The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-11-19

place. do not so much blame my wife, for
she is childish and vain and could be easily
Influenced by such man as Hayden was.
Nevertheless, cannot bring myself to live
with her after what has happened, but for
give her for the part she has played. Our
separation occurred three months or more
before the shooting. Ny mind was made up
that would grin and bear it. but it was
very hard to see Hayden driving and strut
ting about with an air that seemed to say
that he gloried in his villainies and cared
nothing for the effects of them. Two weeks
before the shooting Hayden bought the Cen
tralia Enterprise, small Greenback weekly
paper. In the first issue under his owner
ship the paper announced that it would con-
tain nothing in the way of Objectionable per-
sonalities, but the next number had COM
munication attacking me and charging that
was using the influence of the bank
TO MJuRE HAYDEN's BUSINESS.
This was the first unkind thing that had
ever been said of me in the community, and
it CALLED me terribly. That evening I learned
the communication was written in Hayden's
Office, under his supervision. I made up my
mind that he had done enough in seducing
my wife and breaking up my home without
running his newspaper against me. It was
more than I would stand, no matter what
the consequences might be, and I concluded
to put him out of the way
The shooting occurred in this way: Coch-
ran loaded heavy fowling piece with Luck-
shot, the following morning, and carried the
weapon with him to the bank. At noon he
carried it to and from his residence with the
full determination to shoot his man on sight.
Various citizens saw the gun in Cochran's
hands, and knew his object. Nevertheless,
they made no effort to prevent the tragedy,
so high was the excitement of the commu-
nifty running over the affair. At o'clock
in the evening the cashier crossed the bridge
into Centralia where Hayden kept his Office.
Sitting down in front of store he
WAITED FOR THE JUDGE TO APPEAR
on the street. At half past five the latter
came out of the Office with his partner and
stood talking upon the steps. Cochran
walked past them, so that they could see
him. When about fifteen PAGES off, he turn
ed, took q quick aim and fred straight at
his enemy's heart. It was q sight draft
upon life, and the banker was successful in
the collection. Judge Hayden was carried
into the Office by his partner, and died in
five minutes. Cochran returned to the vii
lage of Grand Rapids, and gave himself up
to the authorities. He was lodged in Jail for
the night, carefully guarded by host of
friends. Excitement grew to frenzy, and
a few af Hsyden's friends vainly attempted
to organize lynching mob. Next day
Cochran waived examination, and was adj
mitted to bail, the amount of his bond being
$4,000.
1t is the general opinion that he cannot
be convicted, as two thirds of the county
are in full sympathy with him. He is ably
defended. The prosecution is aided by ex-
Congressman Cate, of Stevens Point.
During the summer the two weekly news
papers of Grand Rapids, one Democratic
and the other Republican, carried on
THE BITTRREsT KIND OF WARFARE -
upon Hayden, and both were being prose.
cuted by him for libel. Two weeks after
the shooting, the Office of the Reporter,
Jack Brundage's journal, was burned by an
incendiary, presumably one of the dead
Hayden's friends. The expulsion of the
judge from the Masonic lodge was in 9
measure owing to the influence of Brun-
dage, who caused the investigation to be in
stituted. The trial was upon three or four
different charges of unbecoming conduct,
the principal one being that of seducing
master Mason's wife. The trial lasted
nearly all one night, and resulted in his
expulsion by vote of thirty three to five.
It has been stated that these charges were
purely imaginary, and that the trial was un-
fair. This the Masonic authorities deny,
They assert that the examination was e1-
haustive and complete. '.-~- ~
After discussing the whole affair with rep.
resentative citizens the reporter called upon
Mrs. Hayden, This lady publishes the En-
terprise, the paper purchased by her dead
husband, and will continue to do so until it
can be advantageously sold. She is possessed
of much grace of manner and person. The
trouble weighs heavily upon her mind. She
believes that her husband was innocent of
all the sins charged against him, except that
of INDUCING in too much strong drink, and
AYERS that Mrs. Cochran became infatuated
without the slightest encouragement from
him. No matter what is said Of the muir
dered man his widow is .4# -a#
90 a MODEL OF DEVOTION, .fG@
and has shown herself to be a far more Iowa
bic personagelthan the silly little thing who
bore such a prominent part in causing the
scandal. 80
The next visit of the reporter was to Mrs.
Cochran, who continues to live with her
parents, the Darling family, who removed
from Glenn Falls, New York, to Wisconsin
soon after the marriage of their daughter
with Cochran. The lady is 80 years of age,
of slight build, with pale, finely formed
face, woman not capable of being either
very good or very bad, but one easily fiat.
tered and easily led. After considerable hest
tation she described the manner of her
first meeting with Judge Hayden, substan-
tally as given above. In the course of the
questioning, she said that she had long since
CEASED TO DENY
the charges. She admitted writing the letter
which her husband had intercepted.
"The only thing I care to have the public
understand as coming from me,' said the
unhappy woman, sis that the trouble did
not originate through any Intentional wick
edness on my part. can now see Mr..
Hsyden's design from the very first, and
cannot blame my husband for the course