A Shooting Affair

WATROUS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 8/20/2013 at 23:06:11

Cedar Rapids Times, reprinted in the Clinton Herald, July 16, 1864

A SHOOTING AFFAIR

Mr. W. D. Watrous, formerly a resident of this city, but who has for some time past been living in Blairstown, was shot and dangerously if not mortally wounded, on Saturday last under the following circumstances:

He was engaged at his warehouse in Blairstown, in unloading a load of wheat. A soldier, whose name we did not learn, interfered in an unwarrantable manner and when requested to desist became outrageous in his conduct, upon which Mr. Watrous took him by his collar and walked him off. The soldier went to a fellow soldier nearby and made complaint; the second soldier walked up to Mr. Watrous, took out a pistol and shot him, the ball entering the groin. Dr. Ely, of this city, dressed the wound and at last account Mr. Watrous was still alive. If our information is correct, the outrage was a most brutal one. Both of the soldiers are under arrest.