The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-06-19
FATAL FILTRATION,
HORRIBLE DOMESTIC TRAGEDY
AT HUNTERS CREEK, MICH.
An IBfurlhttd Husband Shoots The Destroyer OF
His Peace, Murders His Wife and
Blows Out His Own
Brains

Lapeer, Mich June "A frightful tragedy 90.
CURED at Hunters Creek. Ave miles south Of here
last night. AlanEOn Stephens, night wstcbInan
In John Clarke & Sons mill, ai Hunters Creek
had been married three or four months, and had
become jealous Of his wife, suspecting criminal
intimacy between her and John House, a neigh.
Dor. Thursday he visited Lapeer and purchased
a Victor seven shooter No. l. twenty two caliber.
When he bought 1t he asked If It would shoot
straight, stating his occupation and tSying he
had for some time contemplated buyiI a revol.
yer for his vile, who was afraid 10 stay alone
nights. He slgO purchased box OF 90 cartridges.
About halfpatt eleven Friday night while on
duty as watcbmAn, he stepped out OF the mill,
saw a light in HIS houfe, came M, and, looking
through the window, saw his wife sitting at one
end Of the table, near the window and John
Houte at the other end He immediatly went
back 10 the mill, secured his revolver and re.
turned 10 the house. AS soon as he entered he
fred at HoUte. who ran out, followed by Sic
Vhena who fired kix thotB OF him. Stephens 70.
turned, teattd d bimttl II OF the table and vi oie q
x.psge letter, stating that he came to the WIN.
dow and overheard House and bis wife arraug.
Ing for an elopement IN the morning. When he
married his wife they married 10 live together
ubtil death parted them ; but he had changed
his mind, and did not wish death 10 part them.
He had shot House, intended to shoot his wife,
and then himself. He rquesied that he and his
| wife should Le dressed in their Weddil Clothe,
al buried in one grave.
After writing the letter, inclOsing and sealing
| II In an envelope, he drew his revolver and shot
| his wife IN the forehead She fell to the floor
when he approached and fred three additional
khot at her head, only one OF which penetrated
the brain. He then killtd himself instantly by
Q shot through the brain. This morning, BY the
use of stimulantE. Mrs. Stephens was restored 10
consciousness sufficiently hat she acknowledged
herselfto blame. She taid that her husband first
shot House. and theI occupied two hours in writ.
ing bis letter. He then shot her, which was the
last thing the remembered. After q few hours
Mrs. Stephens again became unconscious
John House states that when Stephens came
into the house he raid 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 ht head as he passed out Of the door. and the
third struck him In the chest as he was climbing
over the fence The other three shOte did not
take effect He went TO his boarding house, told
chum he had been shot, was washed off end
went TO bed. He did not know Stephens was go
ing to do any more shooting. House is not seTi-
Ously Injured but Mrs stephens can only live Q
few hours.
Both men were about thirty yearg old. House
is married, but has separated from his wife. The
residence oil Stephens pTesentt horrible Bpecta-
Gle this morning. The floor was covered with
blood. 6tephel lay whtre he had fallen dead,
with bis revolver by his side and trail of blood
showed where the woman had managed TO crawl
10 her bed where the was found unconscious