Kansas City daily journal., 1896-10-18
SHOT BY A DRUNKEN BRUTE.
AS A RESULT ERNEST WRIGHT Is
FATALLY WOUNDED.
John Sears, the Probable Murderer,
May Be Lynched-In Jail at Lees
Summit-BOth Are Well.tO-
do Farmers of COckerell.

AS a result Of fight between promi-
nent farmers at Coekerell. Mo-, Friday
afternoon, John Sears, who is we'll known
in that section Of the county. is in Jail at
Lees Summit. and Earnest Wright. the 49,
year-old son of Robert Wright, is shot
through the bowels and death will likely
| result. The tragedy has aroused that Sec
| ton of the county. and strong talk is be-
| ing made of lynehing Sears in the event
| that the boy dies. Sears is guarded at
| Lees Summit, and Ernest Wright the 1S-
crazed with drink and did not know what
he was doing.
The wrights and the Sears family were
neighborly up to the time of the tragedy
and visited one another much after the
| fashion that farmer folks are wont to do.
Friday, John Sears. who lives some dis
| tance from the Wright home brought his
wife over to the Wright home for a days
visit He left his wife there, but he him.
self went on to Lees Summit, where he
proceeded to drink heavily. In the after
| noon he started home crazed with liquor
| and a big pistol in his pocket. Mrs. Sears.
| during the absence Oh her huspano, hao
returned home.
| When Sears arrived at the Wright farm
| house he entered and sat down, engaging
| Robert Wright, an elderly gentleman, In
| conversation. His maudlin talk did not In
terest the old gentleman. and. after
| brief conversation, which showed Sears
| ugly disposition, the old gentleman got up
| to leave, Sears called him back and
| motionins him to a seat, asked him where
| Mrs Sears was. He told Sears that he dld
| not know. Sears again demanded TO know
| where his wife was. using oaths with his
| inquiry.
Wright, fearing trouble. started to leave.
| Just as Sears, in his drunken rage, declared
that old man Wright was liar.
Wright saw the movement Of Sears to-
wards his hip pocket, and started out OF
| the room, followed by Sears in a tower
ing rage. Just as the elder farmer van
| ished out of the door, Sears fired, but
| missed Wright. He followed him down
| through the barn lot, where Ernest Wright,
| the 1S-year-old son, was unloading wagon
of corn Seeing the flight Of his father.
with the drunken wretch in hot pursuit,
he jumped from his wagon and, picking up
large stone, raised it to strike Sears
down. Sears saw the boy, leveled his gun,
and, with an oath, shot. Young Wright
sank to the ground. shot through the bow
els. He lay there a moment, and then, in
desperation, summoned all Of rs energy
to see what had become Of his father
The old gentleman had made good his
fight across a field to a neighbor's, where
the alarm was given. Young Wright. fear
ing the return Of his assailant, managed
by superhuman strength to drag himself
to the home of Obe Tysons. where his
strength gave out. He was placed on a
couch and DR.. Smith sent for. The ball,
which was from 3S-caliber revolver, was
probed for, but could not be found. Yes
terday young Wright was bleeding inter-
nally, and his death is but a matter OF
time. Sears was arrested and taken to
Lees Summit for safe keeping, to await
the result of the injuries to his victim.
John Sears is q brother of Elek Sears
who was killed two years ago at Stras-
burg, NO., by William Arnold. Elek Sears
was of pretty much the same temperament
as John Sears, and while drinking was
crazed and dangerous with a gun.
The principals in the tragedy of Friday
being well known in that section of the
county. has caused a general cessation OF
business among the farmers, and when
the facts became known as to the shoot.
ing, Wrights relatives wanted to ayengt
the supposed killing and grabbed for theil
guns The wives of the men, assisted by
neighbors, kept the men In the house unit
| Sears was locked up at Lees Summit.