Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-06-16
FATAL FILTRATION.
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN MICHIGAN,
An lnfuriated Husband Shoots the 0es-
trOyer Of His Peace, Murders His
Wife and Blows Out
His Own Brains

LAPEER, Mich, June IA frightful
tragedy occurred at Hunters Greek, five
miles south of here, last night. Alanson
Stephens, night watchman in John
Clarke x Sons mill, at Hunter Greek,
had been married three or four months,
and had become Jealous OF his wife, sus-
pecting criminal intimacy between her
and John House, a neighbOr. Thursday
he visited Lapeer and purchased a
Victor seven shooter No. l, twenty
two caliber. When ne bought it he
asked ii it would shoot straight, stating
his occupation, and saying ne had for
some time contemplated buying re-
volver for his wife, who was afraid to
stay alone nights. He also purchased
a box OF fifty cartridges.
About half-past eleven Friday night,
while on duty as watchman, he stepped
out OF the mill, saw a lightin the house,
came up, and, looking through the win
dow, saw his wife sitting at one end OF
the table, near the window, and John
House at the other end. He immedi-
ately went back to the mill, secured his
revolver and returned TO the house. As
soon Us he entered he fired at House,
who ran out, followed by Stephens, who
fired six shots az him. Stephens re-
turned, seated himself at the
table and wrote six page letter, stating
that he came TO the window and over
heard House and his wife arranging for
an elOpcmcnt in the morning. When
he married his wife they married 10 live
together until death parted them; but
he had changed his mind, and did not
wish death to part them. He had shot
House, intended TO shoot his wife and
then himself. He requested that ne
and his wife should be dressed in their
wedding clothes and buried in one
grave
Alter writing the letter, inClosing and
sealing it in an envelope, he drew his
revolver and shot his wife in the fore
head. She fell to the floor, when he APP
preached and fired three additional
shots at her head, only one OF which
penetrated the brain. He then killed
himself instantly by a shot through the
brain. This morning, by the use OF
stimulants, Mrs Stephens was restored
10 consciousness sufficiently that she
acknowledged herself TO blame. She
said that her husband first shot House,
and then occupied two hours in writing
his letter. He then shot her, which
was the last thing she remembered.
After few hours Mrs. Stephens again
became unconscious.
John House states that when Ste
phen5 came into the house lac said:
This thing has gone far enough" and
fired at him. The first ball hit him in
the temple, the second lodged in the
back Of his head as he passed out of the
door, and the third struck him in the
chest as he was climbing over the fence.
feet. He went TO his boarding-hOuse,
told q chum he had been shot, was
washed of and went 10 bed. He did
not know Stephens intended TO do any
more shooting. House is not seriously
injured, but Mrs. Stephens can only
live a few hours.
Both men were about thirty years
old. House Is married, but was sepa-
rated from his wife. The residence of
Stephens presented horrible spectacle
this morning The floor was covered
with blood. Stephens lay where he had
fallen dead, with his revolver by his
side, and Il trail Of blood showed where
the woman had managed To crawl to
her bed, where she was found uncOn-
sCiOuS.