River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-11-30
SLEW TWO WOMEN.
Awful Crime Of a Retired h-er-
chant of Kankakee, Ill.
He Murders His Divorced Wife and the
Woman with Whom She Lived,
Then Attempts TO Take
His Own Life.
suor powS wIruorr wARyTNe.

KASKAKEE, Ill, Nov. 27.-J. d. o.
Smith, retired business man of this
city. at 1880 Friday shot and instantly
killed his wife, who secured a divorce
from him about six months ago. and
Mrs. Catherine Grabill. with whom his
wife lived. The murderer then shot
himself and can live only short time.
Revenge prompted the deed.
Smith became involved in a liason
with a woman last winter and his wife
obtained a divorce from him. Since
that time they have lived apart, Smith
calling occasionally TO see his three
children, the youngest an infant 4
months old.
Smith called at the Lincoln school
for his 7-year-cld daughter Friday
morning. gave her some candies and
went home with her. This little child
was the only witness to the horr BILE
crime. She said her father came into
the house, and, picking up the little
baby, made the remark: what a
sweet little baby" She does not re-
member what next occurred, but only
few seconds elapsed before he muir
dered the two defenseless women.
AiC SAiOl Ailo WIG Al tAAt bAt<lob anu
when she fell her head extended over
the threshold. Mrs. Grabill was shot
under the arm and fell over the body
of Mrs. Smith, both dying instantly.
Ii was a sight never 70 he forgotten to
see the two dead women lying togeth-
err. almost in each others arms, the
blood trielSling down over the doorstep
about which the little children were
crying with fright
Smith then shot himself through the
head, but his aim was poor and he only
wounded himself. Turning he fed M
the street. the blood-stained revolver
in hand, the wound in his head bleed
profusely, leaving a trail of blood be-
hind him
lie first went to the house of his law
yer, c. A. Lake, and tried to explain
what he had done, but Mr. Lake could
not unders tand him and advised him to
| go home before he died. Smith, blind
ed by the blood from his seli-inflicted
wound, then went TO his own home and
gave confused statement To the fami-
| ly living in the house, stating that Mrs.
Grabill had shot him.
| During the progress of his remarks he
suddenly drew his revolver and fred it
/ for the fourth time the bullet taking
effect in his head. The report o. the
shooting soon spread and Sheriff Burns
was sent for. He arrived on the scene
few minutes after Smith had fired the
last shot. Smith by this time was I'M
conscious, and it was evident that life
was ebbing slowly but surely away.
The doctors do not think he can live.
Mrs Grabill appeared in the divorce
suit and gave some very damaging evil
dence against Smith. The sheriff
thinks that if the murderer were not
so near deaths door it would be ex-
tren.ely difficult to prevent his execu-
ton by Judge Lynch A determined
mob of neighbors had gathered, and
it needed but a spark TO kindle
their excitability into a blaze of pas
sion which would have carried every
! thing before it. The murderer is about
IS years of age and has lived in this
vicinity for many years. He was for
merly a medium at Sugar island, and
was looked upon as a wonder by the
! ignorant in that vicinity. Mrs. Smith
was about 81 years of age and had al
ways lived in this county. Mrs. Gra-
bill was 62 years old and formerly lived
in Champaign county.