Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1902-02-15

rect account that had been published. We take
the liberty of copying the article and give due
credft-EDITOR. &c
At $50 o'clock last Saturday night
Fred w. Stephenson shot dead Deputy
Sheriff VIM. Cooper at Waterloo, and
also made murderOus attack on his
wife and Joseph PaIaschka, at whose
home she had rooms. The facts in the
case are about as fOllOwsj
MStephensOn had been having trouble
with his wife and family for some time
past, and had been drinking very heavy
all day on the day of the murder. Early
in the evening he went to his home and
got two revolvers, one 80, the other a
50 calibre; he went down town and to
his wife's rooms over Jos. Palaschka's
saloon, aud created a disturbance there.
Deputy Sheriff Cooper and the saloon
keeper went to Davies law office and
swOre cut a warrant for Stephenson
They returned to the saloon, and short
ly after they had entered StephensOn's
wife ran down from up stairs and said
Stephenson was going to kill her.
Cooper ran out the front door and met
Stephenson as he came down the stairs;
he went to arrest him and Stephenson
placed the revolver against his breast
and tired, the bullet going through his
heart. He said my God, Fred, you
have killed me" and sank to the ground
dead. Stephenson then entered the
saloon and fired at Palaschka, the bull
let scraping his cheek. He then fred
at his own wife, but did not hit her.
There were about seven or eight who
saw him kill Cooper, and about twelve,
including village marshal Woodland in
tho Innr, hnf fhaxr oil l.
away. They teiephOned for Sheriff
McG0lrlck at Jefferson about 10 o'clock.
who arrived at Waterloo at 2 A. M.
Sunday. On arriving there he could
get no reformation as to which way
Stephenson went. At daylight Sheriff
McGolrlck and Undersheriff OByrne
went to his fathers house west of
waterloo, where he was supposed to be,
and searched the house and barn, but
he was not there; Stephenson's house
was then searched and also a Mr.
Hardger's home, friend of Stephen
sons. About $50 A. M. MIR. Level
len told the officers there were fresh
tracks through the field between the vii
lage and StephensOn's house the
tracks were traced and showed where
Stephenson had fallen two OF three
times; after following the tracks for
about one and one half miles the Off
GERS came out on road and lost the
track. They were then informed that
there was a friend Of Stephenson's
living on that road about five miles
north OF there. The officers then went
back to Waterloo for livery rig, and
accompanied by L. T. Davis they went
out to John Parker whom they met at
his barn, and he informed them Ste
phensOn was up stairs in his house
The sheriff sent Parker in to tell Ste-
/ henson to send out his two guns or
they. would take him dead or alive. He
sent back word he would kill himself
or Davis, II he Davis attempted to ar
rest him, but if the sheriff would meet
him in the house alone he would hand
him his two guns; this the sheriff
ag- led to do. He met him at the door
and he handed the sheriff one of his
guns. He was then searched, and
Deputy Sheriff O'Byrne found the other
gun in his stocking. He was then
taken to Jefferson. He did not know at
the time he was arrested that Cooper
was dead. He was taken before w.
II. Porter, Justice Of the Peace at
Jefferson Monday morning and his ex-
animation adjourned until Tuesday,
February Is. He claims he was not
drunk, but crazy when he did the shoot
ing, and appears very sorry for Cooper.
whom he says was a friend of his. Coop
or leaves wife and one son. His
funeral was held at 1890 o'clock from
the Catholic church at Waterloo on
Tuesday.
ALI parties to this terrible affair are
well-known in WatertOwn. Mr.. Cooper
was about As years Of age, and leaves
a wife and one son, the later being
student at the state University. He
was one Of WaterlOO's best known and
most respectable residents, and one whom
was we'll thought of by all who knew him
His death is sincerely mOurnsd.
Sheriff McGolrick certainly deserves
credit for the manner in which he
handled the case after he was notified
for all who knew the circumstances
feared that more bloodshed would fol-
low
Deputy Sheriff Ed. O'Byrne and Mr..
Davies are also to be commended for
their brave assistance in the matter.