Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-09-26
BEVAN-LANGDON CASE
EVIDENCE WHICH SHOWS THE
WIFE, TOO. sINNED.
Correspondence Produced Which Shows
Mrs. Langdon Deceived the Man Who
Became Her Husband and the slayer Of
Her .Tilfod Tovar-Tnucl,in~ sc.uoa .t

NATss LanSdOn DoC0lve0 tile man VINO
Became Her Husband and the Slayer of
Her Tilted Lover-Touching., Scenes at
the Obsequies Of the Victim.
CHICAGO, Sept 19.-Malster G. R. Bullen,
OF the firm of A. F. Bullen & Co., who
employed Murderer John w. Bevan, says
that 1t was the young mans intention to
XIII Langdon as we'll as his wife, not so
much from a feeling of baffled affection and
unrequited love, as out Of revenge for hav-
ing been refused his price as hush money.
In an interview Mr.. Bullen gives the fol-
lowing particulars in the case:
eve hired Bevan about the middle of June"
said Mr.. Bullen yesterday. Ellis salary was IS
a week. He was not a bookkeper, but he did
some Weighing and recorded the figures. He
was not OF much use to us, but he attended to
his duties all right up to about July 4, when he
nrst began to appear uneasy. I being nearly
of the same age as himself, he confided his
troubles to me. He told me he was engaged to
be married to girl in Madison, Miss Smith.
He also furnished me with all the details of
their first acquaintance at college, and how his
acquaintance had ripened into intimacy and
promise to marry. He showed me letters writ
ten by the girl from which it clearly appeared
that a too intimate relation, had existed be-
tween the two for a short time at least.
Then he showed me a letter from her in
WAASAA oiO 1O1o I'LL Su0 Was going W W 1ldT-
rted to w. M. Langdon two days later. AS soon
as he received this letter he w1ote to the father
OF the girl in Madison and also to her brother,
her brother-in-law and the husband-elect, tell
ing them that he held in his possession letters
proving the girl to have been unchaste with
him and strongly limiting that it would take
considerable money from somebody to pur-
chase his silence.
when Langdon received Bevan's letter de-
manding money as the price of his silence the
young husband telegraphed: will be in Chi
cago Tomorrow When Bevan read this mes
sage he Immediately prepared for trouble.
He possessed an old pistol, but fearing to 1ely
upon it he asked me to lend him my revolver.
refused. AS he appeared in the
door OF our Office Bevan saw him
and rushed to his desk for his gun, which he
showed in his pocket. Fol moment the two
men glared at each other, and then like a flash
each had his pistol aimed at the others head.
had been watching for some such move and
before either could fire commanded them to
stop, at the same time covering them with my
own revolver and threatening to shoot If they
did not instantly put up their weapons. Their
faces We're white and set in hard lines and muir
der glared from their eyes, Slowly the two
men lowered their guns, and then Langdon
hoarsely asked Bevan If he possessed letters
written by Mrs. Langdon. Bevan went to his
desk, drew out a packet of letters and with
Langdon standing rigidly at his side read them
aloud. Langdon made an attempt to deny
their identity, but turned pale, and without q
word wheeled around and left the ONCE.
ga few days after this,'' continued Mr.. Bull
len, ''the brother-in-law of Mr.. Langdon, a law
yer, came down from Madison and had an in
terview with Bevan, He asked him how mucl
he wanted for those compromising letters
Bevan demanded $1,000. The lawyer offered
$500, which Bevan refused That was the last
of the negotiations. So far as know, Bevar
stopped writing threatening letters to the CIR
and her friends. But he kept on hoping thai
his price of silence would finally be paid him
AS time went by and no money came Bevan be
came more and more morose, neglected hi
work and seemed to be completely unbalanced
He often made threats in my hearing that If h
did not get his 81 900 he would expose the CIR
and the whole amily, one of the most highl
respected in Madison, believe strongly ad
yised him to accept the $500 offered him and b
satisfied with that. But he was stubborn an
would not do it. AS he kept on neglecting hi
work, and finally became quite obstreperou
| my father discharged him one week ago la
Monday. He then went straight to Iowa, ev
IDENTIFY with the intention of numbering bot
Mrs. Langdon and her husband I had hear
him make frequent threats to do this man
times"