The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-05
KILLED HIS FAMILY.
An Editor Cuts the Threats of
Wife and Child.
He Then Killed Himself in the
Same Way.
HIS LIFE A FAILURE.
He Was Subject to Frequent Fits
of Melancholy. xs7s

KINGSTON. Mo-, July SIS. A. Field,
until recently editor and proprietor of
the Post at Polo, in Caldwell county,
murdered his wife and infant daugh-
ter and committed suicide at Mead
vile, No, yesterday afternoon.
Field and his family were visiting
at the residence of his father-in-law
near Nashville, when he asked
his wife to go into the garden
back of the house to talk. She &C.
eOmpanied him, taking along their
little girl, about years Of age.
When they reached the garden Field
cut the throats of his wife and child
with razor, killing them instantly,
and then ended his own miserable
life in the same manner The dead
bodies were found by member of his
father-inlaw' family and $3.50 were
found in Fields pocket.
Field was lawyer by profession and
was about 35 years old. He had re-
sided at Polo about ten years, and dur
ing that time was editor and propri-
etor OF the Post, a newspaper indie
pendent in politics, although the ed
itor voted and acted with the Demo
cratic party. Some years ago he at
tempted to practice law, but his fail
ure in that profession greatly dis
heartened him, and until recently he
had confined his labors to his news
paper, which a few weeks ago he sold
to Mr.. Culver, the present editor. In
person Field was small and dark, with
a yer Y large head. He was of a mel
anchOly temperament and often fan
cied Sights from his best friends and
grieved ever them when no offense
was dreamed of. Field was married
four years ago to young lady school
teacher of Linn county, Mo-, a very
estimable woman, who did all she
could to comfort and reclaim him from
his fits of melancholy. During these
attacks he was unaccounta bly, Jealous
of her without the slightest cause
They had no children except the in
FAINT daughter whom Field sent into
eternity along with it's mother and
himself.
Over two years ago Field had few
unpleasant words with his wife at
dinner one day and on his arrival
home at night he found her absent,
she having gone with her child to visit
a neighbor lady, and, as she said at
the time, had forgotten the little quar-
rel. He returned to his printing Office
and threw himself out of a second
story window, but escaped injury, and
gov up aAO DCBan TO MS nGa0
against the brick wall of the building.
DR. Joseph Frazier, who had seen him
fall from the window, came up at this
time and caught him, when Field told
the doctor that his wife had taken her
child and left him and returned to her
fathers and that he did not care to
live longer.
Field had begun very poor but had
made money through hard work as
editor and printer and some law prac-
tice; he owned his paper and pleasant
residence in Polo, with money ahead
besides. Field was man If unex-
ceptionable habits and character in
every respect, and was kind, courteous
and particularly dignified in his inter
course with everyone, and his rash act
comes with a great shock to those who
knew him.
A note was found on Mrs. Fields
body, saying that everything she had
was to be left to her mother. It seems
that Field and his wife had planned
the tragedy, for she went into the
house after they went out and put on
an old dress and then returned to the
pasture.