Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-05-08
SHOT WIFE AND BABE
EDWIN PLANT KILLS HIMSELF WHEN
PURSUED.

Threatened Also 70 Stay a NeighBor-Ths
Terrible Ending of an Unhappy Mar
riags In a Massachusetts viIiaEe-Re-
served the Last Bullet For Himself
CLAYTON, Mass, May 8. Edward Plant
shot and instantly killed his wife Ada,
stabbed to death his baby Cecile, and,
rather than surrender TO posse Of pursu-
ing officers, committed suicide by sending
a bullet through his own heart.
A neighbor OF Plant was attracted by
the sound of a revolver shot in Plants
house. 1t was followed by a scream and
then by another shot. In a second Plant
was seen running from the house. The
neighbor hastened to the house, and, en-
tering, was greeted with horrible sight
On the floor In pool Of blood lay Mrs
Plant with a bullet hole IN her forehead.
A few feet from the body of the mother
was the body OF the infant, and through a
small hole In the ohilds dress blood was
oozing.
After Plant had killed his wife and
babe he proceeded TO the office of the
White Brick and Terra Gotta company,
where his father Is employed as superin-
tendent. and coolly told him what ne had
done, also saying he would kill Harry
Lyles, young man whom he claimed was
responsible for his domestic trouble, but
the latter was warned, and, securing a
team, fed out of town. Plants father
who Is quite we'll TO do, felt the affair so
keenly that he has left town for Toronto.
The authorities were notified, and a
posse was organized. Plant was traced
through the lots to the swamps near the
Karkaput river, nearly mile distant from
the scene of the crime The man was
easily traced by footprints in the mud of
the swamp, and at length he was disoov-
cred By deputy sheriff hiding in the long
grass. He was ordered to come and sur
render. The order was greeted with a
prompt refusal, accompanied by threat
TO shoot at the first to advance. The Off
Ger notified the rest of the posse and the
work of closing in on the murderer be-
gan. The circle narrowed slowly until II
was possibly 90 feet in diameter, when
Plant cried out, 1.-The first man who ad-
vances another step will be shot" By
this time the crowd was wild with rage,
and threats Of lynchlng were heard.
Rather Die Than Surrender.
The deputy sheriff in charge of the posse
offered Plant protection II he would sur
Hohhpit bh1 hlA WbAp AA6Ao6hih-
cd. For three hours the posse remained in
its position, being held In check by the
murderer, who said he would rather die
than surrender
The posse was re-enforoed by assistants
from surrounding towns, and a reorgani-
zatiOn of the posse was effected. 1t was
led by Deputy Sheriff Cropper, Constables
Norton and Dudler, all of Ashley Falls,
Mass, and Deputy Sheriff Van Dusen and
Constable Drake of Canaan. Plant was
ordered to give himself up, but his only
reply was a revolver shot Then began a
fusillade of shots. Plant concealed him
self in the tall grass, lying prostrate in
the midst of bogs, which afforded him
protection from the flying bullets. FoI
fifteen minutes the shooting continued.
At the time Plant had but one bullet left,
and realizing that the posse was deter
mined in its efforts to capture him he
placed the revolver to his head, pulled the
trigger and fell back dead
On April l6 last Plant married his wife,
whose maiden name was Ada Sanford.
On the day of the marriage the child was
born, and the infant has caused Plant nc
little anger. 1t has been observed that the
relations between Plant and his wife were
not peaceful, and it is supposed that in q
fit of anger the man murdered his wife
and child.