The Death of David Bockus

     One of the most fascinating stories I found was the story of David Bockus. Here is the transcription of the article I found from the Wednesday, June 12, 1907 issue of the Potsdam Courier & Freeman.

DEATH FOLLOWS QUARREL

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MAN SHOOTS TWO OTHERS AND THEN COMMITS SUICIDE

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Victims of Murderous Assault Will Probably Recover

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             An old fashioned frontier town shoot up occurred at the Frontier House in Depot Street Friday afternoon, and when it was over the barroom looked like a shambles, two men were dangerously shot in the head, and the man who had committed the murderous assault had taken his own life.

             The affray arose over a piece of harness which was left at the Frontier House Friday morning, and later it could not be found. Hugh Murphy, proprietor, suspected that it had been taken by David Backus, a man well known around town, who has been for several years engaged in caring for horses, and spoke to Backus about it. The latter angrily denied knowing anything about it and left the hotel. A little later he went to Maxfield & Needham's and borrowed a revolver and about five o'clock in the afternoon returned to the Frontier House. The harness matter again came up, and Backus admitted taking it and offered to show Murphy where he had hidden it. Murphy refused to go, and there was more discussion, in which a teamster named James McFalls took part.

           Backus soon worked himself into a passion and pulling out his revolver fired at Murphy, shooting him through the mouth. McFalls started to run, but Backus brought him down too with a shot through the cheek. Backus then put a bullet through the back of his own head and dropped to the floor. The noise of the shots attracted a crowd but before the seriousness of the affair was realized Backus had recovered sufficiently to stagger from the hotel. He climbed a board fence in the rear and went to his home on Munson Lane, where he went into the woodshed and cut his throat with a razor. He was found a little later by one of his children and Dr. S.P. Brown was summoned but he was past saving and died in a short time.

           The shot which struck Murphy passed through his mouth and lodged in the back of his neck. Dr. G.C. Madill of Ogdensburg came out Saturday morning and dresses the wound and Murphy is now doing as well as could be expected. The injuries sustained by McFalls were not serious.

            Backus was a man about 40 years old. He came here from Canada several years ago and has had been employment most of the time as hostler. He had a bad temper when intoxicated and has been in various kinds of trouble at different times on account of his quarrelsome disposition. he is survived by his wife {Maria Martin}, three daughters {Agnes, Lillian, and Marion} and a son. The family are well thought of in the neighborhood.

Bockus Family Headstone in Sec H Lot 160

Their three daughters are also buried in Bayside with their husbands. Agnes married William F. Arquett, Lillian married Charles H. Bicknell, and Marion married John Pelton.