Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-21
GUARDS AND THEIR GUNS
STAVE OFF A LYNCHlNG THAT WAS
ALMOST DESIRABLE.

| particulars OF Recent DeRillsh Crime In
Ininois-Bloody Sequel to the Work of
the Divorce COurt-The Divorced Hus-
band Kills His Successor in the Pres
ence of wife and CHILDREN.
CANTON, Ills, April 2l.-The crime perpe-
trated near this city on Wednesday afternoon
by John j. Harris was fiendish one Thir-
| teen years ago FarIis married Miss Dbbie
Bauman. Two children, boys, aged respec-
lively II and 5 years, were born to them
| -Four years ago, on account of brutal treat
ment, Mrs. Farris procured divorce from
her husband, who had squandered her for
tune in absolute living, the court awarding to
| her the custody of the children. Two months
| ago Mrs. Farris was married TO Stephen Nc
| Gehee, a farmer Mr.. and Mrs. McGehee
| took up their residence on the Wilcoxen farm
about three miles south of Canton.
| On Saturday, April IA, Eddie, the eldest
| boy, wrote Farris, his father, that his mother
was married again, Farris was engaged at
the time with n party Of railroad surveyors
/ in Henderson county, west of here News of
his former wife's marriage seems to have
turned him into a human devil, for immedi-
| ately after receiving his sons letter he come
| to Canton, arriving here on Monday. His
| whereabouts on Tuesday are unaccounted
| for, but il is known that he was under the in
| fluence of liquor and threatened to kill Nc
| Gehee and his wife. On Wednesday morning
| he was seen going south toward the residence
of McGehee. 1t is probable he went direct
| TO the premises and remained in hiding,
| awaiting the appearance of McGehee, who
was haulings logs some distance from home.
About l o'clock McGehee came home.
While he and his little family were at the din
| ner- table, Farris opened the door and walked
in, revolver in hand, Approaching thetable
| he fired at McGehee, eXclaiming: 81 have
come to kill you and her, and I'll do it" The
| first shot McGehee received in his right arm.
| He begged Farris not to kill him, but Farris
| fired again, the second bullet crashing
| through the brain. Farris then turned upon
Mrs. McGehee telling her that she had to die,
too Mrs McGehee caught his arm and
pulled the pistol aside and Eddie also caught
hold of him, begging piteously for his mothers
life In the struggle that ensued Farris
tripped and fell and was held down for a
time, being allowed to arise upon his promise
to spare her life For an hour he kept the
woman terrori2ed refusing to allow her to
enter the house. Finally he gave the re-
volver to Eddie and told him to get his
brother and go to the barn and play. The
little fellow, thinking he was saving his
mothers life by getting away with the re-
volver, promptly took it and went as re-
quested.
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