The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1884-05-07
Cas- County Tragedy.


long time over one OF the most hor
rIble tragedies which has occurred in
this section for years. The terrible
affair occurred last evening about 3
miles north OF West Line, Cass coun-
ty, Young man named James Ma.
well shooting and instantly killing hls
brothcr-in-law, Newton Latoon,
while the victim was seated with his
family at his home. The deed was
commit, I'd without any warning be
ing given the victim, Maxwell going
to his brother-in-law's house about Q
o o'clock in the evening, and shooting
him through a window while he was
sitting on the edge of the bed prepar-
atory to retiring. The ball struck
Lafoon in the hack, ranging upward
and penetrating the heart, causing
ALMOST INSTANT DEATH.
The origin of the Ill feeling which
terminated in the tragedy, was SAID
to be the opposition Lafoon strongly
urged against his sister receiving the
attentions of Maxwell. Although
this bitterness was known to have eX-
isted for some time, the extent of the
feeling was not known until the
bloody deed of last night had been
committed. Itis not known that the
men had seen each other that day, and
Maxwell came and went without
meeting anv one on the night OF the
tragedy. The man was lame, and
the tracks were easily Unidentified as
his. They showed that he had gone
about half mile, where he
stole a horse. and rode to Somerset,
in Kansas, station some distance
west of West Line, on the Holden
branch of the Missouri Pacific.
Here he turned the horse loose and
took the first train which came along
and went to Paola. Kan.
THE NEWS OF THE MURDER
had not been spread till morning.
Mrs. Lafoon and her three little
children had remained in the house
alone with the dead body OF the hus-
band and father, and the children
| being small there was no one to send
out to spread the terrible news.
When the facts of the killing became
| known. excitement grew to fierce
intensity at once, and squads of men
were quickly formed to search tor
the missing murderer.
Lafoon was quiet, peaceable far
mer, about 80 years of age. and was
well liked by all who knew him.
I his fact. and the cowardly manner
IN which he had been killed int1amed
public indignation to an extraordinary
degree, and it was freely threatened
that if the murderer were overtaker
he would be given
VERY SWIFT JUSTICE.
| At first it was not known who wa
the perpetrator of the outrage. bu
the absence of Maxwell and tn.
tracks about the Lafoon homestead
soon pointed suspicion toward him
The trans were watched, scoutin.
parties renamed out all day, but NJ
trace of Maxwell was found. Thi
evening when the train came in from
the west. Maxwell allghted at Yves
Line having returned from Paola Q
, his own accord.
He was at once confronted by
brother of Lafoon. whose emotion
were so great as to completely over
power Inn. Maxwell appeare
quite cool, and when some of til
| crowd went to arrest him, he de
nanded a warrant to show the obje'
of the arrest. \ large crowd of me
soon gathered about Maxwell. an
: FEARS OF I.YNCHING
were ertetained. \ strong guar
: was put over him. however. and
was hoped that ii would not be a
: tenped. A brother Of Maxwell
we'll known and very popular in tn
: vicinity. and it was thought this ia
- might have some weight with Il
: mob.
Maxwell IS 4 Young man = yea
=. of age. and until thus horrible alta
occurred. has borne good reputatlt
He had lived IN the county. WI
others o. his .amilv for several wear
:. and formerly kept a drug store
West Line. His sister was marrr'
to Lafoon. The Maxwell> former
:. lived in Jackson county. and the ch
slreu were born and raised IN t
neips,borhood % Lone lack. tt
, county.
Harrisonville Mo-. May 3.-Jan1
- Maxwell. arrested veserdav at W.
i Line for the nur,ler OF Newt Lafoc
# committed suicide to-day by TAXI