The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-04-06

his VIE ard Two Ch.ltrs7 and Con-
fessed TO Killing Of Another Babe.
HarrisonviIle, No, March so
Bates Soper was hanged at 800 this
morning. He refused to have any
spiritual CONSIDERS He fell seven
feet, breaking his neck The execu.
ton was private, witnessed 10y DULY
40 persons.
Soper showed only bravado before
the execution. He yesterday request.
ed that be be allowed TO mount the
g4llows ITO see bow it would feel"
and his desire wss gratifsd. He
stood on the trap and talked calmly
of the time it would go down with
him IN only few more hours. and
seemed greatly interested IN the
simple mechanism.
For six weeks ministers have re
peatedly called upon Soper, but he
steadily refused to talk TO them.
When asked what his idea Of the
future life was he replied that '.iife
on earth is only life Of probation
and preparation for the one ia the
next aud better world
Soper's brother Of Liberty, Mo,
took charge of the body Immediately
after the execution
Soper not only killed his wife and
two children at Archie, but by his
own confession killed child by his
second wife in Oregon, and meant
to murder it's mother, but failed to
carry out his plans.
Some time during Tuesday night,
April %, 1891, this man, butcher
by trade, turned his home into a
slaughter house. With an AK he
literally pounded the life out of his
wife aud two innocent children,
Maud, eyed five years and Gilis,
aged two years. Maud slept with
her father 10 the north room of the
little cottage, Mrs. Soper and ellis
in the south room. During the
night the father aud husband arose,
and seizing an AK. went to his wIfe's
bedside No one save Soper him.
self knows which one of the sleeping
ones met death first. The mothers
head was beaten to a pulp. One
terrible blow, full in the face, crush
ed little ellis face out OF all sem.
blance to humanity and ended his
life.
Returning to his own room the
monster found Maud sleeping, with
her face to the pillow. He struck
her on the beck Of the head with the
pole of the sx 1t was delivered
with such frightful force that the
little head was parted in twain.
At O'Clock Wednesday morning
Soper was at the Missouri Pacific
depot He bought ticket for Kan
sss City.
The bodies Of Mrs. Soper and the
children wore not found until three
days after death
Soper left in his home, after the
murder letter in which he explain
ed that he was impelled to the deed
by the shadow of previous crime.
Eight years before be bad been con
victed Of horse stealing and bad
served q term in the penitentiary.
Since that time his life has been a
, failure He claimed that q man in
Clay county had betrayed him and
added that he was going over there
to kill the devil"
Sopsr's father was killed some
years ago aud be was suspected OF
that murder.
From Kansas City Soper went to
Oregon, where he wss arrested at
Portland in June, 1896. de had
married @ woman at Portlssd who
knew rotbisg OF bis past. After bis
arrest by prosecuting attorney
Lowe, who had trailed him from
Missouri, be confessed that be had
|, killed his year-old child by Bis
second wife. He had separated from
j the woman and took the child with
him. He s.id be threw the little