The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-08-23
TRIPLE TRAGEDY.
A Terrible Scene Enacted in the
Vicinity of Oak Mills Station
in Atchison County.
Robert Scrugss, the Son of a Well
Known and Well to do Far
mer Kills His Father
in-Law,
And, Afterward Shoots Friend and
Neighbor Through the
Heart.
He Gives Himself Up to the Author
tiles and Asks Their Pro-
lection, But is
Taken From the Constable by a Body
Of Citizens and Hung to an
Elm Tree
Between the Places Where he Fired
the First and Last Fatal
Shots.
Whisky and Consequent Family
Troubles the Cause of the
Whole Difficulty,

county, abou: one and half miles north o
the county line OF Leavenworth county, has
been murdered by a young man named Rob
ert Scrugss, son of Mr.. Simeon Scruggs, VIII,
lives near Oak Mills, ON the Missougi Pacifi,
road, about thirteen miles north from here
| Word was left with the police TO Ioos
out for the murderer and apprehend him i
| seen. Early yesterday morning, however tn.
| news was rapidly conveyed to the city thai
not only the trouble of the double murder
was being the subject of talk but that the
murderer had given himself over TO the au.
thorities, and was in danger of being
LYNCHED
| by posse of citizens, composed of prominent
farmers fromW ilnut. township, and Kickapoo
| township, IN Leavenworth county.
AT ten O'Clock, other rumors reached the
city that Scruggs had been taken by VIC.
lence from the hands of the constable, and
hung. In order to get at the true facts in the
case as reported, TINES reporter jumped on
board the Missouri Pacific train, northward
bound, and through the kindness of Conduc-
tor Hopkins was put down at the little post.
office station of
| OAK MILLS,
the voting place in the township, where the
| startling tragedy occurred, and one which Is
| unsurpassed i'll the history OF ArchiSon coun-
ty. on arriving at the platform, and taking
bearings as to the locality, the reporter visit.
ed the store near the railroad track kept by
Mr.. J. Devitz, 10 learn if possible the bagin.
| ming of the bloody scenes.
Around the doorway OF the store, he found
three or four men and boys standing and sit
ting with downcaSt looks, seeming 10 be all
absorbed in doing morning. In answer IL IN
qniries, they informed him that the reports
heard here, were true, and that Scruggs had
been takes from the authorities, and That IA $
body, which was yet lying among the weed
under tree not far distant, would tell more
| OF the result than they could.
As TO the facts Of the beginning Of the :tf-
fair, Constable Go. Wright, " no lives in Oak
Mills gave in substance the following acc Dunt,
which was afterwards verified 10y Mr.. Simeon
Scruggs, father OF the man VINO did the shoot
ing, and others In the ncl.hlorhoOd.
THE BEGINNING.
| About two years and a half ago, Robert
Scruggs woOed and Won the affections OF Miss
| Mary O!iphant, daughter Of AIR. Jasper Oli-
hitIt, who lives about mile north of the
| Leavenworth county line, i'll Atchison county,
| and finally married her. For awhile they
lived happily. but he being o "a nature given
to d .ssi patton, she, after their child little
girl, was born, left him and went TO live again
with her father, WHO took Ter AGAIN under
his protection. They hal been separated
aboat six months, the husband occasionally
visiting the premises FOR the purpose of seeing,
| the child. sometimes bcin. under the infiu-
| ence of liquor TO an extent that made him at
times qulrrelsOme. ON last Sunday he
visited the little village OF Eickapuo, where
he remained for sonic time about the saloons
drinking freely, and toward the afternoon he
got noisy and boosted that there were two
IA he would get even with before he
went TO sleep. He left kickapoo in a drunken
condition and started for Oak Mills, which is
about five miles further north. up the river,
and made "A call AT Mr.. oliphants house for
the purpose of seeing MARY and the child"
as he expressed it.
He did not gain admission that time, and
went away, going to the village, about a
mile aud half distant, where he stopped
awhile, and again returned to the house,
armed with small seven shooter, Colts
patent No. sl6i5 and twenty-five calibre.
Arriving AT the house, he knocked at
door foradmIsson, and was an
swered by Mr.: oiiphant in person.
