The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-01-19
Assassination and Suicide,

Oh faul, IN DoCdLur OOpuGy, 1uuldud, Was
horribly shocked by the assassination, a few
days ago, Of John Walton, farmer living near
that village. Mr.. Walton was sitting at his
front window reading, between the hours Of
and Z in the evening, when he received heavy
charge of shot in the head from without, kill
ing him instantly. The doings Of Mrs. Wal
ton, and the relations Of a negro named Aaron
Frazer to herself and Oscar M. Garrett, with
whom (Garrett) she has been suspected
as being unduly intimate, lead to
the negro's arrest. He at once
confessed the crime and said he had been en-
ployed by Garrett to put Walton out of the
way. Garrett was then arrested and taken at
once to Squire Fugit's Office, where he learned
OF Frazer's arrest and confession. Thinking
that the evidence would probably hang him,
and not caring to die on the gallows, Garrett
no doubt formed q resolution to cheat the
hangman, for after he had been in the Office
few minutes he asked permission to leave the
room short time, and the request was granted,
the officer who arrested him going along
rs guard The two crossed the street, went
| through . saloon into the backyard, passing
under . woodshed. Here, before he could
be prevented, Garrett drew his revolver,
and putting it to his head fred two shots in
quick succession, producing mortal wounds.
| In the crowd that collected was the Prosecuting
| Attorney, and to him Garrett stated that he
desired to tell his part Of the assassination.
| Paper was procured and Garrett commenced by
saying that Walton's wife was implicated in the
killing of her husband, and went on to say that
Aaron Frazer told him that some one wanted
him Frazer) to kill Walton; did not say who
wanted him to kill Walton. 81 told him not
to kill Walton, and had no idea that he would.
never hired him or offered him anything to
kill Walton. was at Walton's house yesterday
evening just before the shooting. Mrs. Wal
ton said she would have to have something
done that she could not live this kind of o
life much longer. She said she did not have
to have anything done on my account
that Walton kicked and cuffed her, choked her,
and threatened to shoot her, and drew his
knife and threatened to cut her throat time
and again. She told me that Walton slapped
her of the chair and then kicked her the
evening after I saw him in Henry Hoovers
saloon, when Davis was present. never
wronged John Walton or any other man in
my life. While was at walton's yesterday
evening twenty minutes before four o'clock, she
said, Give me that letter, you villain /; could
kill you.' I handed her the pistol and told
her to kill me. She said, Il will if you will
20 down the road Then some school
children came along on their way home
It is q notorious fact that Garrett and Mrs.
Walton have been on very intimate terms, and
80 infatuated was she with him that two years
ago, when in . difficulty Garrett shot and
killed Dol Arnold, Mrs. Waltons brother, she
did not break OF with him. So excited were
the people over the killing of Mr.. Walton and
the confession Of Frazer, that a mob was gath
ering to hang Garrett when he shot himself
He is man forty years old, Of fine appear
Ance, and has wife and five children. Mrs.
Walton is under arrest and Frazer is in jail.