The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-20
AN ATRocIous HOMICIDE.

FEUD-coI THOMAS y. STILwELL SHOT
DEAD BIZ JOHN Z. CoRwIN. N
lBy Telegraph 10 the Sentinel
| ANDERSON, IND. Jan. IA terrible TRACE
DIV occurred here, this afternoon, at about
five p. NJ, by which the Hon. T. n. Stilwell,
| q prominent politician and banker, was shot
dead by pistol in the hands of John f.
Corwin, likewise a resident of this
CITY. The facts in the matter, as
nearly as can be CLEANED amid the
excitement which prevails at this time. are
about as follows: Last November, the first
national bank of Anderson, of which Mr..
Stilwen was president, suspended payment,
and it's affairs were placed In
charge of receiver, on account
| of some illeged irregularities in its
management. Mr.. Stilwell was. at the pres
TENT term of the circuit court, indicted for
embezzlement. He gave bail in the sum of
SIC. 900. and was set at liberty. Smarting
under the disgrace brought upon him,
Mr.. Stilwell imagined that Corwin had
been instrumental in having him arrested.
Although this is not generally believed, 1t
| NAV be stated in passing, that both of these
| individuals, for year or more, have not
been on friendly terms, and much bad feel
| noon Mr.. Stilwell, at the hour named, pro-
ceeded to the office of Corwin, and as soon
as he had entered, remarked to COrwin
This is to be the last of you or me-" and
| Immediately drew revolver, Corwin
| jumped up on the counter, and, as reported
| by two gentlemen present. entreated him to
| put up his weapon. No heed was given
| to this however, and Stlwell discharged his
weapon at Gorwin, the ball from it striking
him on the right side of the groin, but which
was prevented from being a perhaps dan
gerous wound by the presence of some silver
coin and KEYS in the pocket OF
Corwin. The parties then, it is thought,
| clinched when Corwin Immediately drew
his pistol and fired twice, both balls enter
| ing the back part of Stilwell's head near the
right ear. He fell to the floor and expired
| Immediately. Corwin delivered himself up
1T once into the hands of the sheriff to await
| tn verdict of the inquest by the coroner's
| Jury, which is now in session. The affair, as
may be imagined, has caused much excite
ment among our citizens from the position
| heretofore occupied by the parties. Col.
| Stilwel has resided here for some eighteen
years. At the time of his death he was
| in the forty seventh year of his
age, In 1864 he was elected a
representative in congress from this district
! on the republican ticket, defeating Mellow
ell, the democratic candidate. In 1868 ne
was appointed United States minister to
Venezuela, s. A, by President Andrew
johnson, serving near one year. Since then
hea has occupied no official position. His
| death is generally regretted. He was man
of many noble traits of character, possessed
of energy and liberality, and respected by
his neighbOrs and fellow townsmen. Cor
win is native of Middletown, ". Y, but
| has resided here some five years, having
married daughter of the late Allen Make
| peace whose estate he has been managing for
some time. From what can be learned
Il h0rlf ln
| by Corwin as viewed through the medium
OF public opinion, is that of self-defense, al
though the facts when brought out by the
coroners inquest may be somewhat modi.
fed.
THE SCENE.
THE OMEN OF ANGER-CoL. sTILwELL's RE-
| TURN-HIs CABMNESS UNDER THE VILE
| CoNsPIRACY-THE DEATH.
| Each step in the lamentable tragedy is
marked with vividness which will leave
its record burnt on the brain of this deeply
shocked community. On the first rumor of
the INSCRIPTIONS machinery set in motion
to damage the murdered man and destroy
his financial and social standing. friends of
the colonel prevailed upon him to go to the
country until his high painful agitation had
subsidized. 1t was naturally thought that
one so impetuous as he would give himself
unnecessary unrest over the outrageous in
situations put out against him with such
damning FEASIBILITY by his enemies who
| have brought him to his death. 1t was
on SATURDAY. after giving bail ON his
| formal indictment, that this prudent
step was carried out at the instance of his
| friends. He went off in the country with a
| Mr.. Benz. Sebrel, ex-sherif, and.Mr. JONES'
a neighbor. There the party remained un-
til this "wednesday afternoon. On return
| ing to his home, the colonel was first in
/ formed of the atrocious calumnies circu-
lated, and the pyramid of indictments piled
| up by the agency of his enemy. Naturally
| OF quick temper, he restrained all outward
| token of rage. The whole wretched story,
embellished by the ingenuity of malice and
personal hostility, was repeated to him. and
he listened with seeming calmness. When
the wretched narration had been concluded,
he arose, and without removing his over
shoes, put on his overcoat and left
the house. He was apparently calm and
collected when he left, and it never Oc-
CURED to any one to put him under surveil-
lance in apprehension of violence. He
walked rapidly down to the next corner,
turned into the street, where Corwin's Office
is situated. about the middle of the next
square. He walked on past Corwin's Office,
and after a few steps turned and entered.
Corwin was behind his office counter, and
looking at the colonel. There were one
or two gentlemen in the offce-Mr.
l.. VI. Trees of Anderson, and Mr.. A. J. Hal
ford, of indianapolis The manner of the
colonel, as he approached, did not indicate
his purpose. bat on reaching the counter he
said, in a husky but loud and strong voice
"Cor win,
''THIs THING MUST END
"Now; we must settle it right here" at the
same time presenting pistol. Corwin rap
idly reached across the counter. seizing the
colonel's hand, and as be is a man greatly
larger in stature than the murdered man
he succeeded IN directing the point of the
pistol downward. The trigger was pulled
i'm the struggle and the ball entered the
clothing of Corwin about the groin, cutting
his trousers and lodging in bunch of keys
in the pocket on the opposite side, caus
ing Corwiu no pain or injury. Corwin, in
the melee had been pulled over the counter