The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-06-23
Flom the Iowa Citizen, May Goth
Horrible Tragedy in Des Moines.


most startling and terrible tragedies that ey er
took Ilace in Central Iowa. l. st Sunday
evening, little be ore nine O'Clock, the Gil
zens of the no! !thern part Of town, not tar
from Mr. Scutt's residence, were started by
TO quick, succ, ssve rel iogts ON u revolver
followed by the screams OF some won II in
imminent peril. Persons near. on hearing the
PISTOL shots ran in the direcion OF the 30, nds,
and met young Lady by the name Of hing,
fleeing wounded and tearfully excited, from
the scene Of danger. She stated hurriedly
that a MIR. Chantler had been killed, that she
had been shot, and that the murderer haries
Rosseter-had also shot himself, and was ly
ing the read. Miss King was taken to her
home immediately; and soon a crowd had
gathered at the pl ce of blood. 1t was found
feariully true that most foul and abho rent
murder had been committed James Chant
er-a citz N well and favorably known-vas
discovered lying upon his back in the road, !,
stone dead. A ball had entered his brain
from the back of the head and he must have
been instantly killed. A few steps from The
body of Mr.. Chantler lay the murderer,
with his revolver lying beside him. He had
shot himself in the right side of the head, and
the blood was gushing from the ghast,v wound.
He was still living, but the wound was iuevita-
bly, fatal.
H - LhF olA stCi Ji iCh Ss jSdiOu~y hiO
der. Both Rosseter and Chantler were Eng
lishmen, and both boarded at the residence
OF Mr.. King, the father Of the unfortunate
young lady. Rosseter it appears. had been
superseded by Chantler as a sniior, for The
hand of Miss King, and within the last few
weeks he had more than once intimated that
Chan'ler and Miss King. "would have good
time of it before they were married" With
in the past few weeks he made it his business
to practice with his revolver. and it seems
strange 10 us that. Notwithstanding his threat
and the Tree employment of his pistol III
practicinS at target. no suspicious were ex.
cited in his victims. Sunday evening Mr..
Chantler and Miss King went ont walking.-
On returning. the desl crate deed WIS commit
ted, which certainly involes the death of the
two men. and possibly that of the young lady.
True to the instincts of the assassin. Rose
ter had secreted himself in the bushes by the
side Of the road. and when the couple passed a
short distance, he stealthily crept OFT from
his concealment. The report of the pistol WAS
the first indication given to the couple that
they had been waylaid. Chaniler was shot
frst, and fell instantly, never moving from the
sl.o, on which his body was found. Miss King
tried 10 escap', but was arrested by the muir
derer. She pieonsly begged him not to shoot
her, and while his pistol was elevated tn fire,
Sne cauSlt IL, Out Too IaCf. Inc pail paSau
directly through the palm of her upli'ted hand,
aud. as we lea n, lodged in her cheek. Again
she tried to get away. but the next ball FL ell by
the murderer took ,tfect in her sho ilde', and
she fell. Supposing thrt the foul deco of mur-
der had been fully accomplished, Rossetcr
placed the m zzle of his revolver ut the right
81 !c Of his head, pulled the trigger. and fell a
-hnrt distance from the hody"t thantler. Miss
King revived in short time suilic' ntly to
ha ten for assistance.
Tha young lady is still livinc but her recov-
cry is considered very doubtful. Chantler
came to this city about three Wears nee from
Canandigua, New Ymk. lie bore an excl
lent chara ter in this community. and his tragi-
Cal ath is ely de IL red by all who knew
him. We saw his DO ly NJ nday mo ming. a,
the hou of NJ. King. His countenance was
as platid rs that Of sleeping infant His
death was 8, inst ntaneo that not an emo
on partaking "f the terrible character Of the
deed that nj him to tie grave was lermit,ed
TO fit over his features.
We understand that Rossetes, for month
before the murder, h d been in the habit of
drinking to excess. Green eyed !ealou<y needs
but the addition Of liquid damnation t. per-
petrate deeds fom which even devils would
recoil.
Rosseter died yesterd,y morning, at three
o'clock.