The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-10-22
THE MADISON TRAGEDY.
The Funeral and Burial Of William
b. Howard.
Sketches Of the Three Actors in the Bloody
Dffma, Howard, Simpson. and Nc
itFetridge, and an Account of the
II Origin of the Difficulty
Between Them.

ESPECIAL Correspondence of the Sentinell
MADISON, Ind, Oct. 10 The bitter feud
that has existed for many years between
William Howard and John Deshea Simpson,
eliminated last Thursday night in q street
fight, In which Howard was shot and NOR
tally wounded. That night a part Of his
left hand was amputated, and the next day
the surgeons cut off his right leg between the
knee and the hip joint. He never rallied
after the knife had done its work, and yes
terdsy morning at 8 o'clock he died. Nine
o'clock to-day was fixed for his interment,
and long before the hour arrived Main
Cross street, on which his residences stands,
was thronged with people vending their
way to his funeral. At the house, in the
yard, in the alley skirting the house, on the
sidewalks and IN the streets. were men, wo
men and children, all with saddened faces,
betoksning their grief for the dead man. In
the little parlor of his modest home, encased
in q rosewood coffin, with his features calm
and natural lay all that was mortal of
Howard. An anchor and a cross of
choicest flowers rested upon the coffin;
beautiful flowers, fashioned into charming
bouquets by loving hands, stood upon the
piano and upon tables about the room. Sit
ting around the corpse were his family and
friends, and in the midst OF them was heard
the lamentations of one who, like Rachel
weeping for her children. refused to be COM
forted. 1t was his aged mother. Seventy
eight winters have bleached hec head; and
as she sat there, dressed in the deepest
mourning, bewailing her lot, and crying
in her agony, there were few dry
eyes in that house of mourners.
And as she cried out: Had he been called
away by sickness or disease had he died a
natural death could have borne it; but alas
he was stricken down by wi cked hands,"
strong men and women eobbed aloud. Rev.
Mr.. Roberts, pastor OF Trinity Methodist
Episcopal church, conducted the funeral
ceremonies, which were brief and exceed
iDgly appropriate. after which the body was
placed in hesrse and taken tc Springdale
cemetery, where it was buried. The procession
moved west on Main Gross street until it
reached Cemetery street. and thence west on
that street to the place of burial. l do not
know the numb of carriages in the pro-
cessiOn; they were, however numbered by
the hundreds. The fremen were out in
uniform, and the sidewalks were lined with
people of all ages and coaditions-whites
and blacks-on their way to the burial.
At the grave John A luck read
the ritual of the fremen, and,
after prayer by Mr.. Roberts, the body was
lowered aud covered with mother earth.
Such was the burial of William Howard
Who was William Howard, and why did
he come to such an untimely end? Let us
see.
William Howard was born in Illinois, but
came to Jefferson county when but year
old, and has lived here ever since. He
learned the coopers' trade, and worked at it
several years when young. The first public
position he held was that of constable
During the existence of the Maine law in
Indiana he was county agent to sell liquor.
Afterward he was a deputy sheriff; then
trustee of Madison township; then city as
SCISSOR; then city marshal. aud for the last 16
years has been continuously treasurer
of the city of Madison. During
this long term of official life
no word WAS said affecting
his integrity until the spring of 1877, when
he made his lsst race for city treasurer. At
that time Major Simpson, in his paper, the
Star, attacked him. both personally and off
cially. in the most bitter and of .nsive man
ner. He did not confine his assaults to
criticisms of Towards official acts. but he
charged him with being both personally vile
I have taken the trouble to copy the follow
ing extracts from the Star:
Nj VIM. Towards object now is to make
himself q martyr; to be looked upon as per-
secuted disciple of latter day Democracy.
What q beautiful pastoral scene it would make
tn see the meek, vestal Howard with q blue
ribbon around his ne * and a bunch OF posies
in the hands of one OF the Mackeref Brigade =
Star, April Is. 1871.
II there Is the slightest particle of honesty,
In the once proud old Democratic party, the
Democrats alone wilt defeat Bill Howard SO
badly that he will be ashamed of himself, If he
Is capable OF shame-Stsr, April 10, ISL.
DauJf ri 2I-a nj lv
martyr of the Democracye Uriah Heep,
under blue glass. couldn't be more tumble
IT The circusrantial evidence which sur
rounds Mr.. Howard, the Democratic city
which points directly to perjury, robbery and
forgery surrounded man charsed
It's Ise no use OF Mr. towards astem ting ting
to make martyr of himself, and whine that
ne is prosecuted. That's too thin. He is ST,
ply detected embs ~ er, caught In the act. He
attempted to escape detection by the result OF
forgery. and he was nsbbed In his filth. There
is no glamour of romance surrounding Mr.
Towards crime. 1t was * rhievery-
stealing from friends and foes alike
from detection. The tramp, "nipping" a hand
kerchief. or stealing dirty clothes from a lime
surrounding him as Mr.. Howard, aud they
DO b deserve about the same condemnation
Star, April LIZ. 1877.
about him. he would go out, like Judai
or old, and hang himself. But not he. "a.
brazenly and impudently Steps to the from
and demands reelection. He expects .,
buy his way in! ALREADY do we hear his hiret
cattle yelling that Howard will spend so.V,
before he Will be- beaten. Honest Democrats
has IL cJme to that? Having shamelessl,
robbed the taxpayers of their money. William
Howard will simply turn around and use IL +
buy up the low and vicious. For 10 year
he has had at his heels a ass of The most in
famous In our city, aud they have been regu
larry paid out of the city fluids on various pre-
texts. There are a lower class of creatures Il
this city, made in the shape If men, that thi
fellow Howard owns as much as a farmer OWE
his dogs. In fact they have collars on thei
necks bearing the legend, ~ Am Bill how
ards Dog."-Star, April Is. 1877.
Notwithstanding these vile charges OF th
Star, Mr.. Howard was triumphantIy electe
to the Office he sought. But the charges. s
recklessly and dehsntly made, were believe
by many good men In the city, and to lei
their truth or falsity q suit was brougt
against him by the city. He accepted th
gauntlet thus thrown down, and demande
that the suit be brought to trial. But I'll
attorneys of the city, being satisfied theE
notbino in he IN rpoe nf the Star an