Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-09-27
Homicide at Hazel Green.

A WIN 1S55O tO-uay q uOLSu CHdi dC
ter and one Of the worst disturbing
elements of Hazel Green came to {
very sudden ending. His name was
Daniel Cox. He was an Englishman
from Cornwall and was an old resi-
dent OF Hazel Green. He was a man
OF family, the children nearly grown
one boy Is or 20 years old. For
years past it has been the general be-
lief that he was one of party-and
their bully and captain prac-
tlced thefts of mineral, grain and any
property they could successfully ap-
proprlate to their own use. When
these things were charged to Daniel
Cox he would threaten tie persons
with punishment-with death or with
destruction or injury of their proper
ty. II is said that once he and an
other party were caught in the act of
stealing from a granary and that the
proprietor was restrained from max
ing complaint by threats that his
property would be laid waste by fire
II he said anything about it. : BY such
conduct Cox made himself a terror
not to evil doors but to law. Two
weeks ago last Tuesday about 1900
pounds of mineral were stolen from
mines worked by t. w. Nash and
Jas. Armston. Circumstances placed
suspicion against the man Cox as one
of the parties to the theft Certain
citizens. one Of whom was Jefferson
Crawford, the other leaders in the
matter being Mr.. j. M. Chand,
Ter and Mr.. Gabriel Mills induced Mr.
Nash to get a search warrant and
search the premises of Daniel Cox.
The warrant was obtained and the
premises searched on Tuesday, last
week. The mineral was not found.
On Wednesday, the next day, Cox
with one of his companions and car.
rylng revolver, went out and met
Nash on the way to his diggings.
There they bulldozed him into a state.
ment that he did not believe the dec
laration of the search warrant and
that he had been moved to make it
by the persons allowed named. Cox
then began his old game of terrorizing
His threats were made known to JEFF
ferson Crawford, who to be prepared
tor defence put into the pocket OF his
oyeralls small Smith and Weston re-
volver. On Thursday morning at 8
o'clock he was at work on the street
IN front of Mr.. Clementson's wagon
shop. AT that time Daniel Cox, who
appeared to be looking for him, came
suddenly up to him using boisterous
language IN substance, such as this /:
CHOW I've got you you Cd
id p marked, long -legged s. of b.
and I'll kill you before / leave" Gus
tave Chandler, who was at work with
Crawford stepped between him and
Cox Cox told him to get out of the
way he did not want to hurt him but
he was going to kill that other, etc.,
and he drew from his pocket large
navy revolver and cooked it. At this
moment Crawford sprang past Chand-
Ter with his left side towards both
Chandler and Cox, who were stand
ing close together, and while in the
act OF passing, lifted his little revolt
yer to the head of Cox and fired. The
ball entered Cox's head at the left
temple and passed diagonally through
to the back of his head. He fell in
stantly. Mr.. Joseph Clementson and
Esq. Mason heard the report of the
pistol and came out of the shop.
Crawford said he had killed Cox and
he wished them to put him under ar
rest. They found Cox lying on the
ground, face down. Mr. Mason turned
him over and found lying at his hand
the large navy revolver with the ham,
mer cooked over a loaded barrel. He
and Mr.. Clementson then took charge
of the weapon and of the dying man
until officers and a physician were
called. Cox was taken home and
lived about two hours. An inquest
brought out the facts as here stated.
Jefferson Crawford was brought the
same day to Lancaster. Court being
in session he was put on trial Satur-
day morning last and was, OF course,
acquitted. He is a young man, quiet,
unpretending, very highly respected,
and would be the last one among the
young men of Hazel Green who
would do a murderous act. OF
course it is shocking to q sensitive
nature to feel that his hand has taken
the life of man, but so far as we
learn the community of Hazel Green
with one accord pronounce the act a
blessing. Instead of sadness at the
loss they feel relief.
Whether all the rumors in regard to
the former acts of the deceased are
true we do not know Whether true
or not the act of Mr.. Crawford was
clearly one of self-defence and Daniel
Cox was dealt with as he deserved.
1t ought to be a lesson 10 the people
never to allow themselves to be ter
rorized. The man who shrinks from
enforcing the law against a thief or
other villain acknowledges the mast
cry of the villain over him and his
community. Repeated and acknowl-
edged indulgences of the kind make
such characters pompous and infuen-
tial. The young see they have
power and they look upon them as
models and try to be like them. So