Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-16
The Killing Of Henry Hayden.

As the community are now advised,
Henry Hayden was shot and killed in
the city of Centralia between . and 6
o'clock in the afternoon of THURSDAY
the 9th inst. by William d. Cochran,
Cashier Of the First National Bank OF
this place. Mr. Hayden lived less
than half an hour after the shot was
fired. Such an event was wholly un-
looked for, and its announcement after
the fact had taken place, created
widespread surprise and regret, and
universal sorrow for the immediate
relatives of both parties to the TRACE
dy. AS may be true, in all similar
cases, different, untrue, and conflicting
accounts Of the affair, and the causes
which brought it about have been put
in circulation, some of them so framed,
whether so intended or net, as to ere
ate misrepresentation Of the truth, and
involve in blame parties against whom
no just grounds of censure, even, exists.
With the caase that led to the TRACE
! dy, it is not our purpose to deal.
That will be inquired into and dealt
with by the tribunal which the law
has created for the; purpose, in good
tine. and we volunteer the suggestion
that there all good citizens ought to be
willing to leave it. The facts, however,
which preceded the homicide, and
| about which there ought to be no dis
pute, are briefly as follows: During
the past summer Mr.. Cochran separat-
ed from his wife on account of the al
legged seduction of her by Mr.. Hay
den Previous to this Mr. G. and de-
ceased had been on very friendly terms.
After it very bitter ill-feeling exist
ed between them, and various things
were said and done we'll calculated to
intensity such ill-feeling. Both par
ties had warm friends, and the alleged
facts which lead to the original diff
Guilty, created disagreements and dis
putes among those friends. and subse,
quently to still further contention in
regard to business or personal matters.
The newspapers here commented Sc
verely upon Mr.. Hayden's alleged
misconduct. This was replied to by
him through the Wausau Torch. ex
5 ira copies of which were circulated by
7 him in this county, and in which he
5 assailed the editors here. They re-
piled, and he again assaulted them
and the editor Of the Torch also assail
ed them. They defended themselves
but this newspaper controversy was
confined entirely between Mr.. H., the
editor Of the Torch and the editors
here. After this had ceased, anG
: some two weeks ago. Mr. Hayden be
came the publisher and editor of The
Il Centralia Enterprise, and in the Sc
j cond issue Of that paper there appear
ed an article which reflected severely
e upon Mr.. Cochran personally. 1
y purported to be written by a CORES
G pondent, but it discussed personal mat
n ters that had caused personal ill-feel
ing between Mr.. Hayden's partner anC
Mr. G. and was manifestly written il
8 Mr.. Hayden's Office, and published
with his nowledge and approval. L
also contained sneers at Mr.. Cochran
in some other respects. This article wa
first read by Mr.. Cochran just before
noon on Thursday. At dinner tim'
= he took his gun from his house t, hi
: place of business. About 5 o'clock il
the afternoon he closed the bank, wen
across the river, where he and de
: ceased both resided, and after stop pins
at two or three different places, anc
: talking with different persons, he pass
ed Hayden, Rossier & Bakers Office
: just after Messrs Hayden and Rossie
: had stepped out Of the front door, ant
!. stood upon the steps in front of it, anc
. having passed few feet beyond them
turned and fired the fatal shot. H.
o then retraced his steps, came across
9 the river to this city, requested tina
the Sheriff be sent for, and upon hi
arrival sur rendered himself into custo
dy, stating to the Sheriff, and all with
whom he conversed, what he had done
+ Mr.. Hayden was taken charge of i'm
: mediately by his friends. and all done
:, for him that could be, but with the
result already stated. An Inquest
/ was held the same evening at which
f the principal facts Immediately connect
e with the shooting were elected, and
: the coroner's jury returned verdict
r that deceased came to his death by
f reason of gunshot wound inflicted by
Mr. Cochran, with murderous intent
The funeral which took place on Sun.
day was attended by large eoncourse