Bio: Schultz Tragedy (August 1903)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Schultz, Leyden, Brooks, Cross, Ebbe, Eunson, Edgbert, Beuleau

----Source: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) August 13, 1903

Schultz Tragedy (August 13, 1903)

The community was greatly excited and shocked Thursday eve over a triple tragedy in Seif, which resulted in the death of two people, the wounding of a third person, and the breaking up of two homes.  And in fact a fourth person, wife of the principal party in the murderous conflict, was bruised and maltreated and nearly lost her life, as she was shot at by her husband, whose hatred, with the drink he had, had apparently made a maniac of him.

Last Thursday, late in the afternoon, Gotlieb Schultz shot and killed his daughter, Mrs. Pat Lyden, later shooting Mr. Lyden himself in the breast, and received so severe a clubbing over the head at the hands of Mr. Lyden that he died in jail in this city the following morning.

The Schultz farm where the tragedy occurred is a mile west and a half a mile south of the Clark Co. Butter Co.’s creamery in Seif Township, northwest of this city, a distance of some ten miles.

About three weeks ago Schultz was arrested on complaint of his wife, whom he threatened to kill.  He was put under peace bonds and let out on bail, having sufficient funds to furnish the amount himself.  His sanity had been questioned for some time, and after his arrest he proceeded to terrorize his family and was quarrelsome and dangerous.  At the time of his first arrest he was so obstreperous that he had to be tied into a buggy, and fought and yelled all the way to town.

On Thursday he had assaulted his wife and was approaching her in a threatening manner, when Lyden and his wife interfered to protect her.  In the fight Schultz drew a revolver and tried to shoot his wife the ball striking the daughter instead, piercing her breast and killed her.  Lyden grabbed a pitchfork and while the old man was firing at his wife and Lyden, pounding him over the head until he fell to the ground unconscious.  Later that evening he was brought here and lodged in jail where he died.  Lyden was also brought to the city for surgical attention, and lodged at the Wisconsin House, in a dangerous condition from the bullet wound.

A coroner’s inquest was held at the Schultz home Friday. The following were the jurors drawn by Sheriff Brooks: J. Cross, Chas. Ebbe, Lon Brooks, Rob’t Eunson, W. D. Edgbert and M. F. Beuleau.

They went out to the scene of the tragedy, viewed the body of Mrs. Lyden, and rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts as herein stated, namely, that deceased came to her death from a pistol shot fired by Gotlieb Schultz.

Mr. Lyden’s wound is healing in good shape, and he bids for to get entirely well in a short time.

There was some delay in getting Schultz’s body buried, owing to the rule of the cemetery association of this city to sell no more lots to outside parties.  He was finally given burial in the cemetery up near his farm, where the grave had to be dug after the hearse got there.