Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-02-01

w OdCh OIuoI, WIFI uO alley DeCWe6u.
On Mr.. Bigelow's property was barn
with a shed or lean-tO which stood on
Prof. Gifford's lot. It 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
the question at various times without
coming to engagement, and on Satur-
day morning Mr.. BigeIow went over
to Prof. GitfOrd's residence on WASH
ingtOn street, where the matter was
discussed further, both becoming an
CRY, and Mr.. BigelOw was ordered off
the place. During the morning Prof.
Clifford was at work on his lot digging
vegetables with a three tined potato
hoe. Just before noon Jim James
drove in with a load of wood for Mr..
BlgelOw, 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 conversa-
tion between them except that while
his back was turned Mr.. Bigelow said
"gO slow, go 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 un-
conscious. Mr.. Clifford then picked
him up and carried him over on his
own land and laid him down. By
that time James had arrived and re-
allied what had been done, and run
ming to j.. q. Boards house near by told
Mr.. Beard. The two then went to 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 hard.
They asked him to assist them in
carrying him into the house, but he
said that Mr.. Bigelow had told him to
keep of 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 dim
ner. Medical assistance was immedi-
ately summoned, but when the physi-
clans arrived they soon saw that the
blow would be fatal and that Mr.. Bige.
low could not recover. A hole about
two inches in 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, above the ear and
eyes. Mr.. BigelOw did not regain
consciousness, but passed away about
nine O'Clock in the evening.
During the noon hour Prof. Clifford
was arrested Oh the charge of assault
with intent to commit murder, and
given an immediate hearing before JUS
tice Gibson, who fixed his bail at 81 100,
which was readily furnished Prof.
Clifford returned as usual to work in
the afternoon, and nothing further
was done but to await the certain
death of Mr.. Bigelow, which occurred
about nine O'Clock at night.
Sunday morning Prof. Clifford was
again arrested, this time on the
charge of murder in the first degree,
and in the afternoon was allowed to
plead before Justice Gibson. He plead
mot guilty" and his hearing was
set for Thursday, the amount of bail
being fixed at $lo, 600, which was i'm
offered by prominent citi-
zens, but it was the judgment of his
family and closest friends, that it was
safer for all concerned for him to re-
main in the care of the sheriff.
Several other interesting cases are
scheduled for this term, which will
probably last five weeks.
The docket as prepared by Clerk S.
E. Brickner for Judge Hobson con-
tanned in all l66 causes, of which %
were old ones, 30 new ones, "a matters
in probate, and the criminal case of
the State of Iowa VS.. r. l. Clifford.
Besides the criminal case the probate
matter in the T. A. Luros estate, up
on which the jury disagreed at the
last term, is set for retrial at this
term. This is the case in which
Mrs. Belle Nelson charges Theo.
LurOs, administrator, with failing to
account for one thousand dollars
which should have been paid her as
her share, and which Mr.. Luros
claims to have paid. The Rudolph
will case will also be tried this term.
Other cases noted for trial are as
follows:
G. A. Lervold VS.. Jens Anderson.
NJ. W. Drew VS.. Sam Hawk.
Dena Bartlett VS.. Leonard Emery
T. Finn, John Finn, Executor, sub
stituted party plff, VS.. J. Seegmiller
ct al.
H. Lange VS.. J. d. Mullaney.
G. f. Kenney Paper Co. VS.. A. j.
Swezey, @. o. Steinnort, G. P.Stein-
mort.
Elijah johnson VS.. NJ. Houdek.
f. J. Walton VS.. Dora @. Gerber ct
al.
School Township of Bloomfield,
Co., Iowa, VS.. Independent
School District of Castalia. Winnie
sheik Co., Iowa, and Geo. Allen, A.
Clark. f. A. Stanley, Jas. Hunter, w.
H. Bachelor, +. G. Winn, w. X.
Riggs
Mrs G. W. Sheprad VS. E. r. Scott
+. III. Limbcek VS.. Roman Bros.
Nels NJ. Ramsey VS.. Winnesheik
Co., ct al.
G. o. Dahle VS.. Winnesheik Co., ct
al.
V. Bartlett VS.. Emery Overacker ct
al.
Christine Wick VS.. John Holvorson.
John p. Spilde VS.. Perry s. John