The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-09-03
Closing mp the Concern Vile
Murder and Suicide Terrible
Tra"edy Near Cincinnati.

WV llAnuNhNN u uluittIr JUST now
The Cincinnati Commercial thus relates
the story OF a tragedy near that city !:
The details ofa most horrible domestic
tragedy were made public yesterday
morning, in which saloon Keeper
named John Milton Bryson deliberately
shot and Killed his wife, aud few mo-
ments later blew out his own brains
with do.b barreed shot gun. The
scene OF the tragedy is Milleola. small
village two and fmi les distant from
tho cstern corporation line ct this city.
aud midway between Riverside and
South stations. on the Indiana
polls n Cincinnati railway. The house
in which the deed was committed
is u two story frame. on north side of
the Lower river road, in which resided
two families, dyson. with his wife and
two children, and Mrs. Purcell. Bryson
had four rooms on the first floor. In
one OF which he kept saloon. Mrs
Purcell occupied the whole OF the second.
About o'clock OH Friday night Bryson
closed his saloon, aud half an hour later
Mrs. Purcell heard the report OF pistol.
She knew That Bryson and his wife had
been having some trouble. and at once
-
Purcell was preparing to retire FOR the
night and before she could get ready TO 20
down stairs she heard ano Their and still
louder report Of "A .lrearm. She hurried
down stairs. however and, on going to
the bed room usually occupied by Mrs.
Bryson, she found her lying on the floor,
dead, from a gun shot wound in hei
in her left breast, about two inches
to the right of tke nipple. Mrs. Purcell
then ran into the bar room, where a
light was still burning. only to Toe horri-
fled by another ghastly spectacle. Bry-
son was lying on the floor, in front of the
counter, rel in his own warm blood,
which was flowing freely FROM his head.
On going closer Mrs. Purcell discovered
that the wholeuppcr portion of Bryson's
skull had been carried away
Ills brains were
LITERALLY scooPED OUT
and scattered about the room. over the
the furniture. on the counter. glasses
and decGnters. presenting a sight more
easily imagined than described. oh,
viewed the terrible scene buta moment.
then gave the alarm. Ia short timt
the entire neighborhood was aroused
and the scene Of the TRACED, thronged
with horror stricken spectators. Maj. Il.
linn. who livesnear by, was among the
first 10 arrive, and he after sutatioI
with Mr.. Bird, another neighbor. re-
solved to close the house and summon
the coroner. Marshal Joseph Fannin.
was notified and arrived in this city
soon after IL o'clock. Coroner Maiey
was at once aroused, but he did not visit
the house of horrors until after O'Clock
yesterday morning, when, with his pro-
fcssional jurymen-Messrs. School
Hambrouck A. Co.-he proceeded to in
vestigate. After viewing the bodies
the jnry settled to business. The first.
witness called was Lizzie Brytron.
daughter ofthe deceased, aged ten years.
She s,Rted that her father wa
IS, and,ud her mother 20 years of age.
She had sister u years OF age She then
gave detailed description cfthe quar-
rels between her father aud mother
who, she said, had not lived happily To-
gcther for some time. Her father dram k
to excess, and while iu his cups
would quarrel with her mother
about extravaganza in household ex-
penses. Her father wowld sometimes
leave home, and be away all da,
at grocery Near by, drinking. On
Friday her mother wanted TO 20 to a par,
tv, but her father would not consent, and
they had quarrel. In the evening Mrs.
Bryson retired to bed early. with tine
younger of the two children and Lizzie
tthe witness) occupied bed in another
part Of the room.
4 SOON AFTER NINE O'CLOCK
her father closed up the saloon and cam,
into the bedroom. Hetold Mrs. Brysor
that lie desired to seep in the bed w it'll hel
From this it would seeIn that they had
been occupying separate beds. she OBJ
jected. He then took the little girl frou
bis wife's bed, and, placed her in the bed
with her sister. Mrs. Bryson immcdi-
ately aroseand commenced dressing her
self saying, "a will not go to bed At all
Tonight" Bryson endeavored to recon
cic his wife, saying, "Why don't you
come to bed with me, and we will make
up our quarrel r but Mrs. Bryson would
not listen to him. According TO Lizzie,
statement her father then left the room
and went into the saloon. lie returned
soon after how ever. with the pistol in his
hand, and pointing it at his wife, snapped
cap without discharging the weapon.
Mrs. Bryson asked him what he had in
his hand, but lac made no reply They
were standing by the bed in the west
side Of the room. 4 moment later Brv-
son again pointed the weapon at bis
wife's breast. this time discharging
the shot that caused hcr' death,
Lizzie saw the flash of the pistol,
and saw her mother stagger