Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-11
MURDER.
THE GUN THEN TURNED UPON
HIMSELF.
Frank Watson. of Etna Green. Attempts
to Murder his wife---IIe Then Deli ber-
atrly Ends His Own Existence
Speclal 10 lhe INpErENpENT.

Z
o'clock p. m.-ISpecial to THE INDE
PENDENT This usually quiet little
town is all in an uproar of excitement |
today, caused by the attempted murder !
and suicide OF Frank Watson, young
man OF worthless character, not quite |
- years of age.
The story of the past few years of
his life is one of perfidy, and as
learned IN an interview with his
wife, is about as follows:
Frank Watson and Emma Self were
married in the fall of 1890, and lived
peacably together for about year
when their only child "a boy-was born.
At about that time, when the child was
three weeks old, they had some trouble,
and he left his wife and child, going to
his fathers home TO stay. lie visited
his family but few times during the
winter, leaving thelc To shift for them
selves. During the following summer
he again returned to them and prom
ised to do better, but always causing
more or less trouble and never half
supporting them with the common nee
essaries upon which to live: for work
he wouli not unless absolutely forced
by want
But their troubles were checked for
one year by Mrs. Watson getting a di-
vorce in September 1894. They were
divorced for one year, when through
his pleading and urging they were re-
married IN September 1895. But only
short time afterward he again left her,
after abusing her and the child He
returned again after cold weather had
set in. They were living at this time
with Mrs. Watson's mother Mrs
Self. "a soldiers widow-who receives q
WIDOWS pension by which she support
ed herself, Mrs. Watson and the child
During the cold part of the winter he
left them all, without even stick of
wood In the house and they hardly
f dared to leave their beds, even during
the day, long enough to get bite to
p little boy, who will be years old the
, 10th of next month, froZe his feet SO
badly that they were bistered. After
they had passed the many and severe
hardships OF the winter, he came back
TO live with them again and got along
seemingly we'll until about one week
e ago, when he again left and returned
u to the house.
e Yesterday just after the noon hour
y Watson took up their little boy and
e started out of the house with him, say
ing to his wife:
S whenever you see the child again
|. you will see him corpse
4 Mrs. Watson Immediately did as any
y mother would do in like case. She
d got livery and drove to Warsaw, the
II county seat of this county, twelve
Il miles east of here, to obtain the services
s OF Sheriff Stoner In replevying tht
5 child, returning home about 1 O'Clock
n just before the west bound passenger
d train pulled into the station and in
IS time TO meet the sheriff, who was or
If this train. But somebody had tolC
Watson in the meantime of her trip Il
I, Warsaw and he hurried with the chile
n back to its home and left it with it.
is grandmother. The sheriff went will
Is pose of seeing that everything wa
IN all right and remained about one hour
Q leaving just few minutes befOr'
is s p. m. lie had hardly left the hous'
y when Frank Watson was seen ap
preaching from the east side, and, see
he ing his wife standing at the opposite
side of the room where she had jus
stepped, he fired through the window
at her, the bullet just grazing her hai
N and then entering the wall, frightening
u her SO badly that she fell to the floor il
D a swoon. She quickly regained con
IL seriousness; while he, thinking he hat
u, killed her, passed out of the front gat
he and across the street TO the railroad, go
al ipg short distance west, then cam
III house. lie stepped to one side of tn
g track and turned his gun upon him
III self and iired-the bullet, a 32-calibrt
entering about one inch below and T.
ne the right of the nipple.
p Immediately after firing the fata
ld shot, he was heard to scream and ca
er upon his Maker for help; but he ha
oi passed beyond all help, and within fiv
IS minutes everything was quiet. Th
neighbors, who heard the shot, foun
@ his body lying over the track shortl
he afterward.
n While at the house the reporter fc
The INDEPENDENT saw the little bo