having permitted him to kiss her, and
for not having exposed the former inter-
view, did not dare to make an exposure.
This was repeated number of times, she
resisting and preventing the full accom-
piishmeut of his purposes, and
he making efforts at all times to
overcome her by exciting her passions
At last upon threats of exposure to me he
desisted for time. Alter my return from
-
ton about four months since, and while ]
was absent he went TO my house and sohc-
tied my wife again, beseeching her that she
would submit fully. To this she made an
indignant refusal, but was still not relieved
of his opportunities, he taking every op-
portunity to annoy her, but he never fully
accomplished his purpose. All this time
i, as husband, felt that there was some
thing wrong in regard to my wife, because
she seldom smiled, aud seemed broken
hearted during all these three years. Only
a week ago last Monday he met me in the
strt ct and asked when was going away
again, which he had done at previous
times, and therefore noticed it. His gull
ty manner awoke the first suspicion in my
mind as to my wife's virtue. Upon that,
alter my return to New York, wrote
to a friend asking him if he had
ever seen any improprieties between
Mr.. Hiscoek nd my wife. He re-
piled that he had seen suspicious circum.
stances. l Immediately came home on
Sunday morning last. and learned the above
facts from the lips of my wife herself when
/ found that he had betrayed the love OF
my wife and defiled her person, and when
found her utterly broken-hearted aud my
home desolaUed, felt distracted, and as il
/ should be obliged to kill her destroyer
AJher' solicitation, that / might avoid SO
great calamity to her and her poor little
and shooting him, as felt inclined, wait
ed until to-day, that might become more
calm. l came to Albany to-day, from Sy-
racuse, with my wife, intending to take heI
to her sisters in Brooklyn. where she might
have less opportunity to brood over heI
troubles, and then to return myself 10 AL
banyd where learned Mr.. Hiscock was
knees to beg forgiveness for the great in
jury he had done me, and then to compel
him to leave the country in ten days.
thought had better have it off my mind
and / went over to his hotel, and when
saw him the fall of my poor heart-broker
wife and the disgrace OF my children ROSE
up before me, and L could not restrain my
self. had not spoken to him, thought
was calm. l could not speak. Something
was in my throat, and l could not say
word. 1e.- ier s- 4sr ,a -rE
AT the station-house, the prisoner being
requested to hand over everythiDg in hi
possession. he delivered his pistols, &c.
and declared positively that he had retain
ed nothing; but, on being searched, Their
was found concealed upon him sharp
ibladed spring-back knife, from which it i
argued he contemplated suicide.
About midnight he was removed to tn
jail. ..r ztb5aI- ri.
George w. Cole went into the army a
Captain of cavalry at the commencement
of the war, served with distinction, ant
and left service as Brigadier General. FL
is a brother of Cornelius Cole, United
States Senator from California. He alSt
has brother now acting as American
Consul at Acapulco. s
sMr. Cole has been engaged for some tim
past as detective in the United States Rev
ienue service in New York. His wife i
connected with some of the most respect
able families in this State. A2'i sae
: suoE 15 i---------------------- .s .a
COUNT BISMARCK suffers terribly from
nervous disease which prevents him from