Southern Democratic Party nominee John Breckinridge, Democratic Party nominee Senator Stephen Douglas, and Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln. Noah Mick had been drinking and wrestling. William Golcher, who had been drinking with shipmates for the better part of the day had started up a lively conversation regarding politics which then turned to wrestling as Abraham Lincoln was an accomplished wrestler. It was at about this point that the conversation got a wee bit heated. Noah noticed that William was agitated and said to William "I believe you have a spite against me". William made no reply but sat in silence. Noah got up and started to leave the bar.
On 25 June 1866 William Golcher was standing at trial for the murder of Noah Mick.
According to witnesses for William, he entered the Tavern with a group of shipmates and they were drinking "freely". They claimed that Noah had been wrestling with another man when he invited William to wrestle him. William turned him down. Both men became angry about William's refusal to wrestle but then had a drink together to mend the rift. Witnesses for William said that Noah got up to leave when William asked him if he considered him an enemy still. Noah replied yes. William became angrier and punched Noah saying "Take that, Damn you!" and then kicked Noah as he lay on the ground. Noah did not move. William became frightened and ran out the back door of the Tavern. Witnesses say that Noah was dead.
William's attorney went on about what a brave sailor he was having served valiantly in the last war, he had been a sailor for 16 years, he was noble, and gallant. Witnesses for his character who claimed to have known him since he was a boy claimed they never saw anything he did or said to be questionable. His shipmates said he was gallant and always exhibited good behavior, he had favor and the good opinion of his superiors and quickly made rank to Chief Engineer of the gunboat Commodore.
Now apparently after William killed Noah he made his way back to his ship and continued his duties on board his ship which had left Philadelphia and it was not until the ship returned to port in Philadelphia that William sent his father to fetch a justice so he could turn himself in.
Witnesses for William claimed that Noah had been a bully and tormented William for quite some time during the course of events. They claim that William punched Noah in self defense. That Noah had raised his arms as though to punch him first. They claimed that Noah was a dangerous character and had great strength and William feared fir his life and so for the safety of his person punched and then kicked the motionless Noah.
The coroner gave witness that he could not say for sure that the punch or kick delivered by William was the actual cause of death and it could have been from something that had happened during an earlier wrestling match.
According to William Simmons, the owner of the Tavern, who was a witness, says that he was reading a newspaper when the brawl started but when he looked up Noah was on the ground not moving and William Golcher kicked him 3 times in the head. Other witnesses concurred with this. William Golcher was heard telling Noah that he could "lick him and his friend too." Noah had abrasions and contusions on his jaw, a contusion in his temporal region, blood spewing from his nose, an opening in his cranium with an effusion of blood earning a compression at the base of the brain sufficient to cause death. The jury returned with a verdict of guilty, that the cause of death were the result of the injuries caused by William Golcher.
Noah Mick was my Great Uncle. He was 30 at the time of the murder. He was the son of George W. Mick and wife Elizabeth (Park) Mick, was born in New Jersey on 11 February 1830. He was one of 12 children. Noah was a Moulder like his father and several of his brothers. He was married to Elizabeth Van Holt and had three children, Noah, Sarah and Delilah.
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