, 1873-10-16
The TrnEcdy in Carroll County. N10.-.
Two Versions Of the Affair.

From tho st. Lo,tfs Republican, 0ck H..
a tragedy, torriblo in its character and foar,
ful IN Its consoqueucos. alike to tho doaa and
tho living, has occurred In Carroll County. Two
statements have reached uB, which conflict most
materially as to tho modo In which the double
murder was conaummatod. and the motive which
governed tho murderer. Both Of those NO pre-
sent, as matter Of nova.
Robert Austin, fatnor Of Carroll County, and
tho son Of Col. Austin, woil-knowr anl highy-ro-
Bpoctod, lives about miles from Carrollton.
Eight years ago, he married tho daughter Of tho
late D.. Flournoy. Of Lafayette County. For
some tino past, as It is stated. he has suspected
that an improper intimacy existed between llia
wife and young man na1nod ELL jah Haley, a
brother OF Elders Thomas and Horny Haley, of
tho Christian Church in that vicinity, On last
Ills house with tho aVoweu intention Of visiting
the 9t. Louis Fair, to bo ahaent several days.
1natoad Of leaving for st. Louis, howevor, he re-
turned to his homo aftor dark, and secretod him.
ing himself with double-barroled shotgun.
Austin had not long been waiting in tho cloget
before Mrs. Austin oamo in to retro for tho
night, and then the young man Haley also camo
into t', the room ,an and began to disrobo Whon
to Join, Mrs. Austin in her retirement,
the husband camo out Of hts retirement
and fred ut Haley aud missed lm but SHOT his
wife in tho abdomen, from which she died 1lyo
Haloy and shot him dend whero ho stood, and
then ho surrendered himself to the authorities OF
tho county.
These arc tho facts according to ono report
from tho scene Of tho horror, aud now VIC come
to statement from oil entirely different stand
point, and yet said to DO equally reablo as it's
aourcoB Of information.
Robert Austin and his family lived on farm
on tho Waoonda prairic. This farm waB owned
Of money inherited from her fathers estate.
Austin, 1T is nnid, desired to poaaoss himself Of
this farm, and used all ondcavors to hayo it
transferred to his name. Mrs. Austin resisted.
expressing her bolof TINT Austin would desert
hor and tho children it she consented. Tho state
mont goes on to charge that, falling to attain Ills
ends in this particular, Austin determined to
murder his wife and 80 obtain possossiou
Of ths LIN, iand IN that way. His leaving home
a t Soth iG s'a sf'
said "good bye" all round, mounted Ills horse,
and rode away In tho direction Of Carrollton.
Il does not appear whether ho wont to CARROLL
ton Of not 1t is ct no eons,Sauenco; ne did
Of tho night, entered his wife's cham
ber by an outside door, fastened by q
string. which ho cnt, and thop concealed
conflict botwoon' ito two statements. but from
this tho two reports are wido as tho poles apart.
eli jah Haley was a young man whom Austin
had employed to superintond tho farm during his
4p6enco hearing t1e nol6o OF AuHtln8 entrance
by the outaidodoor, which waa evidently not
the usual mode Of entrance, Haley arose from
bis own bod In an adjoining room aud passed
into Mrs. Auatin's bed chamber, whero Austin
waa concealed Ill the darltneBs to ascertain the
oauBe Of tho alarm. Just Hatey reached tho
centre Of the room Austin roae aud fired throc
shots. A moment afterward Mrs. Austin,
droadfully shattered aud torn in o vital
part 10y DYING, md Elijah Haley, tho young
farm superintendent, lay stono dead, with Il load
Of bnokshot in him, Tho statement has it that
Austin Immediately sent for tho relatives Of his
dying wife and his noIghbors, and assumed tho
role of the injured husband" Ho attended
closely by the dying woman who must hayo snf-
forcd oxcruoiating agony for those tlyo lingering
houra Of lie, and frustrated all opportunity on
hor part to mako q asatemont. All TINT she sasd
WAS, just before ahe died, "Oh, hir. Austin, why
didn't you kill mo outright aud sayo mo this
awful agony2"
Mrs. Austin ia reported by this statement to
have boon dorotodly attached to her husband,
but opposed to lis posseBsing himsolf Of tho
property, for tho reasons previously given. Sho
le also reported to haVe Expressed q four that
Austin would kill hor about it. They were iu
st. Louis at the Fair in 1879 on visit to friends
on Olive street, aud her fonlnesa for him was
frequently tho sub ioct OF remark.