Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1887 — THE HADDOCK MURDER. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE HADDOCK MURDER.

Opening of a Celebrated Criminal Trial at Sioux City, lowa The Council and the Jury —Betting Men Offering Odds on a Disagreement. fSIOCX CITY COERESPOXDEXCE.] On a dark and rainy night, in the month of August, 1886, Bev. George C. Haddock, a minister of the Methodist Church and a

stalwart Prohibitionist, was assassinated in one of Sioux City’s public streets. The murder created a profound sensation in the community. There was universal condemnation of the deed, and an almost passionate demand that the perpetrators be hunted down. Meetings in scores of places in lowa and other States were held. Religious, temperance and other organizations passed resolutions denouncing the crime, and expressing sympathy for the widow of the murdered man. Contributions came in from every direction and a handsome sum was thus provided for her, and smaller sums were sent to aid in closing the saloons and discovering the murderers. The day of the murder Gov. Larrabee offered a reward of SSOO, the limit allowed by law, for the apprehension of the guilty parties. The City Council also offered a reward. Later the Methodist ministers offered a reward of SI,OOO. On the day following the murder the Coroner’s inquest began taking evidence,

and after two days the evidence showing the fact that valuable clews were likely to be developed, the investigation was made secret. The investigation covered a long period of time, there being extended adjournments. Circumstances were developed which fastened serious susEicion on one Harry L. Leavitc, who had ept a low variety show in Sioux City. Suspicion was also fastened upon several others with whom he was found to have been intimately associated. But the trouble was there was no satisfactory proof. Leavitt and other suspected parties testified before the Coroner’s jury, and had stories to tell in which they denied knowledge or part in the crime. But before the Coroner’s jury adjourned, it was noticed that these parties, toward

whom suspicion pointed, began to disappear from Ihe city. Leavitt was among those who levanted. He was finally arrested in Chicago, and confessed all he knew in connection with the tragedy. He fixed upon John Arensdorf, a member of the Franz Brewing Company, as the man who fired the fatal shot, and declared that there were E resent at the murder Henry Peters, the rewery driver, standing at Arensdorf’s elbow; Frod Mnnchrath. Jr., Geo, Treiber, Paul Leader, Harry Sherman, Louis Plathl and two other Germans. Arensdorf,

Leader, Munchrath and Sherman were instantly arrested, and warrants were sworn out for the others named who had disappeared. Albert Koschnitski was arrested in California, and Sylvester Grande in Kansas City. After a lonj and patient investigation the grand jury returned two indictments against all the nine defendants above named, charging them jointly with murder and conspiracy. At the January term of court the attorneys for Arensdorf demanded that he should be fir>t put on trial, and claimed to be reads for trial. The prosecution asserted its legal right to say which defendant should be first tried, and asked that a speedy date be assigned for trial. The court set the trial for the 21st of March. Some days prior to this date the defense insisted that the prosecution should elect which of the defendants should be first tried, and the prosecution replied by electing John Arensdorf, the principal defendant, and that he be tried fcn the charge of murder. Thereupon the court so ordered, and set the trial for the 23d of March. THE TRIAL. On Wednesday, the 23d of March, before Judge Lewis, began the trial of John Arensdorf for the murder of Bev. George Haddock, and at this writing it is still in progress. Able counsel represent both sides. On the side of the defense are the names of O. C. Tredway, Judge Isaac Pendleton, G. W. Argo, of Le Mars; M. M. Gray. Willis G. Clarke, Judge J. N. Weaver, and Geo. W. Kellogg. The prosecution is represented by County Attorney S. M. Marsh, M. D. O’Connell, of Fort Dodge, ex-United Srates District Attorney; Hon. T. P. Murphy, United States District Attorney; and the wellknown law firm of Hubbard, Spalding & Taylor. The jury, in the selection of which only one day was consumed, consists of John O’Connor, a farmer, of Morgan Township;

Thomas Crilley, a farmer, of Morgan Township; C. C. Bartlett, a farmer, of Little Sioux Township; John Madden, a farmer, of Miller Township; Dennis Murphy, a farmer, o Kedron Township; C. G. Gross, a merchant, of Correctionville; Thomas Frazier, a farmer, of Rutland Township; W. P. Pennell, a farmer, of Concord Township; David Keiffer, a farmer, of Floyd Township; E. Webster, a farmer, of Woodbury Township; John D. O’Connell, a farmer, of Liberty Township, and John Adair, a railroad grader, of Sioux City. Mr. H. J. Taylor presented the case for the State and Mr. G. W. Argo presented the case for the defense. Mr. Taylor, after reading the indictment, recited the story of the crime in a delicate and somewhat labored manner. Mr. Taylor laid the foundation of the motive for the murder in the exciting incidents of the injunction suits against the Sioux City liquor dealers. The Rev. George C. Haddock’s participation in these suits and his advocacy of temperance were shown to have incited the enmity of certain men, among whom was John Arensdorf. It is freely predicted in certain circles that a disagreement will be the result of the trial, and betting men are taking odds against conviction. Mr. Taylor grew ruggedly eloquent as he neared the climax. In few words he outlined the plan of the State in its proof of the murder. He described the assembling of the alleged conspirators at Junk’s saloon, the watching for Haddock’s return from his temperance mission to Greenville, the arrival of the minister at Merr ll’s stable after leaving Mr. Turner at his home in the western part of the city, and the starting of Haddock for his own home. Then came the deed of blood. Haddock, after once returning to the stable door to ask “if that mob was lying in wait for him,” started to cross Water street, directly in the face of the band on the comer of Fourth and Water streets. A man stepped firmly forward, passed the victim, then turned and fired the deadly shot. This man, Mr. Taylor declared the State was ready to prove, was none other than John Arensdorf. “And the blood then shed on our city’s streets,” said he, “now cries for justice at your hands.” Mr. Argo entered a general denial of the State’s charge, and introduced the defendant to the jury in a brief biographical sketch. John Arensdorf was born in Belgium in 1851. His parents were farmers. At fourteen years of age he was apprenticed to a brewer. In 1871 he came to America and has been employed as a brewer since that time. He has resided in Sioux City for nearly ten years. Mr. Argo showed that the defense proposed to rely upon proving an alibi, and upon the general good character of the defendent. The counsel devoted considerable time to an arraignment of Harry Leavitt, who, he said, was the chief witness for the State. It was for the prosecution to prove the guilt of Arensdorf. But the defense would unquestionably demonstrate that he not only knew nothing of the murder, but that he had, on the night of the shooting, actually saved a temperance worker from assault. “Who says we don’t belong to the great army of labor ?” said one tramp to another as they were relieving a clothes-line of its burden one dark night; “don’t we take in washing?” “Certainly,” said his mate, with a chuckle, as they continued to take it in.—Texas Sittings. / i. England derives its name from the Angles, a Teutonic people who won a home in Britain.

BEV. GEORGE C. HADDOCK.

HARRY LEAVITT.

JOHN ARENSDORF.

JUDGE LEWIS.