----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 02/06/1885

Wright, William (? - 4 Feb 1885)

Wm. Wright, chairman of the town of Thorp, Clark County, Wis., residing two miles south of this village, was shot and almost instantly killed on Wednesday evening Feb. 4, 1885, by his son Robert. Mr. Wright, who had been hauling ice for a week past, had been drinking quite heavily of late and returned home on Wednesday evening about seven o’clock in a bad state of intoxication. The family, consisting of three girls and son Robert, (Mrs. Wright being in the village at the time) had just risen from the supper table, and after eating his supper Mr. Wright began throwing the dishes at the stove, flourished his revolver and threatened to kill the girls, also ordered Robert, who had gone upstairs, to come down as he wished to kill him. Robert, not complying with his wishes, the father proceeded to the front door and stepped out for a moment to procure a sharp ax, the son in the meantime came downstairs and escaped through the back door and proceeded to the smoke-house, where he procured a 45 caliber Winchester rifle. Upon returning he beheld the inhuman father chasing the girls around the room with the ax in his hands threatening to kill all of them, and raising his gun he fired a shot through the back window at Mr. Wright, who immediately started for the front door. Robert also started for the front of the house, and upon turning the corner fired another shot, when Mr. Wright dropped and expired instantly. The girls having left the house in advance, when they reached the road were joined by Robert and all proceeded to the house of Henry Delorth, from which place word was sent to the village. Justice Tiedemann, deputy sheriff Mead, Dr. McCutcheon, Lawyer Parkhill and a number of citizens proceeded to the house where Justice Tiedemann impaneled the following jury: Wm. Wagner, J.H. Sargent, C.F. Stone, Simon Reineking, Chas. Stafford and R.A. Burss, whose verdict was that deceased came to his death from two gunshot wounds from a gun in the hands of Robert Wright, his son. The neighbors, and people generally exonerate Robert, who is about 19 years of age, from all blame.