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James S. Wait

Birth	:	19 Feb 1865 Cox Creek Township, Clayton County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	27 Apr 1919 Edgewood, Clayton County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Kokomo Memorial Park Cemetery, Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate	:	40.4980710, -86.1170840
Description	:	James Wait was a retired farmer and president of the Farmers Telephone Company, living in Edgewood. Someone came to his home at two o'clock in the morning knocked on their front door in the north part of Edgewood. When Mr. Wait opened the door, a stout man fired point blank at Mr. Wait with a 38 revolver and then ran off into the darkness. The bullet entered the right shoulder just above the neck and shattered the spinal cord. At first it was thought he would survive, but the wounds proved to be fatal. Mr.... Read More	James Wait was a retired farmer and president of the Farmers Telephone Company, living in Edgewood. Someone came to his home at two o'clock in the morning knocked on their front door in the north part of Edgewood. When Mr. Wait opened the door, a stout man fired point blank at Mr. Wait with a 38 revolver and then ran off into the darkness. The bullet entered the right shoulder just above the neck and shattered the spinal cord. At first it was thought he would survive, but the wounds proved to be fatal. Mr. Wait was able to discuss the incident before he died and he stated he did not recognize his attacker. James Wait was an insurance agent and testified in a court case case against someone who was accused of burning their barn down to collect insurance. Some local people thought there was a connection to the shooting. George Briggs Jr. was arrested and tried for the crime, but was found not guilty at a trial in West Union later in 1919. Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, Monday, 10 November 1919. HIS OWN BLOOD IS AGAINST HIM IN MURDER CASE. George Briggs Goes To Trial Next Week At West Union On Capital Charge. The entire state of Iowa as well as the two counties of Clayton and Fayette, will watch with more than passing interest the murder trial at West Union, of George Briggs, Jr., accused of the slaying of James Wait a prominent resident of Edgewood, Iowa, who was a material witness against Briggs in a recent arson case. It promises to be one of the most sensational trials in the state's criminal annals. Arraigned on the side of the state are the county attorneys of Fayette and Clayton County's and private prosecutors, D. D. Murphy and his sons , and Mr. Price of Elkader, and for the defense E. H. Esty of West Union, and the firm of Grimm, Wheeler and Elliott of Cedar Rapids. Mr. Wheeler will appear for the local law firm. The case has its beginning on the 17th day of February 1916, when a fire destroyed the farm house occupied by Briggs and his family near Little Porte, in Clayton county. On that night, James Briggs, a brother of George, was visiting at the home during the absence of Mrs. Briggs and her child. Everything was destroyed, including considerable personal property on which George carried worthwhile insurance in a Clayton insurance company. When he tried to collect the risk allowance he was refused and a lawsuit followed. Meanwhile, the state fire marshal began an investigation, resulting in indictments being returned against both Briggs boys. They were tried on a charge of conspiracy and other crimes in connection with the fire and convicted. The presiding judge however, granted a new trial on the ground that the evidence was insufficient. On a change of venue to Fayette County the men were acquitted with a direct verdict for the defendants. WAIT MURDERED APRIL 9. From that time on a feud feeling between different parties and factions in the two counties existed, and on the night of April 9, 1919, Mr. Wait, who had been one of the vigorous prosecuting witnesses against the Briggs boys, was shot and fatally wounded. About 1 a.m. he was summoned by a rap on his front door. As he opened it, he was shot down by a man standing on the porch just outside the screen. The bullet entered his body near the collar bone and took a freak course over the shoulder and down the back. It severed his spinal column and he died a short time later, On his death bed it is alleged he said, "I don't know who could have done such a mean thing, unless it was the Briggs boys." One of the principal contentions of the defense will be that the dying man further said: "I'm not quite sure which one of them it was, but it seems to me that it was a man of small build." George is more than six feet tall while James is the runt of the family, about 5 feet 6 inches. The state is expected to use as it's trump card, the statement of James who, it is said, turned state's evidence when suspicion looked his way. It is said that James will testify that George came to him before the shooting and made the suggestion. The defense will attempt to refute this testimony with an affidavit from James that no such thing ever occurred. It will also tend to show that the brother's confession was never ventured until after a certified check for $2000. had been offered for the conviction of the guilty party. It's a case of a brother turning on a brother to save his own neck and at the same time earn a small fortune, the defense will contend. Ever since a few days following the murder when George was arrested, he has been in confinement in the jail at Elkader. His wife has divorced him. Following the murder, the state obtained blood hounds and took them to the porch where the man stood that fired the fatal shot. They picked up a scent but failed to develop it materially. Finally, when suspicion pointed to George Briggs, the hounds were taken to his home but they ignored him. That fact will be another trump for the defense. The Briggs family, which numbers the aged parents and about eight children, stand staunchly by George with the exception of James. The examination of prospective veniremen begins next Monday.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is James S. Wait's memorial?
James S. Wait's memorial is located at: Kokomo Memorial Park Cemetery, Kokomo, Howard County, USA.
When did James S. Wait death?
James S. Wait death on 27 Apr 1919 in Edgewood, Clayton County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the James S. Wait's memorial?
Latitude: 40.4980710
Longitude: -86.1170840

Family Members:

Parent

James Wait

(1824 - 1889)

Martha Crouch Wait

(1828 - 1892)

Spouse

Lucy M. Smith Wait

(1873 - 1957)

Siblings

(1854 - 1916)

(1869 - 1874)

(1870 - 1874)

(1872 - 1874)

Children

Grace Myrtle Wait Thurn

(1894 - 1965)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Kokomo Memorial Park Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4980710, -86.1170840

2. Crown Point Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4868240, -86.1172340

3. Pioneer Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4842800, -86.1246700

4. Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church Columbarium
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4857180, -86.1371580

5. Howard County Veterans Memorial
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4813580, -86.0975610

6. Highland Park
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4692310, -86.1440810

7. Coleman Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4764100, -86.1544800

8. Salem Cemetery
Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4964150, -86.0599740

9. Hudson Cemetery
Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5423070, -86.0932340

10. Hopewell Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4858017, -86.0503006

11. Maria Regina Mater Monastery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4936400, -86.1863820

12. Puckett Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4878006, -86.1868210

13. Albright Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4409680, -86.1080580

14. Young Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4753500, -86.1881940

15. Cassville Cemetery
Miami County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5635986, -86.1268997

16. Sunset Memory Garden
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4393120, -86.1578320

17. Stringer Cemetery
Alto, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4859610, -86.2037270

18. Alto Baptist Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4383940, -86.1653910

19. Cobb Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4314790, -86.1464380

20. Waisner-Rickard Cemetery
Miami County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5668870, -86.1377650

21. Poff Cemetery
Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4470210, -86.0512090

22. Lower Kokomo Church Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4412530, -86.0540540

23. Kokomo Zion United Methodist Church Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.5350609, -86.0315323

24. Randolph Cemetery
Kokomo, Howard County, USA
Coordinate: 40.4217100, -86.1270300