The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-08-08

domestic IN the family OIL MI. move, where
she stopped some months, leaving there to
enter the service OF Mr.. Purcell's family,
some time last fall, where she remained un-
til the present trouble arose.
About two months ago il became whis.
pered about Iona that Purcell was paving
entirely too much attention to Miss Lapee,
and il was also said that he had been lock-
ed up in a room with her on one occasion,
during which time they had not conducted
themselves i'm a manner becoming chris
tIans. OF course these rumors reached
the ears of Purcell. and he became holly
indignant,
DENoUNCING THE WHOLE STORY As FALSE,
and calling for a thorough investigation.
Purcell then set about TO trace the ugly
rumors To some reliable source, and,
after considerable labor, laid them at the
door Of Joe Robinson, young man about
twenty-five years of age, whose father is a
well-to-do farmer of the Ionia neighbor-
hood. Robinson was accused of starting
the report, and denied il in emphatic
terms. He said he could prove that all
that had been charged against Purcell
came direct from Purcell's mother and
IL.
elimination and rscrimination followed
fast upon each other, and things waxed
warm, as both Robinson and Purcell had
their followers. Purcell, however, seemed
to be trying to force the fighting, and said
he wanted the thing over with, and
HIS CHARACTER INDICATED.
Last Sunday quite number of the peo-
pie living in the vicinity of Flat creek
church congregated at that edifce for the
purpose of attending divine worship, but
as the pastor failed to put in an appear
ance, the discussion of the Purcell-Lap
affair was INDUCED i'm.
John Howe, young man who had i'm
the past paid some little attention 10 Miss
Lapee, warmly championed Purcell, say
ing that there never had been ANYTHING
wrong between him and the girl. and he
could trace 1t all to Joe Robinson He
wound up by
CCRSING THE ROBINSON FAMILY,
and i'm consequence free fight came near
being the result. 1t was averted, though,
and mutual friends of the parties interested
set about trying to fix a time for hearing
all the evidence i'm the case and ascertain
ing whether Purcell was really guilty, and,
if not, who was responsible for the charges
preferred against him.
Finally, it was agreed that the friends of
both, accompanied by witnesses, should
meet at what is known as Robinson's
school house, one half-mile west of the
church, on Saturday, July 18th, when the
matter would be thoroughly investigated.
This reached the ears of BAZoo reporter,
and Saturday afternoon found him AT the
school house, where probably twenty-five
or thirty farmers and farmers SONS had con-
gregated. There was
But ONE SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION,
and from what the writer heard and wit
messed lac soon. became convinced that
friends were i'm the majority
In the meantime large crowd had COL
lected al the church, half a mile distant,
but did not seem inclined to proceed to the
school house, where the trial had been adj
vertised TO take place. This latter party
of Psrcell and his friends. See
ing that a settlement was not likely TO
occur unless one party Or the other conce-
led something, Robinson and his friends
proceeded TO the church, which swelled the
crowd to nearly one hundred persons, all
Of whom were
DEEPLY INTERESTED SPECTATORS.
That entire section of country had
turned out, il seemed some having Travelled
4 distance of seven or eight miles i'm order
% be present. When the two factions met
Il was an easy task for an outsider to e
hat the chances for a free fight were re-
good, i'm the event hearing of
he case was entered into. 1t had been
understood that each party interested
would select six men, thus forming a Jury
d twelve, to whom all the evidence was to
De presented, and they were to determine
whether young Robinson had originated
he scCrrilOus charges, or whether they
lad emanated from Purcell's mother and
sisters, as was claimed by Robinson's sup
,orters. 1t soon became noised around
hat
/ REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BAZoO WAS
PRESENT,
md all the evidence adduced would ap-
,ear in the columns of the paper published
or the people now on earth, and in conse-
Iuence the majority of the crowd were i'm
Ugh glee. Not SO with Purcell, however.
L TequiTca ho cdSic eye to uiSccTn thdt liz
vas ill at ease, and when he called Robin
on to his side and walked him some dis
ance from the crowd, where they engaged
u earnest conversation, there were many
vho were heard to remark, "Oh, they are
.oing to compromise this thing"
Purcell's friends had said previous 10 the |
ime set for the trial that they had three |
witnesses by whom they could prove Joe
told one man that Purcell and
Mss Lapee
HAD SLEPT TOGETHER;
o another he said they had locked them |
elves i'm a room for an hour, and to a third |
hat they were entirely too intimate.
These three charges were laid at the |
DOR OF Robinson, and he desired that Pur-
ell produce proof to the effect that he had |
originated them.
After Purcell and Robinson had con-
ersed few minutes on the open prairie,
he former called to him Mr. John Howe,
7hile Robinson summoned his brother, DIR. |
Will Robinson. a school teacher residiuo