The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-09
Joseph hurry Attempts to MUIR
der His Wife.
His Unsteady Hand Saved Her
Life.
THEN KILLED HIMSELF
After Wife and Son Escaped
Turned the Weapon
And Sent a Bullet Through His
Own Heart.
Was Employed In the Santa Fe
Shops.
HEN KILLED HIMSELF

At o'clock Thursday afternoon JOS
eph hurry shot his wife in the arm and
then ended his own life by shooting
himself through the heart.
hurry was a painter in the Santa Fe
shops and lived at Fourth and Lafay-
cite streets in Parkdale. He had been
drinking for several days and threaten
ed to kill his wife the night before. He
drank more than usual on Thursday
and was maddened by liquor when he
attempted uxoricide and suicide Only
a few moments before he shot at his
wife he went into the cellar of his
house, where he was in the habit of
keeping a. supply of liquor, and took a
large drink as if to nerve him for the
horrible deed.
Mrs hurry was afraid of her hus-
band. He had threatened to kill her
and she was in constant fear that ne
would try to carry out his threat. She
knew where he kept his revolver and
hid it in hopes that he would not nnd
it, He went to work Thursday morn
ing as usual but returned to the house
about 9 o'clock. He was uncommunl-
cative and surly. 1t was then that he
discovered the loss of the revolver. He
would not speak to his wife. He COM
menced preparations for the act which
ended his own life.
hurry left the house and went up
town and purchased another revolver:
He walked out near the cemetery and
was sitting beside the road when VIII
Cloud passed. hurry was trying to
load the revolver but his nerves were
so unstrung by drink that he could not
manage the weapon He asked Cloud
to load it for him and said he wanted
to shoot some birds.
1t was about 8 o'clock when hurry
returned to his home. His wife was
visiting at a neighbors and did not re-
turn until after 4 o'clock. When Mrs.
hurry entered the house she heard her
inc hi 1CrG
was frightened and called for her
year old boy Frank. They went out
onto the porch and when hurry did not
follow her she thought that he was not
coming She sat down on the porch.
What do you think of this world.
anyway said her husband as he en-
erged from the house with a wild look
in his eyes.
''Why,I don't know what you mean?"
cried his terror stricken wife.
Il mean what do you think of this
world and 1 won't ask you again.
What do you think L have in my
pocket?" shouted the man as he drew
the revolver.
Mrs hurry ran screaming toward the
front gate. hurry pointed the revolver
at her and fired. The bullet struck
Mrs. hurry in the left arm near the
shoulder.
Several people were passing and
heard the shot and saw the frightened
woman running across the yard with
blood streaming from the wound in her
arm. The wild eyed husband was
standing on the porch with the revolver
in his hand.
He raised the weapon for the second
shot and pulled the trigger. His hand
was unsteady and the bullet missed
Mrs. hurry and lodged in the side OF
the house.
The little boy Frank was running
toward the west fence and just as he
scrambled over the fence his father
fired the third shot which was probably
hurry had walked down from the
porch and was standing on the brlck
sidewalk. He pressed the muzzle of the
revolver against his breast over his
heart and pulled the trigger. He fell
to the sidewalk and was dead when as
sistance reached him.
Close by the body of the suicide was
a damned and misShapened bullet, prob
ably the third shot which was intended
for the boy but which lodged in the re-
Volver.
ed. She was taken to the home of her
sister and the body of her husband was
taken to the mOrgue of DeMOsS & Pen
well where an inquest was held this
morning.
Joseph hurry was native of Switzer-
land and had lived in Topeka about ten
years. He was employed as painter in
the Santa Fe shops and has been con-
sidered a drinking man for long time
and the efforts of his wife and friends
to induce him to stop We're unavailing.
-
heavily and the more he drank the more
surly and fault-finding he became.
He kept a good supply of liquor in the
cellar and only a few days ago had a
fresh supply put there. He abused his
wife and the neighbors have heard him
threaten and abuse her.
When the shooting occurred Officer
Williams was notified. He called Sergt.
Donovan and the officers took charge
of the body until the coroner arrived
and it was then removed to the morgue
hurry was a member of good stand
ing in Capital lodge No. 1872 l. o. O. F.
He had some money invested and car
ried insurance but the amount is not
known.
Mrs Rosa hurry was very much ex-
cited after the shooting and said she
knew her husband was going to kill
her. 4 knew he was going to kill me -
she said. The trouble began a long
time ago and he abused me and my
little boy. When he came from work
and was throwing things around I was
frightened He came out on the porch
and pointed the revolver at me. I don't
remember much except that he shot
me"
Coroner Westerfield held an inquest
this morning at o'clock and the Jury
returned the verdict that Joseph Murrv
was killed by his own hand No addi-
tional facts were brought out during the
inquest.
Races and horse show at the fair,
grounds June 90 81 % and d AdrniS