Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-08-10


of this village and the surrounding
country are wonderfully excited over a
tragedy which occurred about nine
o'clock last evening.
The principals in the awful affair
were Lawrence v. Clark and Miles
Harper, drillers for w. T. Bolsher &,
Co., and the wife of Harper, who was
probably the cause of the trouble
1t seems that an improper intimacy
existed for some time between Clark
and Mrs Harper, and Mr. Harper had
repeatedly warned Clark not to have
anything to do with her. and especial
ly never to enter his house
About the first of the month Mr..
Harper went to Detroit and did not in
tend to return until a week from today
He changed his mind, however, and
returned and went to his home last
evening.
According to his statement, when he
arrived near the house he heard Clark
and Mrs. Harper quarreling about put
ting out the light, and tiptoeing softly
around the house, took off his snoes
|
and entered by the pantry window.
He secured his shot gun and entered
the room where he found Clark and
Mrs. Harper sitting in a chair. He at
once ordered Clark to leave the house,
which Clark, who apparently thought
he had the scare on Harper, refused to
do. A second and third time he was
ordered to go, but refused. Harper
then levelled the gun at him and told
him to throw up his hands, but Clark
instead made motion as if to draw
revolver, whereupon Harper fired both
barrels of the shotgun at him, both
charges entering his heart, killing him
instantly.
Harper then left the house, informed
the neighbors of his act and went to
deliver himself to the authorities. The
Squire and Constable did not take it
upon themselves to take him into Gus
tody and Harper went to a livery sta
BILE for a rig 10 drive to McConnels-
vile, the county seat, to deliver him
self up, but the people would not let
him have the outfit.
The neighbors and many other peo-
pie who soon appeared on the scene,
found Clark still sitting in the chair,
pale in death. The blood was still
flowing from two frightful wounds in
his breast The physicians who soon
arrived on the scene, announced that
death had resulted instantly.
The body was taken in charge by the
Squire. Upon examination the revol-
yer which Clark had reached for just
before his death was found in his shoe.
Mrs. Clark, who had been sent for,
soon arrived, and upon entering the
room walked straight up to the dead
body of her husband, levelled her fin
ger at the ghastly face, and said
Did not warn you to stay away from
here? Didn't tell you not to come
here tonight?"
Those who saw it say they will new
er forget the lmpressiveness of the
scene, the wronged wife repeating her
warning to her now murdered husband
The affair has caused a truly won
derful excitement here. Both parties
were we'll known and since coming here
have been very quiet and seemingly re-
spectacle citizens. Harper, especially,
as conducted himself as a gentleman
and good citizen, and his bearing
throughout the dreadful affair has
gained respect and sympathy for him
from all
Lawrence V. Clark, the dead man,
came here from Pennsylvania last
spring and his family moved here
about the first of July. He leaves a
wife and two children. whose legacy
will be that the head of their home
was killed with dishOnor to himself.
Clark was about thirty-Rve years of
age.
Harper and his wife moved here
from Indiana last spring and they
have two children, the oldest being
a girl about eight years of age. He is
about fifty years of age and his wife is
fairly good looking woman OF 25.