Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-12-23
Sensation Spoiled.

William Hurd of Lake Mills who
was arrested near Morris, Shawano
county at dawn Saturday morning.
was placed in the Jefferson county Jail
Saturday night, on the charge of hav-
! ing murder his wife and 12 year old
son, William, Mrs. Hurd aud her son
have disappeared and the charge is
made that they were murdered by be-
ing struck with hammer at their
nome In Lake Mills, early iu the MORN
ing Dec. 4. and that there bodies later
were disposed OF by being thrown into
Rock Lake.
The evidence against Hurd is purely
circumstanti.l and is based on an
anonymous letter, supposed to have
been written by Clara Wentworth, who
is also known in Alilwaukes az Lillian
Feebry, who claims to have been an
eye witness to the alleged tragedy.
While Hurd denies all knowledge Of
the crime and accounts for the disap-
pearance OF his wife and son by say
Ing that they left him, the authorities
fonnd what they believe are blood
stains in his house at Lake Mills and
have also in their possession q blood
stained hammer with which the al
legged crime is believed to have been
committed. A search has been made
for the missing people, but they can
not be found.
The letter which Sheriff A William
Held has Ia his possession, and which
led to the investigation. was received
last Tuesday and is as follows:
''Morris, Wis, Dec. IA. 10 the
Sheriff of Jefferson county: Dear Sir:
| write to inform you that on the night
OF Dec. Srd that there was a double
murder committed in the city of Lake
Mills, when Hurd killed his wife and
little boy. getting tnem out OF the way
by putting them through the ice.
"She had started to leave him and
took the seven o'clock train for Jeffer-
son Junction, he followed and overlook
them there. He tried to induce her to
return home from there which she
would not do. They took the train
for WATERFOWL when she consented to
return. They walked from there to
Lake Mills. arriving there about 4
o'clock. A row started and he struck
her on the head with q hammer. The
boy started to scream and in his anger
he turned on him and also struck him.
He then took them down to the
lake and cutting hole in the ice put
them in. You will ind blood on the
| floor near the wOodshed were the crime
was committed. Next day he left in
hurry for the Forth. This is the truth,
90 help me God, for I seen it with my
own eyes. II you look into this you
| will fud that this as say 10 true.
Il dare not give my name tor he
would kill me, but as soon as he Is ar
rested, will cali on you and tell you
all l know. The reason they walked
from Watertowp Was because Mrs.
Hurd did not wish folks to know that
she had returned for few days.
Yours respectfully. &c. w."
'.P. S. Give this your immediate at
tcntion as he will leave here. &c. W."
Subsequent developments strengthen
the belief that Hurd wrote the above
letter himself for the purpose OF find.
ing out where his wife and child were
as Mrs. Hurd had left him. The vile
and child were found near Fox Lake
comfortably housed and we'll cared for,
the woman employed as housekeeper
in the family Of q respectable farmer.
On. Tuesday AHurd was brought from
Jail before Justice Stacey, and it seems
to be the opinion OF District Attorney
Davies that the prisoner will be dis
charged unless proof is forthcoming
that he is the author of the decoy let
ter. The meanness is not all out of
the fellow yet as he threatens to make
an effort to take his son away from his
wife. There are cases that the law
cannot reach that tar and feathers will
cover.
Saves Two From Death.
"Our little daughter had an almost IA
tai attack Of whoopiug cough and bron-
chitis.' writes Mrs. w. K. Haviland, OF
Armonk, N. Y, but when all other remed-
les failed, we srved her life with DR..
H;ro,o Now Discovery Our niece who