Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-10-26
NO DEVELOPMENTS TENDING TO
CLEAR UP THE SKINNER
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
RESULT OF C0R0EER's INQUEST.
Only Two Witnesses Examined by the
Jury -DeJarnatt Was a Peculiar
Man and Was Slightly De-
mented-An Of the
Known Facts.

killing Of Eliza Pieratt on Wednesday
by John A. De Jarnatt, who after.
ward shielded.
Coroner Bridgford held an inquest
over the remains Of the two victims
Wednesday afternoon. Following ID
the verdict of the jury;
"We, the jury, sworn to inquire In
to the cause of the death Of John A,
De Jarnatt and Eliza Pisratt, find that
Eliza Pieratt came to her death by q
pistol shot fired by John A. De Jar
matt and that John A. De Jarnatt came
to his death by pistol shot fred by
his own hand
"ALEx. BRUCE, Foreman.
sE. KING.
81. r. BAKER.
"a. P. STEWART.
sW. F. KENNETH.
~. W. HOLLOWAY. -
There were but two witnesses ex-
amined, VIM. De Jarnatt, upon whose
place the killing occurred, and Mr..
Mcdowell, a neighbor. Tne gist of
Mr.. De Jarnatt's testimony follows:
81 had been to the blacksmith shop
at Skinner. About ten minutes be-
fore the shooting / had rung the din
ner bell to call John De Jarnatt In
from the field where he was shucking
corn. After doing this went into
the yard and was working on my
wagon about 80 steps northeast OF the
house. l had not yet aeen John when
| was startled by pistol shot sppGf-
entity in the house. l started to walk
to the house and had walked about
halt way OF the distance when head
a second report and ] quickened my
pace to q run. When ! arrived found
Eliza and John lying on the floor;
both were dead. The woman was
half reclining behind the stove and
John was lying In front OF the stove
with his head on the zinc under the
stove. A smoking revolver was lying
at his side. pulled him away from
the stove and ran to Mr.. McDowell's
house about half a quarter away. He
returned to the house with me.
81 did not bear sound before or
after the pistol shots. would call
John De Jarnatt rather q peculiar
man"
Mr.. Mcdowell testified: "Mr. De
Jarnatt came TO my house about 1880
and WAS greatly excited. He told me
of the murder and suicide When we
got to his house the woman was in q
sitting position and the man was ly-
Ing in front of the stove. A 32.cali-
ber revolver waslying under the body
another and smaller revolver fully
loaded was In his pocket"
DE JARNATT PECULIAR MAN.
John A. De Jarnatt, the murderer
and suicide, was very peculiar man
and seldom had much TO say to any
one. He was hard working man
and had often been known to work
four or five hours past bis dinner
hour in order to complete task
without interruption. He was rarely
eve without from one to three re-
voIvers on his person.
When wishing to go anywhere he
always took bis revolvers and walked.
Walking trips to Paris, Madison and
other places were often made by
him; occasionally he slept In the
woods during these trips. He showed
preference for doing bis travelling at
night. He was known as good re-
volver shot. The instrument Of death
was an old fashioned eingle action 32-
caliber pistol and shot rim fire shells.
Between shooting the woman and
himself De Jarnatt, snapped the re-
vclver once as the cartridge between
the two exploded ones showed the
impression of the plunger. In both
cases death was instantaneous. The
woman's face was badly powder
burned and from the fact that the
burns extended sli over her face and
neck Il would be presumed that she
was several feet from the murderer
when the shot was fred. In the case
OF the man the pistol was held close
to the forehead as the only burning OF
the skin was directly around the
wound.
A fact to carry out the theory that
the shooting was premeditated and
not the result of quarrel is that there
was no disarrangement OF the cloth
ing of either person or of the furni-
ture OF the house. The only thing
which was displaced was a plate OF
biscuits which were lying on the hoor.
The plate was unbroken and the bis
cults wero scattered sufficient to show
that she had been shot just after taxi
ing the bread from the stove.
Squire ]. H. Neil, of Rowena, was
deputized by the coroner to summons
the jury.
John DeJarnatt was a brother Of
Harry and Joe DeJarnatts both news
paper men Of ability and practical
printers. Harry now lives at Neponset,
ILL.,, and Joe is ia Chicago. The De
Jarnatts have extensive connection In
this county. Jam 3 Dill, who died 10
the Insane Asylum at Fulton some
months ago, was hall brotherof the
DeJarnstt boys.
Anti-saloon League Organized.
vANDALIA, NO., Oct. is.-Rev.
Thomas Pingree, who spoke here some
time sgo In the interests Of recently
Iinaugurated snii-saloon league, has
effected temporary organisation In