Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-02-06

the Only Known Motive for the Cow.
ardly Deed.
A mysterious attempt to murder q. Il.
Mandt, editor of the Mt. Horeb sun,
shortly after midnight, on the morning
of the 1st inst, produced the most IN
tense excitement IN that quiet httie
village. Just as Mandt was preparing to
retire he heard some one rapping at the
side door of his house. He asked who
was there, but received no apply.
Blowing out the light, he thereupon
opened the door, but no sooner was 1t
open than the sharp crack Of a revolver
was heard, and Mandt fell backwards
with bullet in his right lung.
Mr.. Mandt's residence is situated IN
the center of the village, and it didn't
take his wife long 10 arouse the neigh
borhood, but the assassin had already
mode good his escape, and nothing re-
manned but to care for the wounded
man. DR.. Evans, the only physician OF
the place, arrived ten minutes after the
shooting and made an examination OF
the wound, finding that the bullet had
lodged in the right lung. He thought
it best not to probe for the bullet,
and, though the wound is a serious
one, he does not think it is necessarily
fatal.
A dispatch of the LIST says: "Mr.
Mandt's conditic l to-day was such as t.
give good hopes of his recovery, and heg
was feeling quite comfortable and able
to converse without much difficulty.
His brother, r. @. Mandt, of Stoughton,
president of the large wagon manu-
factory in that town. was in Mt. Horeb
this afternoon, and after seeing his
y Id NJ
medical aid from Madison to determine
more exactly the nature of the wound.
He thinks that his brother is making a
plucky struggle Tor life, but fears that
from the location Of the wound it may
result fatally"
No satisfactory explanation of the
cowardly deed is opta.nable, nor can
Mr.. Mandt himself give any clue to his
assailant. The darkness prevented him
from even catching q glimpse of the
man, and he cannot think of any who
had any sufficient grudge against him
to give rise to suspicion that he might
be the assassin. The fact that Mr.. Mandt
has made bitter fight against the
saloon element in the village for some
time past, in his paper, has caused pub
lie sentiment to lay the crime at their
door. At the same time while Offering
this solution OF the mystery surrounding
this identity of the murderer, the vii
layers are inclined to think that the sa-
loonmen would hardly have recourse to
SO dastardly a means Of silenc-
ing an enemy. Only few
days ago, Mr.. Mandt received an
anonymous letter couched in the most
scul rilous terms and full of threats in
case he should continue to attack the
liquor men. In his next issue Mr..
Mandt replied to the letter, urging all
good citizens Ito unite in suppressing
the saloons and to clean out the stink
holes we have among us to foste
sneaks. towards, criminals and every
thing else." His reply was fearless and
gave the saloons a sound berating.
IN view Of the mystery attaching to
the murder, the deed is universally at
tributed to some mi-creant connected
with the saloons. The saloon men, how
ever disclaim any hostility toward
Mandt, and declare it ridiculous to
claim that the murder was inspired by
them. They say that there is enough
evidence that it was done on account of
some personal grudge. AS far as their
feelings towards Mandt are concerned.
they say they were never much stirred
up by his attacks.
Sheriff Vernon, of Madison. looked
over the scene the morning of the
shooting, but was utterly unable to dis
cover any clue whatever. There is
the greatest indignation among the vii
layers and public meeu.ng was held,
at which it was determined to leave
nothing undone that might lead to the
detection of the criminal. From ex-
pressions let drop by some of the citi-
zens, it is evident that suspicions are at
tached to some one. but they refused to
give any Intimation Of his name for fear
that he might take the alarm and seek
security in fight.
Mr.. Mandt is a young man, scarcely
% years of age, and has been publishing
the Mt. Horeb Sun for about year. He
previously published several country
Weeklles in neighboring villages. The
paper is independent in politics, but has
taken strong stand against the LIQUOR
element ever since it was started. and
has never avoided making plain state
ment OF facts. It's circulation is con-
fined almost wholly to Mt. Hareb,
which has population of hardly 500
Mr.. Mandt WAS married about a year
ago to lady in neighboring village.
Mt. Horeb is about twenty miles west
of Madison, and only short distance
from Primrose, the scene of the Chris
ten murder. a few weeks go. It is sit
uated on the line of the Chicago &
North Western Road, and has received
It's main growth since the railroad was
built through there. There are two sa-
looms in the town, and there is consid-
cradle drinking done by the farmers in
the neiphborhOod.