Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-08-06
George w. KrOtZ and Har-
ry V. Wiley Quarrel
Over q Horse and
Wiley Shoots His ANITA g.
Onist Through the
Head, Killing Him
Almost Instantly.

~
Thursday evening of last week Harry V.
Wiley, young real estate agent in Defiance,
shot and killed his neighbor, George W.
Krotz, fancy stock broker.
The cause, If any, was slight.
The men live on adjoining premises and
both have used the same barn, situated on
Willey's premises. Krotz rented the barn
before Wiley moved there and claims to
have received no notice to vacate. Wiley
has held all along that the barn, being on
his premises, was necessarily sub-rented to
Krotz.
They had several disputes in regard to
this but nothing serious ever resulted.
The trouble that directly caused the tragedy
was
An Injured Horse.
Rev. Jorden occupies the same house with
Wiley and the following statement con-
cisely gives the few particulars of the crime:
1.-TWO weeks ago Harry borrowed Krotz's
horse to go to the country for load of wood.
You will remember he had a runaway and
was uOulo uuCOubClOucs III It0 Euh~
away Krotzs horse was injured. Then KrotZ
asked for the use of his (Willey's) horse un-
til his (Krotz's) got we'll; this Wiley granted
and the first day Krotz drove it Wiley
claimed he lamed 1t. Then Wiley declined
the further use of it, saying they were even.
This was Monday. They had words then and
Wiley told Krotz to take his horses oot of
the barn.
Then it appears Krotz sued Wiley for dam
ages done TO his horse in the runaway. The
| amount is, I think, $114.75. This angered
| Wiley very much and when he came home
| Tuesday he read us notice he was going to
serve on Krotz to vacete the barn.
On Wednesday evening Wiley came homo
with two horses, one his own and the other
| he had borrowed for the feed. He claimed
that Krotz had locked the stable and he was
very angry and was going to break it open.
advised him MOTTO, SO lac sat down and
waited for Krotz.
| He went over to Krotz' house and told Mrs,
Krotz that he wanted to see George when he
came home. Wiley sat around all evening
brooding over the trouble and went to bed
without seeing Krotz, and leaving the horses
| out in the rain.
The next day wednesday, he talked to me
about the trouble again. He said that if
Krotz attempted to strike him, as he had
done. he was ready for him. I saw that he
was terribly worked up and / talked to him
and tried to pacify him, advising him to do
nothing rash.
felt uneasy all day, had a feeling that
something serious was going to happen.
felt Willey's pockets as much as / could but
discovered no revolver.
In the evening he would not eat supper but
went of up stairs by himself and pondered
His wife complained and went up to talk to
him. She told me that she had told Harry
that If he would not do anything for himself
she would give up and not try.
Then | went up to my room. The next
heard was a shot fired. I ran to the window
at the rear of the house and saw Krotz lying
in the barn door. hurried down stairs and
met Wiley as he rushed out of the house. He
said: II have shot Krotz, he kicked me and
l wouldn't take anything more of him.
His wife met him and he only said: II die
not intend to kill him; only to wound him.
have not seen Wiley since"
/ Wiley gave himself up to the sheriff; il
fact, the excited man actually ran to thai
officers residence and handed over the re
volver, asking to be locked up. To severa
persons whom he met on the way he sait
that Krotz again pitched into him and hi
shot him.
At the Jail he was interviewed and said tina
|
to talk, he must say that he was acting il
self-defence, that Krotz attacked him in th'
barn and pulling out his revolver to let hin
know that he (Willey) was armed, the weap
on was discharged accidentally.
The revolver used was thirty-two Brit
tish bull dog. Wiley took it out of thu
drawer in Prosecuting Attorney Woods of
fee Wednesday noon. Mr.. Woods did no
miss it until last evening. Mr.. Woods say
that it was not loaded when he put ii in thu
drawer some time ago.
The tragedy occurred at about fifteen min
utes of seven and Krotz died at 500.
The ball entered the forehead little t
the right of the center and about half al
inch above the brow. It was necessarily
fatal wound for the ball penetrated th
brain. His face was powder marked show
ing that when the revolver was fired it wa
, very close to him. He fell right on tn
Threshold of the door on his right side.
Saturday preliminary hearing was he'll
before Squire Hunter who held him for mur
der in the first degree to await the action o
, the Graud Jury. which crime does not admi
of bail.