The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-12-11
A se4tupIe Tragedy.


UaAjiA. Neb., Dec. 6.-The report
thss.a sextupis tragedy had been COM
m,t.ed on Wednesday tfiofhihe last in
the frontier county OF Custer, which WIS
at first regarded Is sensational fabri-
cation, u probably true. The story was
first published IN the Green Island In
dependent of Yesterday. which paper re-
csived q communication by mail from
Custsr county. Although nothing is
known OF the tragedy IN Dawson county,
ms. south OF Custer, and although dis
patch from Plum Greek, the nearest tel
eRraph station 10 Custer county, says
there is no such place as Walw9rth, the
scene of the tragedy is Custer county.
vet q dispatch received from Grand Is-
island, says the report is cOEroborated
by g man who arrived in that place TO-
day from Custer The following are the
partlculers OF the crime:
An old man named Jacob Finley liV
ed on farm three miles west of Wal.
worth, In Chester county, Finley was
Q WIdoWer With two handsome daugh-
terra, the delight and solace of his old
age. They were named Annie and Mary
and were 10 and % years of age respec-
lively. On the place lived a young man
named FurQutn, and he il appears WAS
deeply in love with Mary Finley, who
did NOT rscIpr0cste his affections and
she was being couFtfd by another young
man named Williams. Williams and a
!, faan named Watlies called the
early part of Tuesday evening to
escort the Finley giIls 10 g
6an given IN WalwOFih. This aroused
the ereeu-eyed monster IN young Fur
asHA he naA hnWNdaIf NTH dom
| bIe-baYrelcd shotgun and patiently
awaited the return of the party, which
was about 3 O'Clock Wednesday morn
ing. He was hiding behind some straw
stacks, and when the party drove mp to
the door, alighted and were bidding
each other good night, this fiend from
his hiding place fired both barrels of his
| shotgun, heavily loaded with buck shot,
| into the party. Fannie finley and John
| Williams were instantly killed and Mary
Finley and Wattles fell dying TO the
Sround. Furquin. fully aroused, with
| all the appearance of q demon, sprang
forward and began clubbing.his victims
| over the head with the butt end OF his
gun. Old man Finley, hearing the shots,
| came TO the door to what was the
matter, when he was hit upon tine head
and knocked senseless by Furquin.
| When all lay moliDnl 81 aud bleeding,
Furquin. seeing his bloody work was
accomplished. and seemingly MT yet
satisfied, set fire to the straw stacks, the
house and the grass on the prairie, " hich
| spread and did much damage. He then
| went to the river and shot himself
through the head, but lived long enough
to to give al outline of the above facts.
This is one of the saddest affairs that
ever occurred IN that region, and great
excitement prevails throughout the val
ley as the news spreads Young Fur
Quin was seemingly a modest and IN
offensive young man, and tor time il
was thought he was one of the victims
of the foul wholesale murder. but furth.
or developments and inquiry substan-
tiated the foregoing facts. Williams
lived with his parents four miles north
of Walworth. and Watlies was q clerk
in town. Further inquiries may de.
velop'more facts, as the excitement is
running so high at present. that every
body has a horror Of speaking of it
The sheriff has arrived with the coroner
and an inquest will Re held.