The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-09-18
= FATAL LOVE AFFAIR.
An. Unhappy Kansas Couple Found shot :,

Kansas Couple Found Shot At
Leavenworth.
LEAvENwoRrH, Kan. Sept. L.
John Hartig of Conner, a small place
on the Missouri Pacific road south
from here, was found dead in a room
at the National hotel at 5 o'clock Sat-
urday afternoon with a bullet hole in
his left temple. BY his side was Miss
Mary Bush, a handsome young woman
of Pomeroy, with a bullet hole in her
left temple. She was still breat hing
systematically, though she was be.
You'd all human aid.
Clutched in the dead mans left
hand was a small revolver with two
empty chambers. This, with other
evidence, vas sufficient to esta bllsh
beyond a doubt that Hartig shot the
woman and then killed himself. A
note left OF a table in the room and
signed Nellie" and John" was con
elusive.
The two came here about 9 o'clock
Friday night and registered at the
hotel as John Hartig and lady, Con-
nor station, Kan" Nothing more
was seen OF them, and it is the gen
cral belief hat the crime was com
mitted late Friday night, as the
signed note wa dated National no
tel, August -" Late Saturday after
noon the hotel clerk, ascertaining
that the occupants Of the room had
not been seen during the day, tried
the door and found it locked. A bell
boy vas assisted through the transom
and the dead man and dying oma
were found.
fNnD e;~- I'D ,,~t@ x-ls,l 1-oo x,k&1~
on paper brought with the young
people, was addressed to Mamma"
but no name was given. The gist of
die together and meet in heaven if
they could not live together on this
earth. Several sentences Indicated
hat the young people wanted to get
married and had met with parental
opposition. The note plainly indi-
Gated hat the deed was premeditated,
and that the trip to this city was
made for the express purpose of emo
ing their lives. Family forgiveness
was asked and a hope expressed that
the two, who were about to be ush-
cred into eternity, would meet all
their loved ones CD the other side.
The hotel people had heard no shots
at any time, but this was not strange,
for the transom and window were
tightly closed and the curtains drawn.
The citizens of Pomeroy and Con-
nor, two little villages in Wyandotte
county, Kansas, midway between
Kansas City and Leavenworth, were
in a high state Of excitement yester-
day over the double tragedy, which
resulted in the death of John Hartig
and the fatal INJURY of Miss Mary
Bush, two well known young people,
of that section.
Many theories were advanced, but
the one most generally accepted was
that the young people were desper-
ately in love and, rather than marry
against the wishes of either or both
their parents, they would just die to-
gether.
Miss Bush's father did not like Har-
tig. He said that he was too much of
a rowdy. On the other hand, the
father of young Hartig was opposed
to his marrying the girl, and the son
told a friend a few days ago that his
father had threatened to disinherit
him if he took Miss Bush for a wife.
Adam Hartlg is 2 wealthy farmer liv-
ing one mile west of Conner station,
while Miss Bush's father lives at Pom
eroy and works on the section for the
Missouri Pacific Railway Company.
John Hartig said he did not have a
cent to get married on and he knew
that his father would not help him if
he married against his wishes.
The young lady is still at the Ma
tional hotel, and at last accounts was
still alive. The attending physicians,
however, say there is ne hope Of her
recovery.
John Hartig and Mary Bush have
been lovers for over two years. Har-
tig was II years old and had lived for
the past nine years with his father on
a farm ear Conner. He was very in
dustrious and was a hard worker.
Miss Bush is 20 years old, quite a
handsome young woman, and vas a
great favoritc among the people of
Pomeroy.
That the deed had been deliberately
planned by the two young people is
certain. Letters between them showed
that they had fully considered the
matter and agreed to end their lives
simultaneously. The only reason
that they did not was the failure of
the bullet which entered the wcman's
head to cause instant death. How
ever, she is holding onto life by a
thread only, and her hours on earth
are numbered.
The body of young Hartlg was taken
from Leavenworth yesterday after
noon to the home Of his brother-in-
law, eX-Pollce Commissioner George
w. Mitchell, Of Kansas City, Kan, and
prepared for burial. The funeral will
take place this afternoon.
Leadyil!e Mine Pumps Stopped.
LEADvILLE, COL, Sept 1.-The
pumps in the Bona1r and Penrose
mines, two of the largest in this dis
trict, wero stopped yesterday and