Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-12-02
A Madison Sensation.
Determined Attempt at Suicide
by Hon. John Turner, OF
Mansion.
His Reason for the Attempt--A
Female Client the Cause.
History of One of the Most Ro.
matte Tragedies of the Day.
rSn.c;a1 Disnatch TO The Sentin.l.1

Especial D1SpaIcn 10 lno DtulIutI.I
MADISON, Nov. 26.-Hon. John Tur-
ner, of Mansion, attempted to commit
suicide at the Villas House, at 2 P. M,
THE CAUSE AND CIRCUMSTANCES
being as follows: A year or more ago
Mrs. Sara Ingersoll was arrested for
alleged poisoning her husband at Spar
ia. Mr., Turner, finding her friendless
and in sore need Of helps undertook
her case, obtained a change of venue
to Madison, working mp the evidence
with the help of Villas & Bryant, OF
this city, and succeeded in obtaining
her acquittal, or rather a
SCOTCH VERDICT OF "NoT PROVEN"
While in jail here, Mrs. Ingersoll, Mr..
Turner says assigned to him a policy
Of $1,000 on her husbands life, with
power to settle with the company,
which Nj. TURNER did, compromising
for $500 receipts for which he mailed
to Mrs. Ingersoll, she signing and re-
turning them to him. Lately a suit
was commenced by Mrs. Ingersoll, in
Dane Count Court, against the Phen-
TX Insurance Company, for the whole
amount of the policy, ignoring the
previous settlement. To-day, Mrs
Ingersoll swore that she never gave
Turner authority to make a settlement,
and never assigned the policy to him,
and that
H RECEIPTS WERE FORGERIES.
This startling testimony, accompany
ed by equivocal letters of Mr.. Turner's.
produced 1nuch excitement on Mr.. Tur-
ner. He left the Court room, proceed
ed to the Villas House, went into dinner,
sat at the table a while without eating.
and finally walked to a table at which
Mrs. Ingersoll sat, had some exciting
conversation with her, then walked
out into the Office and lit a cigar. called
at Belden's jewelry store and purchas-
ed a revolver, and at 2 o'clock went
into his room. locked the door, wrote
a letter to his wife, one to Mrs. Inger-
soil,
PLACED THE REVOLVER TO HIS
BREAST
and fired. The ball struck the sixth
rib. breaking it, and passed downward
into the cavity of the chest, hut, it
is believed, not penetrating any vital
organ burying itself in the abdominal
muscles above the hip.
Mr.. Gregory, counsel for the insur-
anee company, desiring to see Mr..
Turner, went to his room about 2 ~
o'clock, found the door locked and
heard groans within. Getting help,
the door was forced open, and Mr..
TURNER found
LYING BLEEDING ON THE BED.
DIR. Ward was Immediately summon
! ed. He regards the wound dangerous,
but hopes not fatal.
To The Sentinel reporter and friends.
Mr., Turner conversed freely, and was
very severe in his denunciation of Mrs.
Ingersoll, who he said, he had not
known til to-day, though her counsel
so long and he expressed the
WISH TO DIE
and not live on the same planet with
one so false.
Following is the letter he had writ.
ten to Mrs. Ingersoll.
With the same pen / have just used
to address my wife, I write this It
scenes like profanity, but [ must say
to you musderess, add me to your other
v ictims. You know why I wrote as
I did about the insurance money ;
W hat [ paid you, and all the reasons +;
ye t, hop ing to get a few more dollars
from the Company, you deliberately
bla st my reputation and make me ap-
pea r a criminal. IF it does you any
goo d.. so be it; but if there be virtues
in widows tears and the cries of my
orphans, take it it's the only virtue
you ever had.
(Signed) JNo. TURNER.
Tonight, Turner is still alive.
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