Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1893-08-03
Awful Accusation.
DID ROB'T WHEELER'S CRUELTY
CAUSE THE DEATH OF
HIS CHILD?
The Corpse Disinterred and q Cor0.
ntr's Inquest Heid-The Mothers
Awful Story.

\
Boone county Thursday, where b.
went to hold an inquest in connection
with c. V. Bicknall, Coroner O
Boone county, over the dead bod,
of the infant child of Mr.. and Mrs
Robert Wheeler. The result wal
that the father was ordered arrested
charged with causing the infant.
death.
1t appears from Mrs. Wheeler's
evidence that her husband not only
caused the child's death by his in
human treatment, but that he has
tormented her in a horrible manner,
at times declaring he would kill her
HER EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.
Mrs. Sallie Wheeler, the mother ol
the deceased child, testified that she
was "a years of age and had been
married to Robert Wheeler 2 years.
She said her little child was 4 months
old when it died on July 18th, its
demise having taken place at the
home of her father, MIR. Robert Blan-
ton, in Boone County. She said her
husband told her before the child
was born that he would not buy it
anything or treat it well, especially
if it was girl. After its birth he
treated it in q horrible manner. He
would take it by the nose and hold
it, thus smothering it until it was
almost unconscious. At other times
he would take it and hold it straight
up and slap it so hard that it would
fall almost dead. He would not let
me interfere. He told me if would
leave the house he would not treat
it so badly. He would then throw
the child in the cradle and never did
lay it down kindly. If l objected
he would go on with his meanness.
While was out of the house would
scream and he was afraid the neigh
bors would hear me. He would tell
me If 1 did not hush that he would
kill me and the baby too. One night
about 2 O'Clock he acted in this way,
getting up, and after dressing he
would go out of the house. I asked
him what he was doing and he said
that he was planning way to kill
me and the Sd d-n young one.
He said he was going to Centralia to
get gun for this purpose. The
day left for my fathers he got on
his horse and left and l went walk
ing behind him with my baby and
its clothes. He went to Mr.. Sum-
mer's and asked for a gun. MIR.
Summers asked him what he want
ed with it and he said he wanted to
go squirrel hunting. On the 4th of
July we went to Centralia. Miss
Matte Barkwell accompanied us,
going on my husbands invitation.
As we returned home that afternoon
he treated me and the baby outrage
ously. He said he wished big rain
storm would come up and drown me
and the child.
Mrs. Wheeler said on one occas-
ion her husband got up at 2 O'Clock
in the night and threatened her and
the baby's life, and that he took
hold of the little one by the chin and
pressed its headback and chooked it
until it could not cry; then he
would pinch it to make it cry. CAT
another time," said Mrs. Wheeler,
"he laid the child on the floor and,
putting his foot over its head, said
See how easy could kill the damn
little thing and then swear you did
it yourself. -
THE VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The verdict of the jury was thai
the child came to its death from baG
treatment on the part OF its father
The jury was as follows: w. II
Brown, M. A. Andrews, E. A. Gay
]. P. Hedges, w. B. Blackmer and
J. G. Brown.
ProsecutingAttorney JIG. Trimbl'
sworn out a warrant for the accused
and Deputy Sheriff Stephens wen
to Boone county after him.
WHEELER IN JAIL.
! Deputy Sheriff Stephens arrived
flate that afternoon with the prisone
land he was locked up in the count.
Iiail. A LEDGER reporter called OF
him and asked if he had anything
to say. g Am not guilty." SAT-
the prisoner in very positive tone
When told that he had not onl,
been accused of causing his child
death, but of mistreating his wife
he said: "Inever beat her, althougl
l was influenced to plead guilty
such a charge before a Justice G
the Peace at Thompson Station.
| was told that would be the easiet
way out of it. / never did viii
her." When questioned about th
death of his child Wheeler said: g
did not mistreat it. While WI
plowing in the field my wife too
! the child and went to her folks
Boone county. They never let n
know anything about the child
illness nor its DEATH
Il This case is somewhat simil
to that of Lloyd Heinbaugh al