The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-06-23
A TRAGIC INCIDENT.
Two Days in Country Town, old
FOrepauEh, the Snowman,
"Sduared Everything"

There is one country town in the
west which does not believe that circus
people are mercenary. The incident
was recalled 10y man who saw IT, He
said: at was in 1879, in the town of
Holden, Mo-, a place on the Missouri
Pacific railroad, where there is also "a
junction of one branch of the Missouri,
Kansas & Texas railroad. The circus
opened on Saturday. AS it was to show
in town in an adjoining county on the
following Monday, II remained in Hol-
den over Sunday. On Saturday morn
ing a man who lived in the town killed
his wife and himself. In small town an
occurrence of this character nearly
paralyzes business. Everyone had ac-
cess 10 the house of the double tragedy.
Naturally, the crowd in town was great
er than usual. The circus had drawn on
the country. Wagons filled with people
blocked the lanes early, and then filled
the town. These people waiting for the
show TO open put in the intervening
time looking at the dead. The bodies
of the man and woman had been placed
side by side. The pistol was picked up
by the coroner, who found il under a
small table near where the shots had
been fired. And that is how he discov-
cred two circus tickets that had been
left on the table. Where they had been
purchased was not known, as circuses
DO not have tickets on sale in small
towns except at the wagon. Inquiry
showed that these people had no money.
Not a cent was found, and at the place
where the man had been employed il
was learned that he had overdrawn his
earnings. The night before he pleaded
with his employer for Il dollar. He
said he wanted ii to buy tickets to the
circus, and added that his wife threat
ened to leave him If he did not take
her, On this plea he obtained the
money. There was no other evidence
al the inquest.
THE coroner was an honest man. He
returned the circus tickets to the pro-
Prietor, Old Adam Forepaugh, who
learned the story of the double killing
| was present when the coroner told his
story to the gruff Old circus man, who
put the tickets in his pocket and walked
away without saying word.
SUNDAY was the day of the funeral.
The circus people remained in their
train, which was made up ready TO pull
out on the following morning. In the
little house where the dead were cofiined
were less than a dozen persons. A few
minutes before the dead were taken out
a stranger called and asked for a friend
CT the victims, The only one who an
gwered was the undertaken, and it is not
likely that his friendship was entirely
unseliish. The interview between the
men was brief
"The little cortege ON its way to the
cemetery crossed the track on, which
the circus train near by stood An old
man sat on the rear platform of his
private ear, smoking, as the hcarse and
three buggfes went by. He took off his
hat until the vehicles had passed. The
undertaken was satisfied, aud When the
graves we're rounded up and the under-
taker left some flowers there, an un.
usual thing al country burial. and the
few who we're with him wondered he
;old them that old Forepaugh, the cir
Gus man, had squared everything -
! ". Y. SNn.