Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-21
A DETERMINED MURDERER,
A Nebraskan in Iowa Tries to Kill a
Family.
THE LEAVlTTS ARE ARRESTED
Crete as n Cattle Market-A Parson-
age Wrecked by Lightning
The Sioux Commissioners
Crops and Crime.
Nick Foiey's Bloody Work.

ELGlN, NeO., June w. special Telegram
to The BEE. Word was brought to town
at an early hour this morning that Nick
Foley had shot Pomeroy Clark and wife,
killing Mrs Clark instantly and slightly
wounding her husband. MIR. Clark lives
about three miles north and one mile east of
this place, and when the report reached here
warrants were sworn out and placed in the
hands of the constable, who, in company
with doctor, started at once for MIR. Clark's
1t seems that Foley was in love with Miss
Effie Riggs, a sister of Mrs. Clark,
and the young lady wished to
have nothing to do with HIM. His
prospects in that direction were
not very encouraging and he became des-
perate. Last night Foley went to Clark's
stairs shot MIR. CLARK, inficting slight
wound in his side. Mr. Clark grappled with
him aud threw him cut of the door.
Foley then procured ladder and clambered
up to the chamber window. Mrs. Clark
heard HIM at the window and, sitting up in
bed, asked what was the matter. In reply
she received bullet in the head, instantly
killing her.
Foley then fired several more shots at
Clark and Miss Riggs who had fastened to
the scene, but without any effect.
The BEE correspondent went to the scene
of the murder, but was unable to interview
Clark on account of the DOCTORS positive
orders to the contrary. The coroner's inquest
was held at ) o'clock this afternoon, and the
evidence was as follows:
Foley, who had been staying at Clark's off
and on for several years, went to Clark's a
few days ago and commenced to quarrel
with Miss Riggs. Mrs. Clark interfered, and
attempted to drive him away, but Foley
turned on her and commenced to curse her.
Mrs. Clark then called her husband, who
was at the barn, to come and help them. Clark
came to the house and ordered Foley to leave
and not come back again. Foley left, swear
ing he would kill Henry Riggs, the young
lady's father, before the week was out Last
night one of Clarks children became restive,
and about IL o'clock Clark arose and
gave the child some medicine. He
went to ped and fell asleep at once. How
long he slept he does not know, but thinks it
was only short time. Suddenly he felt
something strike him in the sid and he sprag
up in bed, exclaiming "Who is striking me?"
Mrs. Clark cried out: "Some one shot
you" Clark spraug out of the bed and ran
into the adjoining room and heard some per-
son down stairs in his socking feet. Clark
turned to the room and pulled the bed against
che door to prevent the assassin's re-
turn. About eighteen or twenty min
utes elapred when Mrs. Clark, who
was sitting on the side of the bed next to a
glass door in the ped chamber, heard noise
and said, 81 hear some one climbing up to
the window" She then parted the curtain
peered out, dodging back Immediately, and
again peeped, when q pistol flashed in
her face and she dropped back dead, without
a word. The assassin then turned his firing
on Miss Riggs, who was sitting in the oppo-
site corner of the room, and fired four shots
at her without doing any damage. This
ended the firing, and as one of Clark's
horses is gone, it is supposed the murderer
took it and fled.
AS soon as the firing ceased Clark went to
the window and commenced to cry
"Murderi" with all his might, in hopes
of arousing some of his neighbors None
came, however, until daylight, when Henry
Duvall was passing, and hearing his cries.
went to investigate, finding Mrs. Clark dead
on the floor and Mr.. Clark very badly
wounded, the bullet striking a rib on the left
side, and passing through the lower part of
the lung, lodged in the back DUvall at once
spread the alarm and posses were sent out in
all directions to hnnt for the murderer. Tel
egratns were sent all over the country.
about 8 O'Clock this afternoon, when
telegram was received from
Erickson, Wheeler county, saying that
atman answering The description given had
passed through there about an hour before
they received the telegram from here The
evidence against Foley is purely circumstan-
tial, but every one seems to feel certain that
he committed the deed, as he had made nu-
merous threats to kill them all.
The following is good description of
Foley: Twenty-siX years old, dark complex
shaven smooth except q stub of moustache,
weight about 100 pounds; height, 5 feet s
inches. He was riding sorrel horse.
The coroner adjourned the inquest until
tomorrow at 8 o'clock a. M, when new eyi-
dence will be taken.