Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-30
JnOa5O10b1o Homicide.
Lancaster mo. ! Rxcelaiof.1

On Saturday afternoon, March 4, about
half past 2o.cloek.aAss snnmhse Of pistol
shots in quick succession, IN tho saloon
below eur Office, attracted opr attention,
and upon rushing down stairs to ascer.
the cause Of the shooting we saw d.
asHa1ilton, Of this placesssitting on tho
sidewalk supported by some one. uc
had his lips and eyes closed, his hands
folded across his sbreastseRA a deadly
lpallor overspead lis facs. 3Sst sthen he
sank back in the arms of his supporter
with groan. He vas INN ediate]y taken
as he was laid on the bed@he was pro-
nounced by the physicians = dead man.
He had teen shot and Killed by Joshua
B. Simmons, Of Coatesville,iu shis county.
From the testimony and what We can
learn, the affair occurred in this manner:
For about six months past, it is al.
legged, and it is without doubt, that D.
Hamilton, Matchmaker OF this town,
has held relations With Simmons wife
which were very criminal. Notwith-
standing this fact, which. it Is alleged,
Simmons was ccgnizant Of, he continued
to live with his wife until about Two weeks
ago, in hopes, We suppose, that she would
mend her ways and do right But mat.
ters Kept getting worse, until about two
weeks ago, when Simmons and his wife
parted. She leaving tho home. Last Sat-
urday, at the time before mentloned,
Hamilton was playing pool in Schmit's
saloon, below tho Ezcelsior Office. He
had lost the game, aud, according to the
rules, went up to tho bar to treat. While
k~l
had entered the room and walked up to
the bar: Hamilton. being at the bar,
asked Simmons to drink. Simmons re.
piled, telling Hamilton not to ask him
lSimmons) to drink with him. Hamil.
ton remarked that it was no use Of Sim
mons being mad, and repeated his invita-
ton to drink. Simmons replied by tell
ing Hamilton to get away from him.
| Hamilton turned and started towards
the door. When off few feet, Sim
mons fired At him. the shot taking effect
in llamilton's right size. Three other
shots were fred then in quick succession,
Hamilton still walking toward the door
and Simmons advancing on him. When
Hamilton reached the door he fell for
| ward. face downward, onto the sidewalk.
Some one immediately raised him up.
But he had been killed. The first shot
had cut through the left vcntricle of tho
heart. Another had penetrated the
right kidney and liver. Another had
cut through both ventricles Of the heart,
| while the last shot, which caused him to
fall, passed directly through the spinal
column at the eleventh Gorsal. His death
was almost instantaneous. Hamilton did
not utter word after being shot. He
was Immediately removed to his room,
stripped and examined by Physicians
Potter and Rockwell. Three revolvers
were found on his body. The
Coroner, A. D. F,rris, was i'm.
mediately sent for, but did not arrive
until evening when an inquest jnry was
summoned. A post-mortem inquest was
held after which the evidence Of Cyrus
Cleavcland and Samuel II. Smith, bar.
keeper at the saloon, vas taken. It is
from their evidence that we have mainly
based our account Of the affair, and VIC
have tried to get the account as near the
truth as possible, being governed neither
by sympathy nor prejudice. as We were
only slightly acquainted with either ci
the main parties to the sad affair.
After the shooting Simmons was ,mme
diatcly arrested by Sheriff Moore. Hi
preliminary examination was before Esq
l.. N. Melvin Simmons did not deny tn
shooting, but claimed it was justitiab'e
On Monday the preliminary examination
was adjourned ten days and the matte
went before the grand jury, then in ses
sion, which summoned witnesses on botl
sides, and on Tuesday Simmons was re
leased, the grand jury failing to find a
indictment against him. Simmons neve
denied the killing, but claimed it was jus
tifiablc and the grand jury took the SAM
view of the case.