Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-04
KILLED HER HUSBAND
, TERRIBLE SUNDAY TRAGEDY IN
FAIRFAX COUNTY.
Iohn Harmon shot by His Wife,
whom He Had Dcssrtcd-shc Had
warned Him Not 10 Enter the
UOusc.

the loHOWlile pal tSuia'S VI /" 'N'''~
tragedy that was enacted In Fairfax
county Sunday afternoon:
Mary Harmon shot and instantly Killed
her husband, John Harmon, farmer,
about O'Clock Sunday afternoon at
the home of her mother, five miles east
of Fairfax Courthouse. Va. Lieutenant
Peter Rennle. OF the staff Of Major Bart
lett, Sixth Battalion. District OF Column
bia militia, was passing the farmhouse
at the time and was an eyewitness 10
the murder.
After killing her husband Mrs. Harmon
ran. hatless and barefooted. TO the house
OF Justice-of-;he-Peacc Want Trumbull
told him what she had done. and gave
herself into custody.
Justice Trumbull commissioned John
Beach q special constable, and he took
the woman to Fairfax and lodged her In
the county Jail As she rode along the
country road with the constable Mrs
Harmon was calm and self-possessed. and
discussed with the officer the killing OF
her husband. She said she believed that
she had done a justifiable act. for Harmon
had abused her, never properly supported
her. and had finally deserted her.
HE LEFT HER.
Harmon and his wife. 1t seems. lived on
"A farm not far from the house OF Mrs.
Haruon's mother About fourteen months
ago Harmon left his wife and her eight
children, and short time after the sepa-
ration she and the children went 10 I'VE
with her mother. After some months
Harmon commenced making overtures 10
her 10 return 20 him again, but she al
d haf Ch WOIl1
again live with him. She told him. too,
mat she did not care 10 see him, and
that she did not want him 10 come around
her mothers house.
FELL BACK a CORPSE.
Sunday afternoon just before O'CLOCK
Harmon went to the house and saw MS
wife sitting inside Of an open window IN
the front part OF the house Harmon
stepped TO the window and commenced
pleading with the woman to return ana
live with him.
Harmon refused TO accept her decision
as final. and started TO climb through the
window
Keep back" she cried, it is said, "or
] will XIII you"
The husband raised himself upon the
ledge of the window. and the woman
snrang back to the centre OF the room.
a
double barrelled shotgun and hred one
barrel She was a but few feet from her
husband. and the entire charge OF heavy
shot struck him just under the right eye.
Withouha word Harmon fell out OF the
window and dropped to the ground
corpse.
A. before stated Lieutenant Rennie. of
Washington, was passing the house In
light buggy. With him was liVerynan
named Cummings, Of Round Hill, va
Their attention was attracted by the
voices of Harmon and his wife. They
turned their heads to look, and the next
instant the report Of a shotgun rang out
and Harmon dropped to the GROUND
corpse.
Lieutenant Rennie sprang from his bug
ey and ran up the path TO the house. AS
he did so Mrs. Harmon ran out of the
house. knelt at the side of her husband
and commenced tearing her hair as she
called out:
.'Mother. I have killed John"
VERY MUCH EXCITED.
The mother came down from an up
stairs room and the children nocked
about Lieutenant Rennie tried to ques-
ton the woman, but at that moment she
was too excited to give ineligible an
swors Mrs. Harmon was without
shoes or stockings having removed them
Nas unbraided and tangled. The children
stood about crying and moaning, and the
Old mother stood quietly in the door OF
The house, as If stricken dumb by the
awful blow that had fallen upon the
'amily.
While Lieutenant Rennle was debating
as TO the best course TO pursue Mrs.
Harmon started up the path on run,
turned into the road, and disappeared.
10 no. Ia ba
justice to give herself into the hands Of
the law, as above stated.
MRS. HARMON'S STORY.
Mrs. Harmon was seen in her cell in
the Fairfax Jail Sunday night by
representative Of the Post. She had
brushed her hair and was more presenta-
Die than when Lieutenant Rennie saw her.
She was quite composed. too, and
told her story simply and slowly. Mrs.
Harmon Is forty-two years old. and not
good looking. although in her youth she
nay have been pretty country girl.
Il am the mother of his eight children"
she said. "and for great many years
nave suffered on his account. He never
properly provided for me or the children
and has beaten me, kicked me- and knock
ID me down times without number He
mas made me work all day picking ber-
ries, when the children needed my care
put in the hot sun to pick berries, and
would not let them quit when they were
worn out. He never decently supported
me, and to get a little money occasional
~ I had TO take Ia washing from neigh
bors.
DID NOT MEAN IT.
To-day when he came to the house
was sitting at the window, and had no
thought of quarrel with him. When
1.. Ina % Al.
dow j told him not TO or / would kill
him. 1 swear before God I didn't mean
IT. just said 1t in fun. but when he con-
tinued to climb in 1 jumped back and
grabbed the gun. really didn't mean
TO kill him then. But l got the gun up
TO my waist, and then must have pulled
the trigger. never aimed at him at ALL
and think | was about eight feet away
from him. i believe, though, that / had
a right TO XIII him. ] don't know what
will become Of me; and / don't know
what will become OF the children" and
tears began to roll down the face Of the
poor woman. "but will say that he was
never good to me-
In the neighborhood and at Fairfax
the murder created great excitement A
consensus of opinion seemed 10 be that
Harmon had been a worthless but harm
less sort Of fellow. No one seemed to
regret greatly that he had been killed
while much sympathy was expressed for
the woman. The neighbors credited her
with being an upright, Woodworking
woman, and said that her efforts TO pro-
vide for and care for her children had
been strenuous and unceasng.
NO INQUEST HELD.
FAIRFAX, VA, June S.-(Special) y
John Harmon, who was shot yesterday
evening by his wife. Mary Harmon. near
Burke's Station. in this county. was
buried this evening No Inquest was
held over the body. Mrs. Harmon is still
In Jail. Her children are with her
mother. She claims that she only in
tended 10 frighion her husband anh Mt