John Duggan (1844-1879)

DUGGAN, DODDS, MCLAUGHLIN, WALSH, CORCORAN, HEALEY, TRAINOR

Posted By: Christine King (email)
Date: 6/24/2015 at 16:22:58

THE DUGGAN CATASTROPHE
Further and More Explicit Particulars of the Horrible Affair

The HERALD on Wednesday morning gave an account of the horrible death of Mr. John Duggan, who was kicked to death by his own mule. The mangled body of the deceased was brought to the city in the forenoon and laid out at the residence of his brother Michael, on First Street, where the remains were viewed by a large number of the friends and acquaintances of the deceased. Our reporters have been enabled to gather the following particulars of the horrible and distressing affair--which never before happened in this community.

Capt. Ryder of the day police force, who resides near the residence of the deceased, was in his barn at 9 o'clock attending to his horse for the night. While there Mr. Ryder heard an unusual noise in Duggan's barn as if horses or mules were kicking the side of the barn to pieces. He listened a few moments, intending to go over and ascertain, the cause, but the noise ceased. He then went to his own house. About a quarter to 10 o'clock Mr. Michael Duggan went to Mr. Ryder's house and told him that his brother John was kicked by the mule, and, he thought, killed. Mr. Ryder then procured a lantern and went to the stable where he found two pools of blood and a man's hat but, Mr. Duggan was not there. He then went to Mr. Duggan's house where he found Michael and his wife wiping the blood from the deceased's wounds who was lying on the porch. Capt. Ryder put his hand over the heart of John and found the body still warm. A messenger was then dispatched for Dr. McClear and Green, who at once attended the summons, but, of course, were unable to bring the dead to life. They found his head badly crushed. There is a wound over the right eye, a hole in the skull, in the region of the temple, several fractures in the back of the head, one on the right cheek, and the left breast is badly bruised. His teeth and gums are also horribly mutilated.

John had come to the city on his pony for the purpose of procuring medicine for his wife who had been sick for the last six weeks. His brother Mike went out to John's house after his wife who had been almost a constant attendant on the sick women. Mrs. M. Duggan asked her husband whether he had seen John, and told him he had been gone so long that she was afraid something had happened to him. Mrs. M. Duggan thought, however, that John might have gone out to Dodd's at Key West, as he had business out there, and urged her husband to remain all night. But Mike thought it best to look for John and came back to the city for that purpose, riding his own horse. He ascertained that John had gone home several hours previously. Mike then returned to John's house, and seeing the stable door open went over and there found his brother, lying in the stall lifeless. He notified Capt. Ryder and took the poor man to the house. While he was taking his brother from the stable, he was close at the heels of the mule, but it made no demonstrations to hurt him. The mule was in the stall next to the door. Mr. Mike Duggan is of the opinion that his brother John took his pony in the stable after he returned from the city with the medicine and tied it in the third stall from the door. He then hurried out, and in passing the mule met a horrible death. He was probably stunned and fell under the animal, who trampled upon and mutilated him in the manner in which he was found.

Mr. John Duggan was born in this county, and was the son of Thomas Duggan, of Table Mound Township, who died about twenty years ago. His mother is still living. He was thirty five years old. He was married about ten years ago, and has led a happy life since. He leaves a wife who is very ill, and four children, the oldest being in his ninth year. He also leaves two brothers, Michael and Patrick, grocery merchants on First Street, and two sisters, one Mrs. Patrick Corcoran, now residing in Montana, the other, Mrs. John Healey of this county. He made two trips to the Black Hills with Mr. Joseph Trainor, and intended to go there again this Spring had he lived. He was greatly devoted to his wife and family. He watched by the bedside of his wife night and day for the past seven weeks, his brother's wife being his companion in his affliction. His untimely death is to be lamented. He was highly respected by all who knew him. He was an upright, honorable, generous man, and his afflicted family have the sympathy of the entire community.

It is said that his sick wife, during her sane moments, called for her husband, saying that she knew he was killed, she having seen the horrible vision in her delirious dreams. The shocking news, however, will be kept from her as long as possible.

Dubuque Herald: Thursday, March 13, 1879 - Page 4

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