The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1882-01-14
A Wealthy Farmer Fatally Shot
I'm His Own House.
..rrest Of the Murderer and His Tw,
AecOmplices, One OF Which
Attempts Suicide.
The Murdered Mans Wife Impli
Gated in the Foul PlOt-COnfes-
sion and Full Details Of
the Tragedy.
lIrdisnarolls Ser tiuel.l |

wealthy farmer living about one and a half miles
from this place. telegTaphed the Sentinel last
night. but the details were meagre that
only the bare fact that terrible crime
had been committed could be telegraphed. 1t
appears that waltou's wife and o. NJ. Garrett
have been very intimate for several years, which
fact has caused a good deal of trouble between
Walton an1 his wife, she having Informed him
on several occasions she would do just she
pleased.
THE ASSASSINATION.
! About 8 O'Clock last night, while Walton
sitting near a window of his residence, some one
fired shot, the balls striking him in the head,
| inflicting fatal wounds. One of Mr..
wsltons sons brought the word to
ST. Paul, ana DR.. F. NJ. Howard was at once
sent to the scene of the tragedy upon
rival there. declared his belief that negro
by the name of Aaron Frazer had committed the
deed, baslng his suspicion on the fact that he had
heard o. VI. Garrett, the person
mentioned above. trying to hire Frazer
TO do the deed. The wadding from
the gun had entered the window along with the
charge of shot, and was picked up by the Doctor,
who placed /. in his pocket and accOmpaL led
party of men who started out to arrest Frazer,
fc. ring that ne would not come back. He
found on the road. and after being taken into
custody to throw away some
thing, which was found to be box
OF caps On arriving at this place he was taken
to Square Fugits Office BUD searched. On him
were found some papers, one OF them being
Sunday-school paper from which piece had
been torn and the missint piece was the wad in
the gun, which fitted in the torn place exactly.
On being shown this he broke completely down
and confessed in the presence of the Sentinel re
porter HIS completely i'll the crime His story is
as follows:
THE CONFESSION.
live in St. Omer Decatur County, about one
half mile from where Mr.. Walton resides. | was
persuaded to commit the crime by O. NJ Gar
rett who told me that Walton was in his way, aud
that II would kill him he would give me
large sum- The last time | saw Garrett
was in ST.. Paul on last Sunday after
entine Hess, aud from him l obtained the
gun, an army musket. / was out hunting with
Mr. Hess son most of the afternoon. and along
toward evening we went to st. Omer, where eat
my supper at home and shortly after left for Mr.
waltons house, arriving there between and Z
O'Clock D. m saw Mr.. Walton sitting in a chair
by the front window, and I walked MP until
was about fifteen feet from where he was Sitting
and fired at his head. l then left for home and
concealed my gun In the barn where kept my
team.
THE ARREST OF GARRETT.
After Frazer madehis statement party immedi-
ately started for CARROTS house, where they eff
fected his arrest and brought him to Squire
Fugt's office. in this place. Garrett is little be-
low the medium height, about flrty years old,
with black hair, piercing black eyes and black
mustache and whiskers. He has the name of
being bad man. and would not hesitate TO use
the revolver, which he always has in his posses
sion.
ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
After sitting few moments in Squire Fugits
office he asked to be allowed to go out for short
time and was permitted TO depart with an officer.
They went to Hoover's saloon and out the
; side door into little passageway.
, where coal aud wood is kept, and
moment afterward he drew his revolver which
as yet had not been taken from him, and shot
, himself twice In the head infiIcting wounds
from which he can not possibly recover. After
being properly cared for he made the following
affidavit before the Prosecuting Attorney
GARRETT's ANTI-MoRTEM STATEMENT.
Aaron Frazer told me that some one wanted
him to kill him. l told him not to kill him. |
had no idea that he would. never hired him or
Walton s said that as she he would make me- me
which had. before six days. That on yes
terdsy evening before the shooting. She ELLEN
Walton) talked about this month ago. She said
that she WOULD have to have something done;
that she could not live this kind OF life much
s kicked AND and cuaed her, choked II" her and
to hSS her s1d d5sw b his
throat time and again. She told me that Walton
slapped her off the chair and then kicked her the
evening after ! saw him in Henry Hoover's sa-
loon, when Doyle was present. never wronged
John Walton or any other man in my life. While
was at walton's yesterday evening twenty min
utes before O'Clock she SAID. Give me that let
, ter, you villain. 1 could kill you" l handed
her the pistol and told her TO kill me. She SAID.
Il will If you will go down the road" Then
some school children came along their way
home
ARREST OF MRS. WALTON.
Mrs Walton the wife of the man whose life was
attempted was placed under late this after
noon, having il is alleged been instrumental in
hiring the negro to assassinate her husband In
fact, it is thought that she was to furnish the
money 10 be paid Frazer for committing the hell
ish crime.
In an interview with Mrs. Walton tonight she
denied having anything to do with the assassina-
ton, and asserts she never had any connection
with the negro Frazer, directly or indirectly. She
claims she is the victim of unfortunate circum-
stances, and what now looks as bad evidence for
her will eventually be cleared away.
Frazer was taken to Jail at Greensburg this
evening.
AN EXCITED IOPULACE.
Later-Great excitement prevails at st. Paul to-
night. and talks of Judge Lynch taking the case
In hand are heard on all sides.
The physicians say that Garrett will recover. al
though not able to be removed yet.
The house of John M. Walton and the vicinity
has been the scene IN the last few years OF sew.
eral tragic circumstances. Dol Arnold. brother
Of Mrs. Walton, was shot by her paramour, Gar
rett. in sight of the house, about two years ago.
Five years ago. the attempt made to force
Absalom Slifer to confess where he had his
money concealed; this also occurred in ST.
Omer. In sight of the house. Two
or three years ago one of Mr.. Walton's
sons shot and killed man. for which he was dis
charged, and recently he fired two or three shots
at his father which fortunately did not take
effect. About two or three weeks ago Mary
French, domestic In Mr.. WaltOn's family, was
found burned to a crisp lying in the front door of
the house, no one else being at home at the time,
and nov comes the browning tragedy. which has
already been related.
Another Account.
SHELBYvILLE, Ind. Jan. 12.-John NJ. Walton
died this morning from the wounds received at
the hands OF the negro assassin, Aaron Frazer.
| His remains will be taken TO Anaerson's Ferry
1 int