July 4, 1871 & July 4 1889 – Madison, WI
John Betz died in Madison a day after the cannon he was firing on the Capitol lawn to celebrate
Independence Day went off prematurely. The force of the explosion tore both his arms off, the
left one above the elbow and the right one below, driving some splinters into his side, splitting
his nose and badly burning his chest and face. He was taken to his house, where he died at noon
on July 5.
Betz is interred at Forest Hill Cemetery.
Eighteen years to the day later, William Melvin who had moved to Madison only weeks earlier,
was killed firing a cannon on the Capitol grounds to mark Independence Day. The flesh was ripped
from his right hand and arm to the elbow, and his forearm was broken in four places. Melvin is
also interred in Forest Hill Cemetery,
Section 28
in an unmarked grave.
In what had to be one of the strangest coincidences in Madison history, Betz and Melvin lived in
the same house, at 1036 University Ave.
William J. Melvin (45)
John Betz (34)
