Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-13
FOUL ASSASSINATION.
Rev. Geo. c.. Haddock Murdered
by Cowardly Assassins at
Sioux City, Iowa.
The Crime Supposed to be the Out.
growth of the Saloon In.
junction Cases.

oASSAVA
SIOUX CITY, Aug. 4.-SLortlv after 10
o'clock last evening Il pistol shot was.heard
in the vicinity of Fourth and Water streets,
and IN a few minutes a crowd of men might
have been noticed gathering III that vicinity.
A word of inquiry rs to the cause of the
gathering brought forth the information
that Rev. Geo. C. Haddock had been shot
aud was lying dead in the gutter on the
southwest corner of the streets mentioned.
The news was spread with great rapidity
throughout the city, and thousands of peo-
pie soon thronged the streets, all of whom
were eager TO learn something OF the
tragedy.
Stories Of the crime were many and con-
ficting, but from what could be gatheredin
the darkness and rain Of midnight, it was
ascertained that about 8 o'clock D. m. Mr..
Haddock ana Rev. G. G. Turner procured a
horse and buggy from Merrills livery stable
on Water street, for the purpose of driving
to Greenville, just across the Floyd, east Of
the city. They were absent just an hour,
and at 10 o'clock Mr.. Haddock returned to
the stable with the horse and buggy, being
alone at that time. After delivering the
animal to the hostler, Tom Jarvis, Mr..
Haddock started to go out of the stable, but
noticing several men standing on the side
walk opposite, he turned and asked Jarvis
if anybody was laying. for him." laughing
pleasantly as he asked the question. Jarvis
replied that he knew of no one who had
any such intentions. At this Mr.. Haddock
started out over the crossing of Water street
on the south side of Fourth; u shot was
heard, and he dropped his cane, and stag
gering forward in Il direction slightly south
of east, fell on the walk as above stated.
Jack Ryan, Superintendent of Markets,
was standing in the door of Dan O'Con-
nelrs saloon when the shot was fired, and
saw Haddock, who was between himself
and the gaslight at the Columbia House
corner, stagger toward the sidewalk. He ut
once went to him, and although the wounded
man breathed at least five minutes after he
fell, he did not attempt to speak. Ryan got
some water and washed the blood from his
face, and was there when the crowd began
to collect. 1t is Mr.. Ryan's opinion that
the party who fired the shot stood on the
sidewalk just below Fourth street and
waited until the unsuspecting victim was
W1uu1A -ANC 1CcC VI ullI w uo
sent the leaden messenger on it's errund of
death.
A fireman standing at II of the upper
windows Of the engine house says that he
saw three persons on the corner, and as he
stood there watching the flashes of light
ming he noticed a man start across the
street, and when about half way across saw
somebody approach him from behind, and
at that moment he heard a report and saw
the flash Of IL pistol. He Mt once lighted q
lantern and went out, finding the body of
Mr.. Haddock lying as above stated. After
the shot he saw two men run south on Water
street andene go north.
Charles Eberhardt, proprietor Of the Co.
iumbia House, which stands directly on the
corner of Fourth and Water streets, says
that himself and four others were sitting in
the hotel office, everything being very quiet
without. At about 10 o'clock he was
startled by a shot in the street in front of
his house, and going to the door saw par
ties running in both directions on Water
street, and heard the footsteps of Il man
running across the bridge. By the light of
the gas he could see the body of Il man
lying on the opposite side of the street,
which proved to be that of Mr.. Haddock.
After the shooting Officer Henry Heitfelt
picked up a murderous looking billy in the
street near where the shooting occurred. It
is made of the wheel of a pully, such as arc
tached Il stiff rope handle. There is no evil
dence that this weapon was used, as the
shot did its work effectually aud we'll. From
all appearances the case is one of premed-
itated murder, and circumstances so to
show that the parties were aware of the trip
taken by Mr.. Haddocl and armed and sta
toned themselves in convenient positions
to attack him on his return.
Since the saloon injunction cases have
been brought in Sioux City a very danger
Gus feeling against the temperance men of
this city has been engendered, and against
no one has it been SO bitter as Rev. Geo. G.
Haddock, who has taken a very active part
in the proceedings %inaugurated for the pur-
pose OF closing the saloons i'll accordance
with the law, and who has been the plain
tiff i II a large number of the injunction
cases. The shock of the community over
the killing of this man is such as has never
before been experienced. and while without
doubt, it will at once by popular opinion,
be laid at the door of the saloon party, the
calm thinker will at once realize that no
man who has any of the instincts of mar
hood left in his breast would be guilty of
even thinking of such a deed. The perpe-
traitor is without doubt one Of those low.
degraded beings, in whom the last spark of
honor is dead, and in whose breast no
thought of remorse will ranklo as he gloats
over his terrible deed. While at this writ
ing no clue has been discovered that points
to any particular party as the guilty one, it
is a lamentable fact that such parties are
here, and to the everlasting shame of the
city it must be admitted that the part the
dead man had taken in trying to enforce
the laws of the State, was without doubt
the cause Of his untimely end at the hand
of a cowardly assassin, who approached
him from the rear and sent his soul into
eternity without a moments notice, and
without a possible chance of defending HIM
self.
Mr.. Haddock has been pastor OF the First
M. E. Church in this city since last Octo-
Der, and was we'll known throughout Iowa
and Wisconsin, having during his connec-
ton with the ministry been engaged~in
clerical work in many of the leading cities
Of both States, and has for many years been
q noted and enthusiastic advocate Of the
temperance cause. He was Sc years of age,
and leaves a wife and one son, the latter
heing IN attorney at Oshkosh, Wis.