The New York herald., 1874-08-20
TRANs-MIssIssIPPIAN TRAGEDIES.
Two Very Remarkable Stories of
Crime-The Price Of Wifely Infid city
The Crises of Blood.

Two Very Remarkable Stories OF
Crime-The Price of VvifeIy InfideIity-
The Crises of Blood.
DAVENPORT. Iowa, August H. 1874
Criminal history probably does not record two
more extraordinary NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
whether We regard the brutal completeness char
acterizing their execution the frignrful moral
and social iaXity in which they had their origin
than those that have occurred within couple OF
days OF each other at Creston, and near Council
Bluffs brief but complete histories Of which are
here transmitted.
At Creston were In the marble business Two
men named J. L. Brister ana J. r. Burnett, the
latter considerably the elder. Ills wife had
quilted him account, 1t Is said OF Ill treatment
and threats. Brister had wife and three chill
dren, having been married to the woman
about 1869, at Barnesville, Belmont county,
OHIO A few months ago Brister told his wife
they were then at Bedford, Iowa-that he had
sold hall interest in her to Burnett whom there
after she was to consider AS equally her husband.
He gave Burnett 4 contract TO that effect, and
Burnett shared her room ana bed at Bedford. Next
day, however, ner husband, apparently dissats-
fed with his bargain, abused her tor submitting TO
Burnett, and went away. Burnett, ho owever con-
soied ms remarkable property Dy assuring her he
should defend her and Kill Brlster II he ever came
back. Meantime, Brisrer went 70 Charlton and
wrote threatening letters. which so frightened MS
vile that she begged to be sent back to Ohio.
Burnett, instead OF so DOING moved with her TO
Creston. He soon tired OF his property. Brister
came back to Cre3ton and had an interyjeW with
Burnett, which resulted Ia an agreement between
them, for cei tain sum loaned by Burnett to Bris-
ter, that the latter should again take possession
OF mis- vile. Brister refused to sign the papers,
because they drew interest and Burnett put MS
threat into execution.
THE TRAGEDY.
On Tuesday morning, aDout three O'clock he
stole into Brister's room in his night Shirt armed
with razor whose edge had been careuiiy sharp
ened. All the parties slept above the marble
works. Brister and his vile were sound asleep,
and the murderer drew the blade OF his weapon
across the throat OF the sleeping man at one ter
ribe cash (Which, IN the language OF q witness OF
the scene OF blood. "might have been done with a
scytne"p, seyering his wlndpipe and the arteries.
window 10 shout Tor nelp, Dut sound could issue
from the severed windpipe, and the ar from his
lungs only served horribly TO SPLASH and sprinkle
the window Sill and wall with his blood. Mrs Bris-
ieaped IRON the bed siriekng Murder - and the
dy ere he could dress himseii, I' pas as had had
evidently been his original plan. The people
preparation OF this second crime in their
ordinarily quiet city, turned out en- to track
the murderer, whom they. would certainly have
hanged nad they caught him. he however, es-
capped to thicket on the farm OF Mr. Barnes
near the city, where he lay without food and With
no clothing but night shirt for twenty-nine
hours, when, being nearly starved and frozen
HE SURRENDERED HIMSELF
to the farmer While the officers were taking their
prisoner to Alton the county seat they were com
PEELED to lorcDly resist a mob who were intent on
iyncning the scoundrel. The men went to Crestom
for arms TO rescue nim from the party and hang
HIM, Dut were disappointed IN this, and
about nifty or seventy:dve went on a train
Afton they found the Sherin with a heavy force
guarding the prisoner Great exctemenr pre-
given OF his return to Creston ON the first train
He arrived there at noon, looking very bad his
cheeks were all sunken in, and his eyes had q
Wild scared look, whcn was increased by seeing
so many people at the depot to meet INN. AT the
examination he pleaded guilty, but expressed no
regret tor his crime His statement as TO the cause
OF the murder is corionoratcQ by .he AFFIDAVIT OF
Mrs. Brister.
THE OTHER MURDER
was committed at Silver Creek, small settlement
some ten miles from Council Bluffs. There or
several years Jacob Slaves and John J. Clarke
fifteen months ago. slaves discovered the exist.
ence OF criminal intimacy between his wife and
limos with hope of being able % 70 break a on the
attachment by absence; but discovered that
the two still maintained correspondence. Ac.
cordngly he entered into negotiations with Clarke
VINO agreed TO give him $1,000 and marry The
woman obtaining for that purpose divorce from
his own wife, woman OF irreproachab:c charac-
teri 50 soon Slaves should secure divorce
Clarke obtained his wife's consent to institutng
proceedings for a divorce by threats. On Wednes-
day they all met at Council Blurs to discuss mat
ters, when Clarke, reinctant evidently TO paying
SO much money when ne could get the woman
then tried to get his wife 70 remain with him and
drop all proceedings, but she refused to do so,
paramour. Thercupon Slaves departed, saying to
sNow IT Is EITHER YoU OR nE-
The two men met again on Friday, slaves being
armed with q shot gun, one barrel OF which he I'M
discharged at Clarke, woundlng him in
the head and bringing him to the ground. White
his victim was wrthing on the earth slaves ap-
preached him, and, placing the mnzzic OF the gun
against his body, almost blew his heart out. The
custody at Council Buns. He refuses to make any
statement but 1t is not at all likely that any facts
not herein related viii be disclosed at the formal
Capital punishment has been abolished In iowa.