Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-08-13
Murder Near Farber.
ALEXANDER JANUARY, FARMER,
KILLED BY HIS 10 YEAR OLD
SON SATURDAY NIGHT.
The Boy Was Arrested and Made q Full
Confession Claims He Did the
Deed to Save His Mother and
Her Thirteen Children.

Alexander January, a farmer, slight
Iy over 60 years of age, who resided
with his family of a wife and thir-
teen children ON a forty acre farm
about a mile and a quarter north of
Farber, was foully murdered by his
nineteen year old son, William, about
nine O'Clock Saturday night.
Young January, who is the fourth !
Oldest son the in family, made a full
confession of his guilt Sunday morning,
claiming that he killed his father in
order to save his own life and the
lives of his mother and the other child
rem.
The murder, which was one of the
most blood curdling that has ever
occurred in this county, was brought
about by a family quarrel, which had
been going on for over a year between
the old man and two or three Of his
SONS, William in particular.
According to the murderer's own
statement, made to a LEDGER report
err a few hours after the deed had been
accomplished, his father had been
mistreating him and threatening to
kill him and the entire family for
many months. He stood this as long
as he could and at last gave way to his
passion, and slipping up behind his
father with a shotgun Saturday night,
put two loads of shot in him. Then
seeing that he had not killed him,
he knocked him down in the pathway
between the house and and bat
tered his head and neck with a large,
heavy plank, fracturing his skull and
killing him almost instantly. He then
hid the gun in q woodpile and after
calling his mother and telling her
what he had done, which statement
she claims she did not believe at the
time, he started out to inform the
neighbors that his father had been
murdered.
He first went to the residence of j.
Fl. Franklin and, as all the family were
asleep, had to wait some time until
his repeated knocks at the door were
answered. AS soon as Mr.. Franklin
learned of the murder he dressed and,
| with the Sturgis boys, who had mean
time been informed of the killing by
young January, went over to January's
home, where they found the body
lying just as it fell. They did not
move it, but MI. Franklin went to
| Farber after the marshal, who came
out and had the body of the murdered
man taken to the house. All this
time young January declared that his
father had been murdered by some
unknown person, who had afterwards
ridden off on a horse.
Coroner Rodes, wasimmediately sent
for and arrived on the scene Sunday
morning. A jury composed of the
following gentIemen: A. E. jenkins,
d. H.. Athey, s. E. Kendall, j. j. Alex
ander, V. L. Beshears Inc w. j. Grow
| was summoned and made a thorough
| examination of the dead mans
wounds and the premises.
Meanwhile young January had made
a full confession to Constable M. N,
Nelson and Judge Alexander and told
in detail how he committed the MUIR
der. He was Immediately placed in
custody and an inquest was ordered at
2:30 in Farber.
Coroner Rodes conducted the in
quest. The Odd Fellows hall, in
which the proceedings took place, was
full of spectators, and a number o.
witnesses were examined.
The first one called was Bert Sturgis
who said that about nine O'Clock Sat
urday night he heard two gun reports
and hat shortly after this Will Janu'
airy came down to his house and told
him to come up to his home at once a.
his father had been murdered. To
gether with his brother and MIR
Franklin no went to January's ant
saw the body, but did not help NOV
it or find out any particulars regard
ing the murder, except as told him b!
young January.
j. III. Franklin was the next witnes
examined. He stated that he had beel
walked up about nine o'clock by Wi
January, who told him to come up T.
his house as his father had been mur
dered. He went to January's and say
I the dead man, also had a talk wit
Mrs. January, but could find out moth
ing as to who did the killing.
DIR. William May, of Farber, wa
r then put on the stand. He stated tina
he had been present at and assisted i
the examination of Mr.. January
! body Sunday morning. One load c
shot had entered the left thigh an
penetrated the lower abdomen, Will
the other had taken effect in the lei
shoulder. The head and neck ha
been dealt several blows with a clul
!. which had fractured and dislocate
the Jaw and cut a scalp wound fv
inches long on the side of the heat
besides breaking many smaller bone
10 the face and cutting up and bruisin
, the neck. The doctor did not thin
that either Of the gun wounds woul
have produced death instantly, bt
thought that the scalp wound was tb
immediate cause Of Mr.. January
: death.
Mrs. January, widow of the deceas
ed, then took the stand and gave hi
b testimony as follows:
r. 81 was the wife of Alexander jar
uary. I was at home Saturday ever
d ing, having just returned from Raj
Q County, where Mr.. January and I ha
attended a picnic, and. was washin
dishes in the kitchen when I hear
two shots in the yard. Soon after
heard the shots / heard Mr.. Januar
call ooh, WIFI and thought he wan
ed the boy to help him do some worl
l never once thought that anyone hs
shot him. When I heard him ca
Viii 1 went out to the well and %
VIII near his father. He called n
and I went out to him and found M
s january lying on the ground dead.
e asked HIM who hurt Mr.. January an
ga he said: Il did it to ave my life or
yours and the children's.'