Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1867-12-03
The Coates and Frost Families The Fatal
Tragedy -The Funeral.

between the coates ana FROST lam~
ilies-to which allusin was made in
the Herald last week
The extraordinary and awful oo-
currencc which brought despair to
two families, aud east mantle of
gloom over the entire community,
has SO engrossed the attention of our
people that we deem it proper to lay
all the facts we have been able 10
glean In connection with the sad af~
fair before our readers. In making
up the stat ement of the case, we have
drawn upon the knowledge of the
friends and acquaintances af the re-
spoetive parties resident at Little
Lake, as we'll as upon the testimony
adduced before the Coroner.
Like many other affairs, the origin
was the concurrence of several events
such as two or three fist fights be-
tween members of the Coats and
Frost families, and spirit of super
cilionsness in both, in which one was
as much to bhame as the other. The
hight was commenced by Wesley
Coates, who bantered Duncan Ca
brother >in,law of the Frosts) to fight
him. Wesley Coates went into the
store where Duncan was sitting and
asked Duncan ii he would take back
what he said on a previous occasion.
Duncan replied that he would not,
to which Coates added that Duncan
could not whip him, and that if he
thought he could to step out aud try
it, Duncan accepted the challenge,
and stepped out in the road, where
Coates pulled off his coat, when Dun
can struck him twice with pistol on
the forehead, breaking the pistol in
two and knocking Coates down At
this moment, the friends of each
party rushed in and the firing com
menced. 1t is not known who fired
tirst, and as those who were engaged
were mostly killed, and us the specta.
tors dispersed when the firing COM
lnenced, all that did happen is not
precisely known. Upon the one side
were Duncan, Martin Frost Isham
Frost and Elisha Frost The three
last named were brothers. On the
other side were Wesley Coates, AL
bert Coates, Henry Coates, Thomas
Coates, James Coates, Abraham
Coates and Abner G. Coates, Wesley,
Henry and James Coates were broth.
ers. Abner Coates was the father of
Albert and uncle of the three broth
ers. Abraham was a cousin of all
the others, except Thomas, who was
his uncle. All the Frosts and Dun>
can had pistols-Colt's navy revol>
vers, Duncan, however broke his in
the beginning of the fight, and did
not shoot it. Wesley Coates and
Abraham Coates had pistols, Abner
Coates had q double barreled shot
gun = one rifle barrel and one
shot barrel, and Wesley Coates also
had knife. One Of the witnesses
before the Coroner's jury swore that
James Coates had knife in his hand
i'm mediately before the commences
ment Of the fight. 1t is not known
positively whether any of the COM
batants had other weapons or not
Martin Frost was seen to shoot
Wesley Coates, Abraham Coates and
Henry Coates. Isham Frost was
seen to shoot Thomas Coates; Eli sha
Frost was seen tie shoot Albert
Coates, and Abner G. Coates killed
Elisha Frost with his shotgun, both
barrels Of which were discharged aud
took effect. Abner Coates was shot
in the shoulder, but by whom it is
not known. He was the least hurt
OF any OF the wounded, though his
wound is severe. James Coates re-
ceived pistol shot in the abdomen
which was at first considered mortal.
but there is now hope of his recov,
cry. 1t Is not known who shot him.
Duncan was dangerously stabbed and
cut about the neck, back and arm. -
His wounds at first were regarded
fatal, but he is said to be recovering.
1t is presumable that Wesley Coates
stabbed and cut him. as large knife
was found lying almost in Wesley 3
hand Immediately after he was kill
ed. The blade of the knife is very
bloody Five were killed instantly
and never spoke, except Albert
Coates, who exclaimed any God"
and fell and expired A friend rush>
cd to Elisha Frost instantly, turned
him over Che fell on his face), ae
threw up his hands, gave q groan.
and died. Abraham Coates survived
until next day about noon, when he
died. He was sensible to she last
The shooting could not have lasted
more than a quarter os 81 minute. 1t
was like Gas Some of the listeners ex.
pressed it) the firing OFF Of string
of shooting crackers, the shots were
IN such quick succession, There
were about twenty shots fired. Af~
ter the fight Martin Frost and Isham
Frost began to reload their pistols,
but being advised not to do so by
some OF the bystanders, desisted and
put their pistols in the scabbards-
Three or four pistols were found on
the ground after the fight was over.
Among them was a derringer not
discharged. 1t is said that Wesley
Coates shot at Elisha Frost during
the fight Frost bad some four or
five mortal wounds and about forty
others Of small shot. Duncan was
insenslble at the end of the fight
Elisha Frost leaves a widow and five
or six small children. Thomas Coates,
who was sixty-threo years of age,
leaves wife and son and daugb-
Ter. The two latter are young but
grown. Abner G. Cootes has fami.
ly. All the others are young, single
men. The dead were taken into the
ball and laid out side by side, where
they remained until they were placed
in the collins. They were then TAX
en- outside the ball and placed in
front OF it, whence they were remov.
ed TO their graves. As the conff:ns
lay in front Of the hall immediately
before the funeral procession moved,
the friends OF the deceased came up
81 l.