The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1904-01-14
MURDERED BY HAYDEN
W.. E. Bracewell, Prominent Farmer Of Morgan
Township, Shot and Killed by his Neighbor
John F. Hayden.

farm of Wm. Fletcher, about four miles
east of Leon, they met Hayden coming
toward them in a buggy. Sheriff Wal
lace recognized him and called to him
to stop, that he wanted to SOC him, but
Hayden put the whip to his teAm and
drove on. AS quick as he could turn
his team around Sheriff Wallace follow
ed after Hayden and when he had nearly
caught up with him, took off his over
coat, put his revolver in his side coat
pocket and jumping out, ran after Hay
denis buggy and jumped right in with
him before he knew he was coming. In
running after the buggy Sheriff Wallace
lost his revolver which fell in the road
and he was unarmed when he got in the
buggy. He told Hayden that he had a
warrant for him and took the lines from
him, Hayden making no resistance, and
they started back to Leon. Hayden
would not talk with the sheriff coming
to town, but appeared very much excit-
ed and depressed. Arriving at Leon he
was taken to the sherin's Office while
warrant was being made out for him,
and THE REPORTER man had the privil-
ege of being with him for half an hour,
during which we endeavored to secure
his version of the shooting, but beyond
saying that Bracewell had abused his
boy, had run him off to Oklahoma and
would not let him stay in this country,
he would say but very little. He did
not act like sane man, but to those
who saw him it looked like he was try
ing to act insane, refusing to recognize
some of his near neighbors who came in,
and kept trying to warm his hands over
a desk instead of the stove. After the
word was received that Bracewell was
dead Hayden was placed in Jail and
carefully guarded over night as there
was strong talk that mob would come
from that part of the country to try to
(: lynch him, but Sheriff Wallace was on
his guard and had the mob come they
would not have found Hayden in the
Jail.
Saturday morning he was taken before
Justice G. W. Beck and arraigned on the
charge OF murder. Geo. W. Baker ap-
peared as attorney for Hayden and
waved arraignment, enteringa plea Of
"Not Guilty" and he was remanded to
Jail to await the action of the grand
jury without bond.
/ All day Saturday there were mob
rumors and in order to guard against
any possible accident, the authorities
| wisely decided to take Hayden to Chari-
ton. Sheriff Wallace drove with him to
Crown late Saturday evening where the
evening train was stopped and Hayden
was safely landed in the Charlton jail
that evening.
Coroner f. A.. Bowman visited the
scene of the murder Friday evening, go
ing down as soon as news was received
that Bracewell was dead, and held a
coroner's inquest. The coroner's jury
was composed of w. c.. Stempel, H. B.
Wasson and J. E. Merrick. After view
ing the body of the deceased, and hear
ing the testimony Of Francis Peck, A. A
Snow, r. r. Dunham, H. O. Petty, G. Fl
Trembly and Drs. Calbreath and Lovett
the jury rendered their verdict that the
deceased came to his death by a gun
shot wound inflicted by Hayden with
murderous intent. The testimony o.
the witnesses before the coroners in
quest was brief, the witnesses merely
detailing the circumstances OF the
shooting as given in this account, the
physicians testifying as to the nature
of the wound and cause of death. Al
autopsy was held on the body Sunda.
under the direction of Coroner Bowman
y who was assisted by Drs. Layton, Glen
denning and Calbreath.
:, The official verdict of the coroner
jury is as follows:
STATE of Iowa,
DECATUR COUNTY:
: At an inquisition held at Bracewell il
t said county on the 9th day of Jan. 1904
n before f. A. Bowman, coroner of sait
! Decatur county, Iowa, upon the body Q
> w. E. Bracewell, there lying dead, b.
n the Jurors whose names are hereto sub
c scribed. The said jurors on their oath
" say: ave find that said deceased cam
to his death by internal hemorrhage
caused by gunshot wound from
II pistol in the hands of one j. +. Hayde
e with murderous intent.
W. c. STEMpEL,
= Fl. r. WATSON,
LJi j. e. MERRICK.
r The grand jury Immediately took u
Sc the case Monday, and have been e,
rs aiming witnesses, and an indictme1
lp charging Hayden with murder in th
N first degree was returned yesterday.