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ABOUTTerre Haute's Most Terrible Tragedy—Terre Haute was never before so shocked as at the terrible tragedy enacted in the Circuit court room Thursday evening, when William 13. Dwyer, for many years a faithful, fearless and efficient police official, was shot and almost instantly killed, and Superintendent Harvey Jones, Officer Sylvester .Doyle and Deputy Sheriff Ira Wellman wounded by Henry 13. McDonald, who had just been found guilty by a jury of dynamiting a church and business buildings at Sandford in February of last year. The heinousness of the crime was increased by the attempt, made first, to kill Prosecuting Attorney James A. Cooper, Jr., who escaped death by a miracle, the desperate man firing at him point blank at a. distance of not more than fifteen feet. The prosecutor escaped by falling sideways from his chair, the bullet striking the table immediately in front of the place where he had been sitting, and glancing to the west wall of the room, where it embedded itself. McDonald was fired upon by several of the deputy sheriffs and police officers present and received three wounds, which, it: is believed, will result in his death.been a moat strenuous affair, and the most intense feeling has prevailed. It is safe to say that the lesson of the trial will not he forgotten, and that no man known to he desperate will ever be permitted to appear in a court here again until after he has been searched for concealed weapons.The Dead Official.William 13, Dwyer had been connected with the police department at intervals and in different capacities since 1883, arid he was known far and wide as a most faithful and competent detective. Judge Piety speaking of him yesterday, said that his serv-ics had been invaluable to the courts in criminal eases. Leading attorneys who have been associated with him in cases say that he was the most reliable man ever engaged in the calling in this vicinity. When a case was assigned to him he was able to make a clear and succinct report on it, furnishing an accurate list of witnesses and the testimony to which they would swear, and it Is said that it could always be depended upon to the extreme. He was indefatigable in his efforts, and the efficiency of the police department has received a blow in his death. He was quiet and unostentatious in his manner, an 1 the love of display was missing in his makeup. Tt is often said in similar cases that a man's niece will he hard to fill. In his case it is most strikingly true. Tn his family relations his life was an ideal one. He was perfectly devoted to his wife and his familv of three interesting daughters, and the smhlen and unexpected death was a shock to his little family that is just a little more than human nature can he expected to stand. Xo death has ever occurred here that has aroused such universal svmonthv for tdm surviving members of the family, and the stricken wife and mother and children h«ve been ov'~'-whelmed with expression of sympathy and condo-tho second floor rushed feu- exits when the noise w;m first heard. Some of tnose in the building vo-m- not sure that the April fool story run by the Tribune about the court house- cracking was a. joke. Ami those on the first, fbor could not hear Urn pi-mbs cracking. County Superintendent Hubbard was or.the third floor -above the shooting. He thought C. . rthe noise was caused by an eXp|o-jon and ran to on-of the windows to look ut. No lt;m- on ?F: f;rw floor stopped for hats or coats. The-.. pacing rebuilding were startled p, see shouting and s.-re.om-ing men and women eotm- from every door that was unlocked. And no one had pr*-s*uiee lt;nlt;eigh -if wind to explain what had happened and for that matter most, of them did not know.Countv Auditor Wallace and H-Co ...o.one of his deputies, were in the uudlt.eC cfwe directly beneath where the shooting and scuffling n-d; fda.ee. They were discussing affairs of ofp;.r.after regular hours when tin- sounds fr- m .C .v-frightened them. Auditor Wallace vo;b d m lt;•-. counter and made a rush for the *wc. d...,r mC didn’t: stop until h- had run down th- Fug CgC f steps and stopped at the sidewalk. His firs? h-.w- --sion was that the court house was falling d a- : . Then he thought of an earthquake or an cxpF-sbm. The crashing sound from a hove was of a .Cm.;-- -that heard below did not indicate that th-r- w.-r--* pistol shots.The experience nf Josh Crnndalh who w a- wading the verdict whpn Me Dona Id fired, was op-beh-v the experience of mne-to-nths of tv ».• }R the -ourr room, “The report of the fir-t stud in the '-ci'irf sounded more like a eannon than nm thing C — said Crandall. “Tt deafened me. y we* sfnnn-d. and dronm-d down h.-silt;b- the judge's desk. T thought that I had blt;-on shot. The ojher shots fCmwed jn ranid stm,.,ton. Cooper crawled post rw*. Th.-
Newspaper Details
Terre Haute Saturday Spectator
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Sat, Apr 04, 1908
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Bj C.
NA, 07 Oct 2023
Other Publications Near Terre Haute, Indiana
Western Register and Terre Haute Advertiser
Terre Haute Wabash Courier
Terre Haute Tribune Star
Terre Haute Tribune
Terre Haute Star
