The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-01-29
THE PRAIRIE Du CHEN MURDER
Particulars of the Horrible Affair-The
Murderer and his Victim.

Particulars of the Horrible Affair-The
Murderer and his Victim.
At Prairie du Chen, Wis, on the 10th
inst, Mr.. E. Wright, druggist, while
drawing change for woman who had been
making purchases, was S. lck on the head by
DR.. Miller, who had subsequently entered
the store; and was also attacked by the
woman. Before assistance arrived the safe
had been robbed and Mr.. Wright was very
seriously wounded on the head and stabbed
in the side, from the effects Of which he
afterwards died. The Prairie du Chen
Union, of the 2lst inst, gives the following
account of the horrible affair
1t is made our painful duty to record
one of the most cold blooded and unpro-
voked attempts upon human life which
ever came to our knowledge one of those
appalling crimes at the recital of which the
blood chills and whole community is fill
ed with horror and alarm.
Emory Wright, of the drug firm of N.
A. & e. Wright was aroused from his
slumber at about O'Clock in the morning
of Tuesday last by lady who urgently re-
qucsted the filling Of prescription at that
hour. She was admitted, and while the
preparation was being put up German
calling himself Dr.. Miller, who was well
known by Mr.. Wright, and whose presence
excited no suspicion, came in and ordered
some change made in it. A five dollar
bi! was rendered in payment for the modi-
cine, and to change this Mr.. Wright opens
ed the safe, brought out the money, and as
it was handed to the lady, or pretended
one, the doctor, from behind Mr.. Wright
struck him three heavy blows on the head
with common soldering iron, each blow
inaicting a terrible wound ; in the mean
time the lady assisted in holding Mr.. w.
Losing the iron at the last blow, it was
seized by MIR. Wright who used it to de-
fend himself from the attack of the villain,
while the lady beat hasty retreat, and
the DR.. drawing short dirk knife, stabbed
Mr. w. three times, once in the mouth
and twice in the breast. but failing rs yet
in his murderous purpose he sprung for
the door andswhile holding or locking it
to prevent the escape of his victim, MIR.
W. by sudden movement leapcd through
front window into the street and shouted
murder The foiled desperate then re-
treated to the cellar, laid down his bloody
| weapons and attempted to make his exit
there, but failing in this doubtless came out
at the front door and made his escape.
| Mr.. Wright, faint with the loss of blood,
was barely able to reach the Model house,
whose inmates were aroused, and every
| the sufferer Dr. Conant was called as
his medical attendant, and he was remov~
ed to the residence of lis brother, where,
as we write, he lies in very critical condi
| tion.
The Sheriff, Mr. Harrington, and large
number of citizens, rallied early and used
every effort for the capture of the criminal.
| Dispatches and scouts were sent in all dl
rections, and the fleeing doctor was arrest
ed on Tuesday evening at a private house
near Blue River station. His route was
first discovered by Samuel Hewitt and Gus
O'Neil, who made rapid pursuit of him
| to Boscobel, but the capture was effected
| by Dr. Halstead of Wauzeka, in company
with Marshal Petty and w. Ward of Bos>
cobel.
He is now in Jail at this place.
| But this affords but a single chapter in
| the history Of the would-be- murderer. 1t
| will be remembered that our town since
| last August, has been the theatre of num>
erous and daring burglaries, NO clue to
the perpetrators of which have ever been
discovered, until yesterday, in the scare h
of DIR. Miller's house. large quantities of
dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, jew
| elry, liquors, etc., came to light, among
| VIII hich were tie goods stolen from Douglas,
Keifer & Poehled, G. Briggs, Kappel, and
the silverware from the Catholic church,
and along with these me st complete and
extensive set of burglar tools.
These have all been taken in charge by
the sheriff, and the audacity of the Grim
Inal is seen when it is remembered that he
was foremost among those who wele hunt.
ing thieves and lost property when these
| depredations were committed.
The DIR. is a German, of small stature,
of pleasant address, and had made favor
able impression upon all who met him, was
alway rather reserved in manners, and not
very communicatlve-had quite a fashion
OF sitting In stores inqulrlng about busi-
ness, &C., and this in connection with the
developments of yesterday stamp him as
one OF the most dangerous OF men. lie
has wife and several children and the
wife and older sons are now in custody
Mr. Wright is widely known and we can
safely say he had not an enemy on earth,
and what makes doubly aggravat;ng the
coWdTuly anu nuTeTOuS atCdCk upon nlm,
is the fact that being dcformcd, and lack
ing the strength and endurance of common
men, he was comparatively defenccless;
nevertheless to have beaten off the pair Of
6ends intent upon taking his life, proves
him to have been brave man at heart, and
that he did his whole duty.
| The feelings Of indignation of the COM
munity against the doctor are intense
loud threats of summary punishment have
been made by the people, who deem that
the law is inadequate to meet the demands
of justice in the case, but We hope better
counsels will prevail, and that in calmer
hours the people will decide that the per.
petrator of this bloody act shall be allowed
a fair trial This plan will be for the honor
of the place, and although our friend, his
family and the community have been great
ly outraged, yet it will be far better in the
end that law should be vindicated and
good order maintained than that any un'
lawful violence should be USED.
LATER.-As we go to press on Thurs
day, We have the intelligence that Mr.
Wright died at IL IL CLOCK Thus ha
passed suddenly from us one of the purest