Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-05-20
POUCH KILLS HIMSELF.
DEAD BODY Or NAUKESHA MUIR
DERER FOUND.
From the Scene OF His
Crime.

Waukesha, Wis, May 1S.-The body
OF William Pouch, the murderer, was
found in Hale's mill pond, in the town
OF New Berlin, Monday morning. The
place where the body was found is
about three miles from the scene of the
murder The body was found by Dan
lei Wood, the proprietor. 1t was dis
covered by the doctors making exam
nation that there was a bullet hole in
his head. His pockets were filled with
stones and pair OF bicycle pantaloon
guards were also found in his pockets.
When Daniel Wood, the miller at
Prospect, was going to his work Mon
day morning something in the water at
Hale's pond attracted his attention.
lie was uncertain about it, however
and did not stop, but went to the mill
and returned 10 the house for breakfast,
! Wnen ne started back to the mill after
his morning meal he again paused on
the dam and then saw that it was a
mans body in the pond, about thirty
feet from the shore. John Bevil,
neighbor, happened to be driving by
on his way to Waukesha, and Wood
called him to the shore of the pond.
Together the two men dragged the
body from the water and their instant
conclusion was that the remains were
those of Pouch.
The body was that of large man,
young, smooth shaven, and answering
the description of the murderer. The
face was bloated. In the neck was a
bullet wound, and tightly knotted
about the throat was a white handker-
chief. 1t would appear that the man
had waded into the pond, shot himself
and then fallen prone in the water. No
revolver was found, the weapon evil
IDENTIFY dropped from the suicides hand
when he fired. The body was clothed
in dark suit, with a shirt, but no
underclothing.
Hale's pond is about one G,ile south
of the hamlet Of Prospect and about
two and one-half miles from the Har-
ris homestead On Wednesday Of last
week Farmer McNiel, who lives about
half way between the Harris place and
Eale's pond, found a suit of under
clothing beside a little pond on his
premises. and it was Immediately sur
missed that these clothes belonged to
Pouch. 1t seems probable that the
Il urderer, after leaving his bicycle,
went to the McNiel pond with the in
tention of drowning himself there, but
the water is not very deep he
doubtless decided to go on to Hale,s
pond, the location of which he knew
perfectly we'll, and to commit his body
to deeper waters, where there would be
less chance of its ever being found.
Many searching parties have been
out for the man who ten days ago
murdered Alexander Harris and shot
Mrs. Harris and two employees, Mcckold
and Helen Vesbach. Supposed clues
have been reported frequently but
nothing came of them. Several limo
cent men have been arrested, only to
be released soon afterWard. After the
shooting, Pouch escaped on a bicycle
can be learned.
The crime was the most shocking
ever committed in Waukesha county.
II was supposed at the time that all
the victims would die, but all except
Mr. Harris are still alive though very
low. Pouch searched the house after
the shooting and found some money
Rewards aggregating $1,000 were
offered by Waukesha county and the
state for information leading to the
arrest of Pouch. Nobody will get this
reward.