Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-04
WOMAN FAIR AND FRAIL.
SHE CAUSES TWO MURDERS AT STE
VEINS POINT WISCONSIN.

rhc HnseItinr Morse Afhir of june, 1885
Supplemented by the Murder of Hasel.
tino--HisorN of IA Scandal That Has
Led to Two 1ragedies-Sensstion in Bal
tinore High Life.
STEVENS POINT, Wis, April 4.-W. w.
Haseltine, the wellknown attorney OF this
city, was shot dead at II o'clock Tuesday.
He had been out riding and had just taken
his horse to the barn As he was walking
south on First street, opposite the Curran
house, the tragedy occurred, Haseltine fall
ing dead in his tracks, his right hand in his
front pocket -Four or five shots were fired,
Two bullets entered Haseltine's head one
near the back, and the other passing through
his nose. He never spoke afterward Hun
dreds of men We're on the ground in few
moments, and the Curran house was sur
rounded Az this john u. Curran volun-
tarily surrendered himself to the sheriff, and
was driven rapidly to the Jail, where he
now is
The shooting is the direct result of the Ha-
seltine- Morse tragedy of 1855, when the man
who was slain Tuesday shot and killed E. A.
Morse, cashier of the First National bank of
Stevens Point. Ten years ago Haseltine,
handsome, intelligent young man of "a,
swung us Snillble 10 Ine DTttHe Ill oueNtllS
Point as an attorney at law He came from
Madison, where he had graduated with hon
ors from the law school. Soon after his loca-
ton at Stevens Point he met, fell in love,
aud married the youngest daughter of Mat
thew Wadleigh, of this city, IA wealthy luIn-
herman and prominent Democratic politi-
clan. She was n beautiful woman, and at
the time of the marriage was looked upon as
the one thing necessary to insure the future
happiness of the contracting parties.
In 1883 the First National bank was estab-
lished at Stevens Point and A. E. Morse
came there from Mansion TO accept the posi-
ton of cashier. He was Il young married
man, handsome and clever, and as he went
much into society he at once became &C
quainted with Mrs Haseltine u leader of
fashion and the queen of society circles, Mr..
Haseltine did not go much into society, his
extensive law practice consuming much of
his time, but, with full confidence in the hon
esty and virtue of his wife, no restraint what
ever was placed upon her. and everything
that money could procure was at her com
mand.
In the winter of lSS4-s5, rumor began
coupling the names of Mrs. Haseltine and
Morse together, and also the names of John
d. Curran and Miss Annie Park in a manner
that led to the belief that Mrs. Haseltne had
Morse, and that John Curran was more than
Il friend to the bosom companion of Mrs.
Haseltine The foUI were always together,
and so bold were their actions that they grew
to be known as 1.-THE big four" Mr.. Hazel
tine had no intimation of the state of affairs
until the next summer, when the truth acct
dentally became known to him. He investi
gated the stories, satisfied himself beyond the
shadow of doubt that his wife had been too
intimate with Morse, if not with Curran, Sc
cured revolver and shot Morse dead on
sight,
In the trial that followed Haseltine was
cleared upon the grounds of emotional
insanity, one of his counsel being Daniel
VOORHEES,, of Indiana. The evidence intro
duced was convincing that the four were
guilty of the offense charged, and it was
shown that they had INDUCED in acts of de-
pravity too disgusting for publication. After
Haseltnes acquittal lie is reported to have
said: John Curran and l can not live in the
same city; he must leave the place; if we
ever meet one of us will surely die" After
this John did leave the city, and has not been
here often since.
About a year ago, when Curran was on his
way home from "a trip to the southwest, he
and HaseItine accidentally met in the Plank
inton house at Milwaukee. They repaired to
a room and there had some hard words. Has
etine charged Curran with having been
party to the ruin of Mrs. Hazeltine, and
made the assertion that Curran did all he
could to bring about his (Hazeltines convic-
ton for the shooting of Morse. Both men
drew revolvers and double tragedy was
there averted only by the nserest chance. 1t
is said that at that time the men exchanged
threats to kill each other on the slightest
provocation
The tragedy causes the most intense ex-
element The streets in the vicinity of the
court house square are crowded with people
Sheriff Vaughn fears that an attempt will he
made to lynch Curran. as Haseltine had a
host of warm friends, who are in temper to
deal promptly with his slayer. On the other
hand, Curran has strong following, and it
is likely that if an attempt is made to lynch
Curran bloody encounter will occur be-
tween the two factions.