Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-06-17


Another sad tragedy WAS yesterday
added 10 the long liss OF terTssse essnn
that have occurred IN The Banker fasA
dissric, cnriag The past lev months.
About noon il W&s rep0rsea insf MISS
Bell Waiter. living al No, LEawcoa
place, had been shot and instantly killed
by pistol In The hGnds Of young lazy
boarding 81 -. SANG hcsEse- An Ence.
scrIhAbse degree of excitement followed
the report, and raSf number o. the
curious and The anxious CROWDED around
the house In which il Vas stated thai the
tragedy took place The report proved
true. Miss Whsaier having received Der
death wuzn6 frpsz s bullet accidentally
fred BY .hc hand OF her friend, Mrs.
Thomas B&asn-d. The SAD affair look
place As,oGf eleven O'Clock. Miss Whit
ter And her sister were standing IA The
dinine-rc3Tz, when Mrs b&nforo, 30
stepped softly into the room with the
pistol. which she did moi know was
loaded, cooked the weapon close behind
the ear Of Miss Whittier, and, with The m
nnison 81 givisc her q Bit Of EnoInentary
fright pulled the trigger The bullet
penetrated The BRAN o. the victim. and
She Tel dead WITHOUT w0fG~
The weapon used was an old. single
barrele6 affair thai had been lying about
the house, unloadsd, for many months,
and had been regarded more Is harm
less tor than as q weapon capable OF
doing any Injury. The young ladies' OF
the family had often amused themselves
by pointing the muzzle ST each other and
Swapping the hammer, but not until yes
teraay was il ever known 70 be loaded.
Some days ago young lady, friend Of
the Whittier family, was followed In The
street by man who seized her arra, with
the evident purpose o. robbing her OF a
valuable diamond ring which she wore
On her finger. Although the assailant
was defeated in his object the young
lady's experience made such an impress
sion on the minds Of Miss Whittier and
her sister that one Of the latter,
Miss Martha Whittier, aged about
seventeen years, Immediately suggested
the propriety Of preparing against any
such an affair By loading the old pistol and
having IL ready for use. Yesterday morn
ing, Miss Marina found somewhere about
the house q cartridge which fitted the
barrel o. the pistol. Although unused 10
firearms she was successful in her effort
20 load the weapon. She then placed il
on q shelf in the pantry, intending to re-
move il TO some other part Of the house
81 soon a. she completed some house.
bold duties AZ which she was at the mo-
meDt engaged
While the pistol lay on The shelf Mrs.
BantoId passed through the pantry from
the front hall into the dining-room. Al
though a very timid lady and especially
afrsid Of firearms, Mrs Banford had be.
come 30 accustomed 70 seeing the pistol
used In playful way that she unhesiiat-
ingly took ii from the shelf She passed
n0iselesgly into the room where Miss
Belle Bnc one Of her sisters were, and
the SAD result followed IS recorded
above. the sister was partially stunned
fof moment by the report, and reeoy-
cred consciousness 20 find bliss Belle
breathing her last In the arms Of Mrs.
BgnfOYd, who caught her as she fell.
MEa. Whittier. the widowed mother Of
the deceased, the sister, Miss Martha,
the tg0 brothers and other members and
friends u the family were quickly sum
mOned. Several physicians were also
called, but only 20 find the poor girl al
ready past All human aid. Among the
first 20 hasten 10 the side Of The dead
girl vas her lover, 10 whom she Was
soon 10 be married. The utmost grief
and sympathy were manifested ON all
slaes. The deceased Was known among
E wIde circle u friends and aequaini.
ances - q kind, gentle, generous and
warm-beaue3 young lady She WAS
eighteen yeers old Mrs, Banford, As
soon as she realized the terrible effect Of
heF set. saak INTO condition bordering
on insanity. and il IL feared that che may
lose tier reason. Her husband aud her
self have the syupathies Of Mrs. Whit.
tier and her family, who. in the midst Of
their deep sorrow for the dead. are do
ing al ia tieiT power TO relieve the con.
ditioB % lie living. Coroner Bradford
vas called. bat deemed an inquest un.
necessary -BSstuH Globe, June /.
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