Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-10-07
FIRE AND DROUGHT.
Homes in the Territory in Danger
of Being Consumed.
ATTEMPTED MURDER And SUICIDE.
A Kansas City Gamblers Dastardiy Deed
Austin, Pa, Wiped Out by n Fire-A
Boys Reveng s- DisembOweled
with . Butcher Knife.

SLOAN SPRINGS, Ark. Oct. ga de-
structive prairie fire broke out at an
early hour yesterday morning in the
Indian territory near here and the
flames are eating everything before
them. The loss already amounts to
many thousands of dollars Owing to
the large area of country covered it is
impossible to arrive at definite esti-
mate of the property consumed. 1t
will be several days before the full
force of the flames are spent, unless
rain falls Immediately. So dense is
the smoke here that the western
horizon is as dark as bank of rain
clouds. The excessive heat and
dry weather Of the past few days,
which has parched the prairies
and dried up the grass, is responsible
for the fire. No such drought has ever
been experienced in the Indian coun-
try and not drop of rain has fallen
there in more than eight weeks, and
in many instances the earth has cracked
open, leaving crevices wide enough to
admit team Of horses.
ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Oct. 5.-Edward
McElroy, gambler, shot his wife and
then himself in their room at 902 Wv
andotte street at an early hour this
morning. He put two bullets in her
breast, one in her chin and one in her
right arm. Then he pressed the re-
volver to his own temple and fired.
After all it is thought both will live.
The bullet McElroy fired into his own
head glanced on the temporal bone and
lodged in his right eye. McElroy and
his wife came here two years ago He
is from Toronto, Can. The wife's
maiden name was Ida Morris. She
was a Boston girl Since coming to
Kansas City she has worked in Turk
ish bath on Main street. Lately she
has been dissatisfied, and last night
she told her husband she was going to
leave him and 60 home to Boston. The
shooting followed
A VILLAGE WIPED OUT
AUSTIN, Pa, Oct 5,-Fire broke out
yesterday afternoon at s:45 in Weeds
livery barn on Turner street. In five
hours time every building in town but
five was burned to the ground. Turner
street was the principal residence
street of the town and probably 800
people are homeless. The fire was
started by a load of hay being run into
a gas jet. In all about 100 buildings
were burned, mostly residences. The
loss is placed by insurance experts at
from Sl50OOO to 100000. The town
was practically without water supply,
the mill pond on which it depends for
water for fighting fires having been
drained while undergoing repairs.
A BOYS REVENGE.
GREENFIELD, Ind, Oct 5.-Albert
Scott. boy of IA, murdered his
brother, Benton Scott The latter
was very quarrelsome and few days
ago whipped Albert numerically. The
latter swore he would be revenged and
seized the first opportunity. He struck
his brother three blows with a pump
handle. They proved fatal, Albert is
in Jail.
WITH A BUTCHER KNIFE. I
PRINCETON, Ind, Oct 5.-During a
quarrel over horse, Martin Cross dis 1
emboweled Bud Booten with butcher
knife at East Carmel, this county, yes.
terday morning. Booten lived but a
few minutes, dying on his cabin floor.
Jealousy was the prime cause of the
deed. Cross is in Jail Ben Putnam
has been arrested as an accomplice In :
The crime.