Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1904-11-09
H. A. BigelOw
Killed By Blow
STRUCK BY PROF. T. l. CIF-
FORD ON SATURDAY
MORNING.
Whole Community Filled With Deep
est Sorrow for Both Families. A
Most Lamentable Catas.
trophe.

Decorah was plunged into conster-
nation and grief on Saturday afternoon
as the news quickly spread through
out the city that H. A. Bigelow, one
of our pioneer residents. had been
struck severe blow in the head by
Prof. I. l. Clifford just before noon,
and that there was little chance fol
his recovery. People would not be.
lieve the story, and it is yet beyond
the understanding of nearly everyone,
for Prof. Clifford has always been
known as q quiet, unassuming. conser'
vative man, not excitable in the least.
the last one to be expected to do such
an awful deed.
A few years ago Mr. Bigelow pur.
chased the old G. r. Willett property
iust.west of the high school building,
and about q year ago Prof. Clifford
bought the next lot west of this front
ing OH River street, where he had
garden this summer and had built the
foundation for house, doing the work
himself. The two lots backed to each
other, with no alley between. On
Mr.. Bigelow's property was a barn.
with a shed or lean-to which stood on
Prof. Gifford's lot 1t was in regard
TO this shed that the fatal difficulty
began. There was dispute between
them as to the ownership either of the
shed or the land upon which it stands,
both claiming it. They had argued
tie question at various times without
coming to an agreement, aud on SatuI-
day morning Mr.. Bigelow went over
TO Prof. Gifford's residence on WASH
ington street. where the matter was
discussed further. both becoming an
ery, and Mr.. Bigelow was ordered OIL
the place. During the morning Prof.
Clifford was at work on his lot digging
vegetables with three-tined potato
hoe. Just before noon Jim James
drove in with a load of wood for Mr..
BigeIow, and being the only witness
to the deed tells in substance the fol-
lowing story: He says that while he
was engaged in unloading the wood
Mr.. Bigelow stepped out of the shed
or barn and started to walk towards
Prof. Clifford. He heard no converse
tion between them except that while
his back was turned Mr.. Bigelow said
"go slow, 60 slow" and before he
could turn about the fatal blow had
been struck. Prof. Clifford had struck
him in the skull. behind and above
the ear with the potatoe hoe he had
been using, and he fell to the ground
unconscious. Mr.. Clifford tnen picked
him up and carried him over on his
own land and laid him down. By that
time James had arrived and realized
what had been done, and runniLg to
j. @. Boards house near by told Mr..
Beard. The two then went 20 the
place where Mr.. Bigelow was laying.
Prof. Clifford then said that he had
hit him in the head with the hoe. and
he guessed he had hit him too lard.
They asked him to assist them in carry
ing him into the house, bnt he said
that Mr.. Bigelow had told him to keer
off his property and that he did not
want to do it. The two men carried
Mr.. Bigelow into the house and Prof
Clifford went home to dinner. Medical
assistance was immediately summon
ed, but when the physicians arrived
they soon saw that the blow would bt
fatal aud that Mr.. Bigelow could no
recover. A hole about two inches il
diameter had been broken in the skull
with the brain oozing out and bones
LAYING against it, and with the skull
cracked fully half way around. abov,
the ear and eyes. Mr.. Bigelow did no
regain consciousness, but passed ava,
about nine clock in the evening.
During the noon hour Prof. Clifford
was arrested on the charge Of assaul
with intent TO commit murder. ant
given an Immediate hearing before JUS
tice Gibson, who fixed his bail a
81 900. which was readily furnished
Prof. Clifford returned rs usual &
work in the afternoon, and nothing
further was done but to await the Ger
tain death of Mr.. Bigelow, which oc
Cured about nine O'Clock at night.
Sunday morning Prof. Clifford wa
again arrested, this time on the charg
of murder in the first degree, and /
the afternoon was allowed to plead bt
fore Justice Gibson. He plead INC
guilty" and his hearing was set fc
Thursday, the amount of bail bein
fixed at SIC, 900, which was immediate