The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1884-03-05


shot was premature :that the man had
ms revolver cooked. and inhis ner
vousness pressed the trigger at the
time same he demanded the money.
But when the first s,lot was tirei. the
man at the window saw that the old
man was about to get his gun. so he
| fired and with fatal effect
As soon as It was certain that the
murderers had disappeared, an alarm,
was gwen in the neighborhood, and
word Immediately sent to this city,
and large posse OF men was soon
gathered and proceeded to the house.
A examination of the premises
and vicinity showed that in the road
were the tracks of three horses a
slight snow had barely covered the
ground, and the tracks were barely
distinguishable. The theory is that
| there were three men connected witt,
the affair, and that while two of
| them proceeded on their inurderous
errand, the third remained i'm the road
beside the fence and held the horses.
1t was subsequently discovered that
about mile aud half south OF the
scene of the tragedy, two horses had
been stolen from a man named Smith
II was also learned this morning that
last night, just at the breaking up of
| a roller skating party. which occur
red shortly after ten O'Clock, two
men riding on horse back came
through here, with their horses on a
lope. Thus far, no evidence has
been produced to show thac these
could have been the same men
As has been stated, old Uncle
Johnny Wells was a respectable and
esteem "a citizen of the ncighborhood
in which lie lived. There had been.
however. some i'll feeling against hlm
on the part OF some young men who
had been reproved by him on account
of bad conduct These Young fcI-
lows bore bad regulations, and one
theory OF the people is that they
might have cherished and brooded
over their ,ll-feeling toward the old
gentleman, to such an extent as 10
engender deadly hatred and a de-
sire for revenge. and that they final
" took his lite 10 wiDe out the insult.
1t is stated on good authority that
three OF these ,oung men ostensibly
started for Colorado. several days
since, and that this move may have
been only i blind, and that they came
back and accomplished their revenge.
and then made good their escape.
The theory is at least plausible.
Another theory, which prevails to
a greater or less extent, is that rob-
berry was the object OF the raid
ers; that the. were men acquaint-
Ct. with the habit OF the family
in keeping their money under
the table cover, and that they sup
posed there was considerable sum
there. That going there to accom-
piish the robbery the man who en-
tered to awe the inmates became
f1urried and shot off his revolver by
his nervousness, and thus perpetrat
ed murder. and secured for the re-
wald of their crime only a bare nick
le and a watch.
The excitement in this town to-
dav IS intense, and threats are freely
induIgesi in that should they he caught
they would be strung up without GER
enion. to the nearest tree. Our citi-
zens have subscribed the sum of
$500 As :, reward Tor the apprehen-
SION oi the murderers. and no effort
will be spared TO hr:ns them to JUS
ice kilograms navc been sent in
every direction. and >.aresd detec-
tives have, heen pus IA work. s., that
tl,> murtierers will he soon appre-
hendcsl. and the la~ he dclt ou; To
them in all IT'S severity
L. !. Moore, near Hunsingda.e
Henry County fin.is HAT there Is