Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-04-28
A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
Frank Smith, Raised in Great Bend, Kills
His Wife and Then Himself,
in Pueblo, Colo.

not live, and We must die together, D
said Frank Smith 10 his brother g day
or two ago when referring to his wife
who had brought suit for divorce from
him charging cruelty. She refused to
return to him. and how we'll he kept
his threat was shown to the eyes OF the
Mortified neighbors who rushed into the
little home on Spring street near Clast
night and found the wife lying dead
huddfed in heap in the doorway con-
Meeting the bedroom of the couple with
the spare room; the husband gasping
his last on the bed, still holding re-
volver in his right hand.
| Residents in that vicinity were starr
tied last night about 9 o'clock by the
report of three pistol shots coming
from the Smith house. The reports
We're followed by the rush of man
from the place, who made wild efforts
to unhitch a horse which was standing
in front of the place. At about this
time Officer Bell appeared on the scene
and entered the house.
There a gastly sight met his gaze.
On the floor between the two rooms at
the rear of the house were ly ing the
remains of Mrs Smith; on a bed in the
adjoining sleeping room was the hus.
band gasping in the last throes of
death. In his hand was 3S-caliber
revolver with which he had evidently
shot lis wife and then turned the wea.
pom upon himself, and the officers at
| tempts to disengage the weapon from
his hand were successful and in a few
moments the murderer and suicide
breathed his last.
The woman was shot in the left tenn.
pie and also in the neck. The bullet
which entered the neck VIZ evidently
the second shot and in an attempt to
ward off the deadly missile she had
thrown up her left arm, as there was
bullet hole through her wrist. The
bullet with which Smith ended his own
life entered the left temple and came
out through the back OF his head and
was found in the bed.
! The man who had been seen to run
from the building when the first shot
was fired was Terry Smith, brother
of Smith, who occupied the front room
as a sleeping apartment. He had been
startled from sound sleep by the first
shot and before being thoroughly
awakened the other two shots were fir.
ed and he saw the body of the woman
drop at the entrance of the house. He
did not stop to investigate but ran
out of the front door intending to give
the alarm. It was at this time that
the officer appeared upon the scene.
Two weeks ago today the couple had
quite dispute in which Smith is said
to have given his wife black eye. She
went to Mrs. J. S. Sperry regarding the
matter and stated that she wished to
get a divorce and the papers for
divorce suit were filed in the district
court. Mrs. Sperry was seen last night
and she stated that the murdered wo
man had undoubtedly been mistreated
for when she came to her her eyes we're
BACKED and she gave every evidence of
having received beating. Mrs. Sper-
ry advised Mrs. Smith to get divorce
if she could not live with her husband
and the action was filed.
When the first quarrel between the
couple took place, Mrs. Smith endeav.
ored to secure position and few
days ago was engaged as dining room
girl at the G. F. & L. hospital where
she has been employed.
A young lady neighbor of the Smiths
who is also emplC yed in the diningroom
at the hospital and was with Mrs.
Smith when she went home before the
shooting said: ''As we were coming
out of the hospital tonight about
o'clock, Mr.. Smith was standing on
the other side of the street near his
buggy. We. started down towards the
, grove when he said: Don't you ladies
. want rider" I asked Mrs. Smith if
{ she was not afraid to go with him. She
answered OF course not,' and We got
in the buggy together and rode home
: When we arrived there MIR. and Mrs
SIulIH went iuLo IuciI uouSc anu Well
, into my fathers home next door
, About half an hour later mother
called my attention to a noise which
said was the folks next door breaking
kindling wood. A few moments after
that the reports of two pistol shots
were heard. We then knew that some
: thing awful had happened.
It appeared that Smith had beer
drinking for several weeks. he wa
in tie employ of Naytoh s. Simpson