Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1893-05-19
A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
VIM. Morris Shoots His Wife and rhen At
tempts Suicide.

tempts Suicide.
A horrible tragedy occurred. six miles
south Of Keytesville. last Monday afternoon,
the facts as gathered by a COURIER represen-
tative being as follows:
VIM. Morris, who was sent from this coun-
" to the penitentinry for ten years in 0cto-
Der. 1882. for being the accomplice OF Asa
Hooten in killing George Wright, ut Shan
noudale. in the summer OF 1881. and who
after serving his time in the state prison,
from which he was released under the three
fourths rule. returned to this county.
On the 23d OF last February Morris, after
at shannondale. by Squire Henry Hayes to
Mrs. George A. Thompson, the divorced sife
of william E. Thompson, q wellto-do citizen
OF Roanoke.
Morris and his wife set up to housekeeping
in the neighborhood of Shannondale. but
Mrs. Morris again found marriage n failure
on account OF Morris abuse, and returned to
her parents, Mr.. and Mrs. +. NJ. Padgett.
who moved from Randolph to this county
some time last winter to a farm belonging to
Joseph Hayward. and where last Mondays
tragedy occurred.
After leaving Morris. Mrs. Morris saw
nothiag more OF him until last Monday
about ] O'Clock in the afternoon, when
he very unexpectedly stepped into the
dining room, where Mrs. Morris. her 6-year-
old son by Thompson, her mother and an
other lady. Mrs. Solomon, were sitting.
Morris did not speak TO any OF the party,
and Mrs Padgett and Mrs. Solomon left the
room. and after they had gone Morris turned
to his wife and, with an oath, asked her II
she was not going 10 live with him, at the
the same time commanding her TO come to
him. She became badly frightened and ap-
preached the chair whore Morris was seated.
but did so with much reluctance knowing so
well Morris brutal instincts. When she got
near enough to Morris he reached and seiIed
her by the hand and pulled her down on his
lap. He again ripped out an oath and in
quired II she was going to live with him. and
she promised that she would II he would
wait until morning. He insisted that she go
with him then and there, but abe entreated
him to wait until morning.
By this time Morris had taken q revolver
from his pocket. and told his vile II she would
not go NOW that he would kin her, call.
ing her e. d. D. and he immediate
ly placed the weapon against her right side
and fired. the ball entering the body an inch
and hall or two inches below the right
breast. ranging downward and backward.
The fiendish husband then raised the revol-
yer, and aimed it at Mrs Morris head. and
Just as she threw up her right hand the sec
ond shot Was fred. the ball fraeturing and
passing through the third finger OF the right
hand between the first aud second joints, and
then entering the right cheek bone ranging
downward and lodging on the inside OF the
upper jaw.
Mrs. Morris little boy. who had been in
the room all this time, ran screaming from
the house, and Morris thrvw his wife from his
lap, gave her kick and started in pursuit OF
the boy.
A Morris got out into the yard he saw
Mrs. Padgett coming toward the house, and
he shot at her. She turned 10 run, and as
she did so she fell, and Morris supposing that
he had killed her did not shoot ut the old
lady again
Just at this critical moment, old man
Padgett. who had been plowing in field
near by. appeared upon the bloody scene,
and Morris turned to run into the house and
as he did 90 turned and shot at the old man,
but without effect
Morris then ran into the house and into
the room where he had shot his wife. and
braeing himself against a door facing placed
his pistol to his forehead and fired. the ball
entering the skull just at the roots OF the hair
above and between the eyes.
Old man Padgett entered the house follow
ing Morris closely and grabbed mp ashot-sun
and would have blown the Williams brains out
but for the sutresties Of Mrs.. Morris. who still
lying on the floor. told her father that Nor
ris was dying and for Gods sake not to shoot
him
The alarm Of the bloed-eurdling tragedy
was given and q number OF neighbors soon
in to render what assistance they
could. Morris. in the interval, had sufficient
" recovered TO get mp and sit in chair. and
was disarmed Of his pistol, n 32-calibre six
shooter, from which Eve shots had been fired,
and n razor. A IS bin was also found on
Morris person. which he requested returned
TO Berry Moore, n Shannoudale merchant,
who lent Mooris the money that morning.
wm. Young came to Keytesville and swore
out n warrant before Squire Ewing for Nor
ris' arrest, and the warrant was placed in the
hands ofsherif Dempsey who made the arrest
and lodged Morris in jail about o O'Clock
Monday night Since Morris has been in Gus
tody his diet has consisted OF coffee and soft
boiled eggs. while his nerves have been braced
by an occasional smoke from his pipe. His
right arm is paralyred. showing the left side
of the brain is Effected. DR.. Dewey, the at-
tending physician. thinks the chances are
against his recovery, but Is getting better
and may recover.
Mrs. Morris is still living. and her physi-
cians, Drs. weleh. OF Salisbury. and MeEusn.
Of shannondals. are doing all in their power
to save her, and are hopeful that she may