The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-04-21
A Horrible Murder in Holt
County, Mo.
A Widow Woman Sh OF and
Instantly Killed.
A Daughter and Son Fatally
Wounded.
The Shootist Kills Himself to
Escape Judge Lynch.

st. JOSEPH, Mo-, April 14-[Specisl. l.
Part culars of one Of the most finds h
or mes In the history of the state were re-
ceiv,d mere In day, the scene of the ira ysdy
b-ing Holt county. four mil S northeast of
y d way sta ion, one half mile west of tn,
Andrew county line. K siding on a farm
at The point named lived Mrs. josephine
Hardin, a widow, ~ We rs old and her
h ee children, the oldest bsidg Mrs. + la
Haunmon, the secopd Miss Ann, 10, and
Johnnie, II. Two mrnlhs ago Anna gsve
birth TO an al G timale Child, aud on being
que Toned she It ted she had been seduced
by William Clark; farmer eyed so, who
lived i'm the reighborhosi a. d md a wife
and TWO children. Soon after the brh OF
the c. lid the Hsrdins demanded reparation
OF Clark, but he " obdJraie and net uR-
til Ms Hrrdin
THREATENED TO RosECUTE HIM
for seduction did h show any signs of re-
lenting. Yes'e: day the party visited OregC n
the county seat OF Holt, for the purpose of
effe tir g a settleme, L III V sought a law
ytr's office, end a long wra1ele ensu' d.
Clark was willing 10 allow $500 TO pay for
his wrong but The Hard rs wanted $500.
To this de nsnd Clark would not acc DE-
ard at nj hit the parties returned home,
end agreed to call at Mrs. Hardin's IT Ia
ter time and talk matters over again, and
see if conclusion could net De reached
He put Ia an appearance a; 8 o'clock, and
al on opened up negotiations by Offering
to pay $500 and thus settle matters. This
offer WAS again refused, ard til. dtught r
became iucen ed and acc, sed Clark with
L. Il L.
bore h reproofs In silence, but at length
became angry, and producing SS-caliore
self arting revolver, PLACID II at MR.. Har-
din's ihesd AID FIR, d. The bail took eff, CT
over the right eye,
PRODUCING INSTANT DEATH.
The man was now . demon. Turning to-
words the daughter, Anna, whom he had
ruin,d, he PLACID the muzzle of the weapon
an inch back OF her right ear and dischatg-
ed il, sf.er which he fired third shot at
the son Johnny, the ball striking: him in
the left cheek and lodging in the muscles
of the neck. The married daughter, Mr..
Hsuman, was also in The hous', but
her presence was uDkoown to Clark and
SIZE escaped injury. Immediately after the
shooting CLARK fed. This morning the
little town Of Nodaway station was a scene
of the widest excitement. The coroner
and sheriff had teen notified at Oregon, and
the neighborhood were securing the woods
for Clsrk. In the little cottage the scene
was horribly impressive. Mrs. Hardin Law
ou:stretched on bed, cod in dea'h. In
auo her room lay the daughter entirely un-
conscious,
THE BRAINS STILL ooZING
out OF the bullet hole In her head. Close
beside her lay her little brother
moaning piieously, his cheeks
torn horribly and bleeding almost
constantly. The small room in which
the tragedy occurred presented a
terrible appearance. Everything was in
The walls and h.ors were smeared
and spattered with blood aud brains.
The search foI Clark WIS prosecuted all
night and threats OF lynchiog when cap
tured We're freely in fulged in. Ii was we'll
kncwn thst he was armei snd with all The
desire TO each the monster and NEE OFT
justice, great caution wss OBJ e.ved. No
trace was found until 10 o'clock this morn
ing, when his liieless body was discovered
by the side of straw stack In OH open field
go yards from his residence. He had sui
cided by shoe ing himself through the head
and IL is Presumed
THE FATAL SHOT WAS FIRED
two hours after enac'ing the tr~gedy at
Mrs. RarGin's residence. Acting Coroner
GOslin, OF Oregon, held al inquest to-day
and verdict in accordance with above
facts was rendered in each instance.
Clark was recognized as man of very bad |
reput alton, but was we'll fixed financially. |
The fami yidid not bear The best reputation |
lud it is alleged the married daughter gave |
birth sn illegiIimate child a couple of
months after marrisge. Information re-
,eive1 from Nodaway alton tonight is to |
he eff. ct that Miss Anna will die, but it is
bought the boy, johnnie, will recover.