Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-21
WILLIAM LOUD KILLED
IN RAILROAD CAMP
Shot Down While Assisting to
Make an Arrest.
Went Out from CassvilIe as Assistant
Marshal to Get Negro Suspected
of Highway Robbery.


Another tragedy has to be recorded
this week, growing out of trouble
with the men employed by the Burl
ington Railway company in the
double track construction work being
done in this county upon its line. 1t
occurred last Sunday afternoon about
215 miles south of Cassville, and le-
suited in the killing of a Cassville
man-William Loud, acting at the
time as a special assistant marshal.
The laborers employed by the COM
pany in their track laying are largely
Mexicans. Greeks, Italians and
negroes, and are a pretty tough lot. as
the court records in this county show
during the time they have been en-
ployed in this work. Only two weeks
ago The Herald related the particulars
of a stabbing affair amongst one of
the gangs near Glen Haven, one of the
participants of which has not YET been
apprehended.
Last Sundays affair grew out of
reported hold up on Saturday night,
in which an Italian belonging in
camp near Mccartney is alleged to
have been set upon by three negroes,
severely beaten and robbed of $31 in
cash
On Sunday morning Cassville's
village marshal, Nelson Lau, went
out to the camp and arrested three
negroes on suspicion, and brought
them to Cassville. They had hear
ing before Justice Martin w. Burgess,
and one of them, Charley Porter, was
bound over for trial in the circuit
court and. is now in Jail. The other
two We're released.
Acting upon information obtained
after the arrest Marshal Lau deputized
William Loud of CassSille as as
sistant marshal, and on Sunday after
noon the two, in company with j.
Wesley Craig, Justice of the peace,
went back to the camp to arrest
another negro supposed to have taken
a part in the holdup Of the Italian.
All were armed and when they reach
ed the camp they separated in different
directions. TIE marshal heard two
saots and saw negro running through
the brush. He thought he was being
shot at and says he fired once at the
negro, but did not hit him. Later
it was found that the assistant
marshal, Loud, had heen killed by "a
revolver bullet which had entered his
back, death ensuing almost i'm
mediately.
The body of Mr. Loud who was a
laborer, about 80 years of age, and
brother-in- law of DR.. Hartford, of
CGssville, was taken home to his
bereaved wife and daughter, who are
naturally heartbroken over the sad
affair. There is no direct knowledge
Of how or by whom the unfortunate
man was killed. A coroners jury
was empaneled on Monday and after
hearing the evidence produced at the
inquest rendered verdict to the effect
that Mr.. Loud came to his death from
the result of a revolver shot by some
person unknown.
Sheriff Hymer was notified Of the
shooting at about nire o'clock Sunday
night and started at once for Cass-
willie through the heavy rain and
electrical storm which prevailed
throughout the night. When he reach
ed Porter's bridge. at Grant river.
seven miles west of town on the Bee
town road, he was unable to get
across because of the flood and haG
TO return home. He then set out
for Pctosi, where he caught Burling-
ton train and reached CassvilIe Mon
day morning. He considers it the
worst nights driving he ever did.