Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-10-17
Sympathy d the Community With
the Dsfsndsnt, Who Plead
Self Dsfensa. 81

LAM lily, VIII 0eIeuO. ~ ~ WILCOX,
the murdered man. was tenant and
Tor hfteensyear prior to his death lived
on what is known AZ the Stewart farm,
situated about four miles south of Lake
City; was the father Of eleven children,
most Of them grown. three OF the oldest
daughters being married. Mr.. Wilcox.
was known to his neighbors to be an
excessive drinker and as a man who
was at all times cruel, unjust and very
profane, and who seemed to delight in
making those around aim unhappy.
and In this he seemed to be very sue
cessful. He 10 said to have resorted to
physical violence at times upon both
his wife and children. The circum-
stances leading<up to the killing are
said by members Of the family to be In
substance as follows:
STORY OF THE CRIME.
Sunday, April, 20. the Wilcox family
were invited over to the home Of NJ.
Whitehead, the nearest neighbor, for
dinner. After dinner the family re-
turned home, and with the assistance
of his wife, son Sidney and Henry, the
defendant. the deceased man started to
put down the sitting room carpet It
was found that the carpet was too nar-
row for the room. and Mrs. Wilcox
started to sew on q strip and Henry
asked to be allowed to assist her. At
this the father became enraged and for
babe him doing so, and continued sul-
len and angry all the rest OF the day.
He got up about o'clock Monday
morning and began the day by swear
ing at his wife because she was not yet
up, and told her in a sarcastic manner
that she could lie in bed all day or go
to the neighbors, just as she liked. After
breakfast he began to abuse the chill
Sdren and picked up chair and started
to strike the defendant. but was pre-
vented from doing so by Mrs. Wilcox.
who seized the chair The defendant
and his brother then started out to do
the chores. and as soon as he left the
house Wilcox began to abuse his wife
for interfering. when he went to strike
the defendant, striking her in the face
and otherwise III treating her. The boys
heard The disturbance and returned to
the house, but We're met at the door by
I their father with stove poker in his
hand. with which he threatened them,
and told them to go along about their
business and do the chores. The testi-
mony Of Sidney Wilcox at the coroner's
inquest was that about clock he and
his father went into the field to harrow;
and that about an hour afterwards the
defendant came into the field with q
gun and began to shoot squirrels
around the field. The defendant stopped
and talked to Sidney, who left his team
and together they started across the
field in the direction Of their father,
who saw them coming and stopped his
team to meet them, furnishing an open
pocket knife and telling the defendant
that he would disembowel him II he did
rot at once get out Of the field. The
defendant warned him to stop, but he
continued to advance with his right
hand raised and ready to strike. and
when within ten feet of him the boy
fired the first shot which took effect be-
meath the right arm, but did not cut
the muscles Of the side and arm sufh-
cient to cause him to relax his grip OF
the knife He continued to pursue the
defendant, swearing he would kill him,
and the defendant then fired the second
shot, the entire charge striking his ia
therain the right side Of the face and
passing thru the left eye, carrying the
eye with 1t and causing instant death.
After the shooting the defendant then
went down to the Raccoon river. about
quarter Of mile from where the
trouble began, where he remained TOT
an hour and half. and leaving the gun
returned to the house and made no at
tempt to escape. The verdict OF the cor
oner's fury was that the deceased. A. y.
wilcox. came to his death at the hand
lof Henry Wilcox with felonious Intent.
AT the preliminary examination ne was
held to await the action OF the grand
Jury, with a bond placid at 600. which
was at once furnished by prominent
citizens. 1t is thought that sell
will be the defendants plea. The SYM
pathy Of those residing IN that neigh
| borhood Is with the defendant