The latter seeing that the visitor
was intoxicated, he refused to let
him enter the house and told him to
leave the premises, when some words unsued
during which Mr.. Oiiphant told him if he Il d
not go away he would break a chair over his
head, whereupon Scruggs suddenly presented
his pistol hich he had evidently been hold
ing in his hand, AT the breast OF his father-in-
law and fired. The ball which was although
small, well aimed and it sped
true 10 the mark, hitting Mr.. Oiiphant in the
ming straight through TO the shoulder blade
severed large artery. The assassin
paused not TO see the effect, but sped away i'm
the gathering gloom of the evening, C. o>sing
the short Toad which leads from Oak Mills in
a southwesterly direction, and went directly
TO his fathers houss, about half mile dis
tant, while
HIS VICTIM
who had been shot totfered To one side of the
doorway and fell to the floor where he
manned until the members OF the household
came 10 his assistance. He was then cared
for in the best manner possible, while the
resident physician at Oak Mills was sent for.
Within twenty minutes, however, after the
fatal shot was fret the wounded man ey-
nirai in the mifSt al his family the chief
mourner of whom the daughter he was
in the act of protecting from insult at the
time of the commission oi the deed.
THE MURDERER,
who Is a young ran about thirty-three years
of age, on arriving at the residence of his faith
er, Mr.. Simeon ScIuggs, told the latter that he
had .'got into trouble at ELEPHANTS" and that
he would go down to squire Waddie's, in
Oak Mills, and give himself up. He then
changed his clothing, putting on, among 9TH
er things, a pair OF new shoes he had pur-
chased on Saturday, and started down the
road leading through a deed ravine for Es-
quire J. l. Waddle's house, for the purpose OF
surrendering himself TO the mercies of the law;
meanwhile party consisting Of MI John
Joseph Adamson, Richard sturgeon and
Stephen Barnes, all farmers, had made good
time while Scruggs Was dressing, and had
visited Squire Waddles residence in order to
make complaint of the murder of Mr.. Oil
phaht. and have the murderer arrested.
Their mission being accomplished they start.
yards southwest from the house.
Standing near large log on the
left hand side of the road they saw the figure
Of a man in the moonlight, and one of the
party hailed him, saying, sis that you
Scruggs ?" They received no reply in words,
but within a second they saw a dash; heard
short, sharp, quick report, and three OF them
saw their companion
MIR. JOIN CROFT
stagger OF to the right, into the dry bed of
the little creek. and fall. Sturgeon, who was
armed, fired At the assalani, but without ef-
feet, and he escaped in the shadows OF the
underbrush on the hiil-sidcs. The three men
went, as soon rs possible. to the assistance Of
their comrade, and found him lying on his
face, with the b God from his heart bubbling
out In deathly silence on the cold, rough
stones, which had heretofore only listened to
the ripping song of the rivuiet-
he WAS DEAD.
They gnye the alarm and soon had the body
conveyed to his home, leaving only the dark
coaguiated pool of blood on the stones To mark
the spot to the passing visitor.
Justice Waddies residence and gave himself
up, stating that he had teen in trouble
and that he wanted the protection OF tie
law as he was fearful of
BEING xoBBEp,
and at the same time gave up his pistol. the
cylinder f which yet contained three cart
shos r 81 aafes from IL II Dt linz s
the house until about sun rise yesterday
morning when constable Wright, who was no.
titled went to toe house and taking him into
custody, conveyed him TO his own residence,
about quater VI a mile north nom Justics
Waddies, where they had breakfast. About
seven O'Clock, a large party OF about twenty
citizens, composed principally OF the land
owners Of Walnut township, and Kickapoo
township OF this county, armed to the teeth
appeared In front Of the house and demanded
manner, which spoke volumes as to
| the object Of the visit The prisoner be-
came terribly agitated and begged the officer
TO protect him and was assured he would moi
be taken except by force. The crowd finding
they would not get admission by consent sur.
rounded the place and posse AMONG whom
was Mr.. John Oiiphant a brother OF one Of
the murdered men entered the room wher..
the constable and his prisoner and Miss Alice
! Wright the conslables daughter, were MI OIL
plant ON seeing the man who had cans.-d she
death of hts relative grew desnarat..
and drawing pistol suddenly
FIRED AT HIN
| but missed him and came very nearly ssrik.
! Ing the ysung lady who had, owing 10 the
Q0wd about the door, been unable 10 esoan~
The 0lncer then tTfed 70 asDeft his auth0r3fr
rand WAea he Vas ted 70 give his man ND