Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-04-12
KANSAS Ae1rAroR: GARNErT, KANSAS, APRIL !, 1895.
THE OKLAHOMA TRAGEDY.

On Wednesday of last week, the daily papers
contained the news of the death of the wife Of
Harry c. St. John, Of Oklahoma City, by shot
from a revolver in his hands. Mr.. ST. John is
son of Ex-Governor St. John, of Kansas. He
is leading attorney of Oklahoma, and was a
member of the last Oklahoma Legislature, where
he made a splendid record. The high standing
of the family made the tragedy more noticeable
than usual.
The cause of the terrible deed was the I'M
faithfulness of the wife. The husband got a
letter from his wife's private box at the postof-
fee, and read it. The writer of the letter made
an appointment to meet Mrs St. John at 8
O'Clock that afternoon, near her home. The
husband got revolver, hired team and went
home, intending to waylay the scoundrel and
shoot him. He found his wife at home, sew
ing, and upbraded her for her unfaithfulness.
She acknowledged her guilt and became angry
and tainted him, saying she intended leaving
him in the morning and taking the children.
The husband told her she could not take Leslie,
the younger of the two, when she replied, "You
have no kick coming on my taking hirn-he is
not your kid, anyhow" The husband says,
81 was blinded-stupifed- shocked-humiliat-
ed. I trembled like a leaf. In my frenzy, the
self-acting trigger was pulled, and awoke to
find my wife dying at my feet" This is the
story, in brief, of the tragedy.
At first report, the people condemned St.
John, but when the circumstances became
known, sentiment changed, and, while the
mantle of charity was thrown over the poor,
unfortunate young woman, the despoiler of her
home is condemned without stint.
St. Johns preliminary trial takes place to-day.
When the sad news reached Governor st.
John, he was at Pittsburg, Kas., and took the
first train for Oklahoma City, reaching that
place Just in time to attend the funeral of the
unfortunate woman, in company with his son
Harry. The news of the tragedy was terrible
shock to the sturdy, great-hearted old man, and
when he met his son, he broke down and wept
like a child Under such circumstances as the
above, hard hearts are touched, and many who
were wont to abuse and malign him now speak
tender1y and sympathetically of him, and he
has received many letters of coincidence from
political enemies as we'll as from friends.
Touching the sentiment of the people Of
Oklahoma regarding the tragedy, the Oklahoma
City Star says
GA number of the papers of the territory and
outside towns continue to publish the erroneous
statement that the people of Oklahoma City are
bitter against St. John. Several even go so fal
as to say that the people Of this city regard the
killing as Intentional, premeditated and muir
der in every sense. Such is not the feeling
with which the affair is regarded in this city
There are few, if any, who actually believe the
man who is now awaiting his preliminary hear.
ing to be a murderer, and the general impress
sion is that when the evidence is all obtained
he will be exonerated from the crime of shoot
ing with felonious intent. 1t is not for the
Star to render an opinion in the case, but it is
likely that when the court shall have heard the
whole testimony, the decision which will be
rendered will not find him guilty of the charge
which these papers intimate will be found
against him."
The Guthrie Capital speaks III a similar vein.
We sincerely hope Harry St. John will be ac-
Quilted, and we hope this terrible affair will
prove lesson to ALL that it will teach people
to be vigilant-to be careful to keep out the
home-wreckers that nfest every community.
LIVE honestly and do justly, and you might
starve unnoticed, but loot bank-empty the
safe and cast your lot with other swell robbers