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From: "Cathy Joynt Labath" <>
Subject: [IASCOTT] !! Davenport Democrat; Scott Co, IA; Aug 1870 "Crime Files"
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 16:49:33 -0600


Davenport Democrat
Davenport, Scott, Iowa
Tuesday, Aug 16, 1870

Seaman-Wicks Shooting Affray
Cross-Firing in Court
Yesterday's Democrat contained a report of a case before Justice Dowd, in
which Gilbert Wicks appeared as plaintiff, charging ________ Seaman, his
son-in-law with shooting at him with intent to murder. The defendant was
held to bail in $500, to appear at the next term of District Court.
Immediately Mr. Seaman takes the position of plaintiff, and brings suit
against Mr. Wicks upon the same charge. It appears, as stated before, that
after Seaman began firing at Wicks, then Wicks commenced. The case is
pending as we go to press, and the case seems to be one that will figure
pretty largely in the courts for some time to come. We understand that Mr.
Seaman has no thought of so far harmonizing matters as that peace can be
restored in the family, but there is a child in the case of which he is the
father, which among other things will figure prominently as a bone of
contention. How many more suits will grow out of the affair remains to be
seen. It is unfortunate at the least.

The Wooden Suicide.
Coroner Tomson held an inquest over the dead body of Hiram Wooden, who
committed suicide at the residence of J.W. Means, in Pleasant Valley, night
before last. The verdict of the Jury was that the deceased came to his death
by his own hand, while laboring under a temporary aberration of mind.
But very little is known of the deceased, save that his parents were near
Rochester, N.Y. It seems that he left home when sixteen years of age, owing
to some misunderstanding with his parents, since which time he has had no
correspondence with them and seemed to have no desire to renew his filial
intercourse. Last winter he lived in Nebraska, where he had made a purchase
of some land, and returned here in the spring to work for Mr. Means for
wages. His general character was good-was not addicted to bad habits. There
is a wall of mystery hanging over the young man's life, which when drawn
aside, if it ever may be, will shed light upon the extremely painful
circumstances.


Cathy Joynt Labath
Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project
http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm


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