The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-02-15
Terrible Tragedy in a st. Louis Court.
Room.

ST. L0UIS, February 5
John G. Parker, who was TO have been tried
this afternoon for the mur1cr of Mike Peytou
a baker, shot his wife dead in the Grim mai
Courtroom to-day and then Tut a bullet
through his own br in. The room was crowded
with lawyers, witnesses AMI spectators
While another case was being heard Parker
wife, Ne lie, and his three sisters were in the
court, and during the morning Mrs. Parker
had stood near the cage in which her husband
was confined, and had been engaged in close
conversation with him. About noon Parker $
lawyer asked to be allowed to consult with
Ms client Leave being granted, the prisoner
was taken out of the cage, and, followed by
his wife, two of his sisters and two attorneys.
wds taken to the jury-room, which opens Oft
the south 81 e Of the courtroom. They all sat
down around a long table, and the prisoner
started to give his lawyer a list Of witness s.
All eyes were of the man for an instant. HIS
wife was sitting beside him. Suddenly a shot
was heard and she settled back in her
chair corpse, never moving or speak
ing, The report set the whole building in
an uprOar, but before interference
was possible, Parker placed the muzzle of the
pistol just behind his right ear and fired scat
terIng his own brains all over the ROOM He
died in an hour never speaking after the
shot. Where he got the pistol is a mystery
1t is supposed his w.fa or IS sister, Mrs
Craft gave it to him. Mr.. Craft, his brother
in-law, identified the weapon as belonging to
MIN, but all say no one but his wife was near
enough to the prisoner to give it to him Ev-
erythlng ind Gates that the whole affair was
concOcted deliberately, and that Mrs Parker
went TO the courtroom knowing she was to be
killed. She told three people yesterday that
she would have to die. 1t would be be, ter for
her baby, as it would get $1,000 from the
Knights and Ladies' of Honor, of which order
she had been member. Mrs. Parker and her
husband had been married about six years
Rot hr4V.r
who lived in the nor hcrn part of the citv
Those who knew her say she was strikin rIv
handsome, petite and stoutly built and in
every way an attractive girl. As she lay 6ead
on the table it could be seen she was still
pretty woman letter was found in Parker's
cell, written by him, IN which he declared his
intention OF killing himself aud wife. From
the tone Of the lett r it is plain that the wife
was party to her husbands plans.
About four o'clock on the morning of Au-
gust 20, 1881, a crowd of men, among them
Johnny Parker and Nike Peyton, were stand
ing in front of a saloon on the corner of Fifth
street and Lucas avenue, when Parker and
Peyton, both of whom were very hot-headed
when intoxicated, quarreled over paying for
a drink. Peyton, who was large man, aimed
a vicious blow at Parker with a knife This
thrust Parker swOre missed its mark and took
his assailant in the side, cutting open the alb
domen and letting forth the entraiIs. Such
Peyton was taken to the hospital. and there
be sWore that Parker had come up to hIm as he
was standing in the saloon. and drawing a long
knife had cut him in the side Peyton then put
his hand to his side and staggered to the edge
of the sidewalk, where he fell fainting from
loss of blood. Parker ran east to an alley
and up the alley, throwing away his knife
as he ran. Policeman King was called to the
spot and gave chase, catching the fugitive
before he lad gone block. Parker was ugly
and resisted violently, and King and two other
officers were able with difficulty to get him to
the police station. There he was found to be
so much under the influence of liquor that he
was threatened W tn de!irium tremens. Rem
edies were applied and the man saved from
the attack. As as he was able to speak
he told his story in a straightforward manner,
and never varied from it even when Peyton,
on his death-bead, identified him as the muir
derer- Parker was the son of wealthy pa
rents and had been well educated and
brought up, but on reaching manhood he had
fallen into bad ways, from which his wife, q
woman of refinement in vain attempted
again and again to rescue him. and from which
Parker who was fine bOok-keeper, promised !
to sever himself only to fall back Into bad |
company, until he committed murder