Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-07-28

Leonard Early and daughter,
Mrs. L. A. Belcher, returned to this
city from Shelby county yesterday
and are visiting at the VIM. Chris
man home on South street.
Audubon County Boys in Trouble.
This county no sooner disposed
of two killing scrapes before anoth-
er came along to occupy the atten-
ton of the authorities. This time
it was Ben U. Stoddard, living one
mile west of town, who was killed
by shot gun in the hands of S. L.
Hartzell, member OF the firm of
Hartzell & Bascom, lawyers and
real estate men. The scene of the
tragedy was on the west side of the
farm belonging to Hartzell e. Bas-
com, and it seems to have arisen
over misunderstanding over Stod-
dard's right to cut the fence and
| cross Hartzell's' farm.
A good many stories have been
in circulation as to how it all hap.
pened and the Republican has TAX
en- especial pains to get at the facts
as near as possible and will endeav-
or to give them.
To begin with there has been
some trouble between the parties
for some months past. They own
ed adjoining farms with their build
ings on opposite sides of the road.
In the road leading to town there
was bad place short distance to
the east and the contract was let
for the repairing of this bad piece
of road and the workmen were at
work that day. During the day
Stoddard came along to go to town
and crossed through Hartzell &
Bascom's field and on coming back
went the same way. Both Hartzell
and Bascom kicked on the proceed.
ings and told him not to come back
over the same route again, but that
to drive over his own land on the
opposite side of the road. Some
words evidently followed and it is
alleged that Stoddard said he
would come through as often as he
saw fit. For the time being the
trouble ended there, but after sup.
per both Hartzell and Bascom went
out to repair the fence which was
torn down. While they were at
work Stoddard and his wife came
along going to town.
1t ia alleged that the fret thing
said was Stoddard saying, "are you
not little previous putting up
that fence" to which the reply was
made that they Guessed not
Stoddard then said that he was go
ing through and was told that he
could not, He then stepped out of
the buggy and approached the
fence with a pair of wire clippers
and as he did that his wife caution
ed him not to and also jumped out
of the buggy aud started to run
away screaming with fright. In
the mean time Hartzell had gone to
his buggy and gotten shot gun
and was approaching Stoddard who
| was about to cut the wire. He com.
manded him to quit and then
claims that Stoddard reached for
his hip pocket to get revolver he
had there and that Hartzell then
fired after telling him to throw up
his hands, the main charge striking
him in the arm, and two shot pene-
trating the heart, few more going
through the lungs and some scat
tered-some fifty shot (No. ~ in all
hitting him. He then went down
and Hartzell ran up and took the
revolver out of his hip pocket. BY
that time Mrs. Stoddard had come
back and suggested that he be TAX
en- to town at once, but the dying
man said, "put me in the buggy,
boys, and take me home" He was
accordingly placed in the buggy
and both Hartzell aud Bascom took
him to his home which was about
eighty rods south and about forty
rods east of where the shooting was
done, but before reaching there the
man was dead. Immediately they
went to town for doctor and Cor.
oner Gibson went out and held a
! post mortem, empanelling a Jury
consisting of James McPhail, +. -.
B. Mercer and Frank Moran, who
found that the man came to his
death by gun shot wound fired
by S. L. Hartzell and abetted by E.
T. Bascom, the first of whom was
soon arrested and the arrest of the
latter followed the next afternoon
The preliminary hearing was set
tor yesterday morning and adjourn.
ed until Saturday awaiting the re.
turn of Mrs. Stoddard who went to
husband.
| 1uC OAAS eye WAtuCSScS 10 the
shooting were Mrs. Stoddard and
E. T. Bascom.
The defendants have employed
Attorney Sinkler, of Grafton, and
Moellring & Atneosen, of this city
and the claim is made that a strong
case of self defense will be put up
The Stoddard family came here
from Blue Earth City, Mimi, two
year ago last March and settled or
what was known as the Bob Beard
place mile west of town. The
parties to the transaction were the
best of friends up to nearly a yea,
ago when something evidently
sprang up between them.
The funeral services were held al
the residence Friday afternoon
Rev. Marsh officiating, and the re
mains were taken to Blue Earth
City for burial. He was 81 years O
age and had been married since
12OS or1 1aavoo L.