Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-08-18
HE Is SHOT FROM BEHIND Ry
YOUTH WHO MAS TRYING To
SAVE HIS FATHERS
LIFE.
Trespass ON the Humphrey Farm,
Near Santa Fe, the Cause of
h Dreadful Deed-Au
Parties Concerned
Respectable Cit
liens.

AAi VI
this city, and two or three other
men, his business partners, sold at
public sale, on the John Humphrey
farm, n and a half miles south of
Santa Fe, in Monroec county, a lot
OF lumber they had sawed at the mill
on the Humphrey placeS One of the
buyers of the 1umberS was ]. R.
Shell, who lives 4 miles northwest
OF Laddonia. To get 70 theSsaw mill
by the best route wagons had to
pass through Humphreys farm.
Last Friday afternoon Dick Shell
went to the saw mill for thehumber
he had purchased and old Mr..
Humphrey forbade him passing
through a gate on his place, and
some harsh words were passed be-
tween the two men. Shell then de-
sisted and, rs the LEDGER is in
formed, told Humphrey he would
send a man the next day who would
go through the gate and to the saw
mill and get the lumber.
The next day, Saturday, Mr..
Shell, having business VI Laddonia.
sent Elmer Kerr, who was working
for him, to the Humphrey place
with a wagon to get the lumber.
When Kerr arrived he found old
man Humphrey and his son Err
nest, aged about Is years, guarding
the gate through which Kerr wanted
to pass. The old man and son, it
is said, were both armed, the former
with IN old rifle barrel cut to half
its original length and the son with
a pistol. The Humphrey side of
the story is, that when Kerr made
known his intention to pass through
the gate the boy interfered and was
knocked down by Kerr. The old
man then ran to his sons assistance
and while he and Kerr were strug-
Cling the son, it seems, came up
from behind and shot Kerr through
the back of the head, killing him
instantly. Old man Humphrey is
a cripple and is about 20 years old
and the boy claims he shot Kerr
to save his fathers life. Neighbors
soon came to the spot and when
Kerr's body was examined the ram
rod from old man Humphreys
weapon was found in the dead
mans hand. The tragedy occurred
about II O'Clock Saturday morning.
Young Humphrey and father went
to Paris and surrendered to an officer
and their preliminary examination
took place before a Justice of the
Peace at Santa Fe Monday. James
G.. Trimble, of this city, went to
Santa Fe in the interest of the
Humphreys. Kerr's friends claim
that when he went for the lumber
he did not know there would be any
trouble about getting it. The kill
ing occurred in Monroe county about
one mile from the Audrain line.
Geo. Hall, who has been operat-
ing the saw mill all spring and sum-
mer, claims to have made arrange
ments with Humphrey to let the
lumber be taken out through his
land, but it seems the old man
changed his mind and, it is report
ed refused to let the teams go either
way after they had entered his
premises; neither would he take
money offered him for the privilege
of taking the lumber out.
The Humphreys have heretofore
been peaceable and inoffensive citi-
zens and this is their first trouble
of the kind. Young Kerr was also
known as a quiet and orderly man.
He was an Odd Fellow and had the
respect Of all who knew him. His
father lives in Santa Fe.
The funeral of Kerr took place al
Laddonia Sunday at O'Clock and
was largely attended. A number
of Odd Fellows went from this city.
THE KERR KILLING.
The preliminary examination Of
young Ernest Humphrey and his
father, John Humphrey, for killing
| Elmer Kerr near Santa Fe last Sat.
urday has been postponed unit
Friday next, Oh account of materia
witnesses being absent. The tria
will take place at Santa Fe. Father
and son were returned to Paris tt
iail. The LEDGER is informed there
was no talk of mob violence. Thu
bullet hole in the top of Kerr's heae
shows that young Humphrey sho
while he was standing in front o
Kerr, and while the latter was seuf
fling on the ground with the ole
man.
1t is now stated that Dick Shel
said to Humphrey, when the latte
would not let him pass through tn
gate, that he (Shell) would get a
officer and not that sshe would send
man who would go through
George Robertson, of this city
has been retained to defend th
Humphreys.
Farmers, Attention.
We insure grain OF all kinds
threshed, unthreshed, shelled or