Albert G. Craig (1853 - 1899)

CRAIG, WELSH, BROOKS, PERRY, BOGGS

Posted By: DJ Scieszinski
Date: 3/30/2016 at 17:39:16

The Tuesday Union
January 17, 1899

Samuel T. Craig's Brother Killed at Denver, Col.

On last Saturday night at 10:30 Samuel T. Craig received a telegram dated at Denver, Col., and signed by his brother's wife, stating that his brother had been shot and instantly killed. The cause of the shooting is stated in the following special dispatch to the Inter Ocean:

DENVER, Colo., Jan. 14 - Albert G. Craig, a foreman in the Leonard-Scheck Saddlery company of this city, was shot and instantly killed at his residence this evening.

The shooting was done by Edward G. Brooks, a son-in-law of Craig and the trouble was over the possession of a four-year-old child of Brooks’. The latter and his wife separated some time ago, and the child remained in the custody of the mother, Brooks having the privilege of visiting it at stated times. This evening he called at the house to see the child, but found the little one had been left in the care of his father-in-law. He essayed to take the child away with him, when a quarrel ensued, resulting in the murder. Brooks is in jail.

Albert was married to a Burlington lady, a widow with one little girl. She grew to womanhood and Brooks married her and she bore him the child referred to in the above dispatch. Albert and his wife have had no children. He is about 46 years old and he has not visited Albia in the 17 years.
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Monroe County News and Albia Democrat
January 27, 1899

A Fuller Report of Craig Tragedy

Denver, Col., Jan. 18, ‘99

EDITORS NEWS: A fatal tragedy occurred in the city of Denver, in the north part of the city, in Highlands additions, Saturday, Jan. 14.

Mr. Albert G. Craig, a brother of S. T. Craig and Mrs. T. B. Perry, of Albia, Iowa, was assassinated and almost instantly killed in his own door yard by a half crazy crank by the name of Brooks. Mrs. Brooks was the daughter of Mrs. Craig and was the former wife of Brooks, having been separated by divorce. They had one child which was decreed by court to its mother, who gave the child to her mother. Brooks has been trying for some time to get possession of it, Craig refusing to give it up. On last Saturday Brooks drove down to the Craig residence with a boy having wraps with him to protect the child from the cold. He left the boy in care of the team and went around to the back yard, where he unexpectedly came upon Craig. He accosted him by asking if he would give up the child and Craig emphatically refused to do so. “Then” said Brooks “I will kill you right now”. Craig remarked, “Oh, I guess not”. Brooks then presented a 38 caliber revolver and fired. The ball entered the left side cutting away part of the heart, fracturing the spine, and lodged in the right lung. Craig started toward the door, some four or five steps away and bracing himself against the door he remarked to his wife; “Dear I am shot right here”, placing his hand over the wound. His eyes glazed and he sank to the floor and expired. Brooks remarked, “ I will finish the rest of you ha for I am done.” He returned to the buggy and drove away, concealing himself until Sunday morning when he surrendered himself to the authorities. He told the officers he did not mean to kill Craig but thought he would scare him. Craig was a man in the prime of life, highly respected in his neighborhood and his loss is deplored by all his neighbors. His funeral was conducted by the K. of P's of which order he was a member. Many of his Albia friends attended the funeral, among them the writer. Perry Boggs

NOTE: Albert G. Craig, son of Thomas (1803 - 1882) and Mary Elizabeth (Welsh) Craig (1811 - 1903), born February 25, 1853, died January 14, 1899, burial Fairmount Cemetery, Denver Colorado