The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-04-09
ON ST. JOHN TRAGEDY.

COMMENTS ON ST. JOHN TRAGEDY.
Kansas City Gazette: We sympathize
with John p. St. John in the terrible af-
fiction that has befallen his family
through the crime committed by his son.
Guthrie Leader: Representative St.
John was at least original in committing
his terrible crime. Instead of hunting
down and killing the libertine who had
ruined his home. he repaired to his home
and slew the best friend he had on earth.
Kingfisher Free Press: If every wife,
whose husband is guilty of infidelity.
should shoot and kill him. the male por-
ton of the human family would soon
dwindle into insignificance.
Oklahoma City Journal: Ex-Governor
81. John will remain in the city until Mon
day, when he must leave TO meet some
engagements to lecture. He expects to
return again to aid in the defense or his
son. Sensational developments are ex-
pected when the proper time comes Inc
deed was awful but it would seem that
the circumstances leading up to ii, were
of nature to stir the feelings OF the In
jured to the deepest depth.
Lawrence Journal: Harry st. John,
who killed his wife in Oklahoma yester-
day, is the son of Ex-Governor St John,
and always has been worthless. trifiing
fellow, although always living well and
putting on great deal of style He was
the black sheep and has caused his father
a great deal of trouble The latter will
have the sympathy of the whole coun-
try.
Leavenworth Times: Young st. John
intended to kill his wife but says the gun
went off accidentally. He seems to be
L. lna heF In
the name of the writer of the letter TO
his wife The premature explosion per-
haps saved the life OF the letters au-
thor John p St John will think now
that with all his preaching OF prohibition
and statements that there is no greater
crime than drunkenness, that this thing
of INDUCING in murderous passion Zeal
ousy) is nearly as bed as INDUCING in
glass OF beer.
Guthrie Capital: There is but one
more point of honor that should be reach
ed by a man who kills his wife on sus-
picion of her chastity, and that IS that he
be impartial In his diet of bullets If he
could be so unhappy during her lifetime
that he could no longer live with her nor
let her live without him, and his soul
needed summary measures to be appeas-
ed then surely as a gentleman of such
elevated sense of honor. he should not
desire to live either Why not be made
of the true metal of noble courage and
do like the Roman general who, when
honor was no longer possible in this life,
threw himself upon the same instrument
of death he had dealt to Others.
Kansas City Star: The dark shadow
which has fallen upon the life of eX-Gov
ernor st. John of Kansas through the
awful crime of his son, who recently
murdered his wife in Oklahoma, will
cause him to become the object of wide
spread sympathy wherever he is known.
For years this unfortunate boy has been
a source of the creates anxiety TO MIS-
father. He has been known as a wild and
wreckless character with little respect
for the precepts which his parents sought
to impress upon his mind and heart. II
is not unlikely that the diSsipated career
of young st. John intensified the hostility
of the father toward the evil which has
brought sorrow and disgrace into so
many homes.
Kingfisher Free Press: Poor Harry st.
John has committed an inexcusable
crime and one that will haunt hin the bal
ance of his days. The story is that he
compromising letter which
some man had written to his wife. Mad
dened by this incident he armed himself,
sought his wife and demanded the name
of the writer of the letter which was I'M
signed. His wife refused. and he shot
and killed her. He claims that he did not
intend to shoot her. that it was an acct
dent, and he is very penitent over the
unfortunate affair. For the last few
years Harry has been doing exceedingly
well; he had left off the liquor habit, de-
voted himself to his profession, and had
Op iah l.
ly, politically and socially. This sad af-
fair ends all. No matter how it termi-
mates it ends all. 1t is a very sad affair
Oklahoma City Oklahoman: As will be
noticed i'm the testimony of one of the wit
nesses the name of n well known young
man about own is mentioned. This is the
name of the man who is supposed to be
the cause of the poor lady's undoing-if
she was guilty. Certainly his thoughts
can be anything but pleasant ones when
he looks upon the ruin he had wrought
Think of that poor lady lying dead, bath
ed in her own life-blood, the father
behind the bars, those two little
and fatherless ones crying for
Mamma, Mamma and ask yourself
what "a man has gained, who to satisfy
passion has brought this ruin
upon a happy home. Probably no law
can reach him, but as certain as there is
a God in Heaven so certain is it that ret
ribution will overtake him sooner or later
and he will reap the whirlwind.
Oklahoma City Star: When the news
first reached the people OF the city that
Harry St. John had killed his wife, as a
matter of course the majority of the peo-
pie not knowing the circumstances con-
nected with the killing, and believing
that an intentional murder had been COM
mitted expressed hardest words of CEN
sure and blame upon the supposed muir
derer. The report, moreover, that IL
was a premeditated crime was spread by
the very class among whom were the par
ties responsible for the awful tragedy.
As the real truth is now coming to light,
being shown up the feeling of censure
has changed to sympathy. The majority
Of the people who have had occasion to
look into the affair more closely than the
first few hours would permit are begin
ming TO believe that the killing OF a wife.
while il was an awful and deplorable ira
gedy, was not murder. The circumstan-
ces that lead up to the tragedy show that
il could not have been prenedtated and
the evidence would indicate that the shoot
Ing was unintentional Public sentiment
is in sympathy with St. John.
OKLAHOMA OUTLINES.
one of the newly elected constahles OF
FL Reno is 4 Bird