Murder at DeWitt-1876

LATHAM, WHEELER

Posted By: CHERYL MOONEN (email)
Date: 11/17/2018 at 10:51:30

Dubuque Daily Times, Thursday, Nov 16, 1876, Dubuque, IA, Page: 1

Murder at DeWitt

At DeWitt, Clinton County, about midnight Saturday night, a quarrel occurred between Jess Wheeler and Wm. A. Latham, and a third young man, name unknown. The first two named being the principal parties in the dispute. The fight ended by Wheeler shooting Latham in the side, wounding him severely. Latham fell, but in a moment raised himself to his knees, took deliberate aim at Wheeler, who was running away through the darkness, and shot him through the head, killing him instantly. Wheeler was about 25 years old and a son of Col. Loring Wheeler, an old resident of DeWitt, who is nearly frantic over the death of his boy. Latham is about 28 years old, and a brother of Joseph and James H. Latham machinist, residing on Scott Street, Clinton. The deceased and Latham had been, up to the time of this quarrel, fast friends. The tragedy is all the absorbing talk, and the source of great gloom in DeWitt.