The Monticellonian., 1895-01-11
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.
Two Women Murdered ih ,Jackson Coun- ty; One Bride bt Wcek-A Rejected suitor the Pcrpetratdr, Nhd Declares It Was m Accident-A shotgun the Weapon fsed.


 ty; One n Bride bt wcek-A Rejected suitor tile Pcrpetratdr. NId Declares 1t Was nn Accident-A shotgun the Weapon Gsed.
 NEWPORT, Ark, Jan. 7.-Saturday night on the Martin plantation, s miles cast of Newport, was enacted most terrible tragedy. Two innocent women were the victims One was a bride of a week and the other was her widowed mother
 The coroner'ssinquest developed the following particulars:
 Samuel Swims and James Fields were rivals for the hand of Alice, the daughter Of Mrs. Mary Cooper, ah old and respected citizen of Jackson county. Fields won, and week ago Sunday night he and Alice were married, Swims, apparently happy, being among the wedding guests.
 Swims and Fields had slight mis- understanding over soIac wearing ap- parel during the last week, which had, however, to all appearances, been ex- plained away, and SwIns appeared again friendly toward Fields.
 THE MURDERER APPEARS.
 Saturday night. about 8 o'clock, Swims, armed with Il shotgun, ap- peared at the home of Fields and his bride, where also lived Mrs. Cooper and another daughter. Swims called tO Fields to let him in, as he was cold and wished to get warm, but, bccom- ing impatient at the delay, he burst open the door. and, standing on the threshold, leveled his gun at Fields, at the same time commanding him to throw up his hands.
 Mrs. Cooper and Mrs Fields, the young wife, spranR between the gun and the object of it's aim and each re- eeived the contents of one barrel.
 Mrs. Coopef's right arm was shot off near the shoulder and the left arm of Mrs. Fields was shattered nearly at the same point.
 Mrs. Cooper died almost Instantly. Mrs. Fields lived about six hours.
 The victims were highly esteemed by do-wcll, about g years old. His par ents, who are respectable people, live in Jackson county.
 AFTER THE TRAGEDY.
 His conduct after the tragedy shows him to be either hardened or mentally unbalanced. After the shooting he immediately left the house and came to Newport. The next morning, after walking about the streets several hours, he voluntarily surrendered to the authorities, bringing the gun that did the murderous work with him. The sheriff and deputies passed him on his way to Newport They did not know him, but he recognized them, but says that he wished to come to jail alone and did not tell the sheriff who he was.
 Swims asserts that the gun was ac- cidentally discharged; that Fields had drawn a pistol on him at the time he brought down his gun, and that the hammer of the gun would not stand and that as he leveled it Mrs. Cooper seized the barrel, and in trying to wrench it from him the hammer fell and the gun was discharged. Swims has not exhibited any symptoms of in- sanity since he surrendered THE LAW WILL TAKE ITS COURSE.
 While the community is aroused at the atrocity, the people are disposed to let the law take it's course, and, as the grand jury convenes to-day, all are satisfied that the crime will be pecdily avenged
 Swims said:
 Jim Fields and me have been chums for some time. He claimed that l owed him and took my clothes. Fields mar ried Alice Cooper and he and his wife, the mother and two daughters, were living on the Martin farm I went over to get my clothes and took my shotgun with me. found Fields sit ting on the bed with pistol. pointed the gun at him and demanded my clothes. Old Lady Cooper grabbed the gun and it went off in the scuflle l never meant to harm anyone"