The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-21
DRUNKEN DOCTORS CRIME.
Killed Three Persons and Was Him.
self Shot to Death.


LEAvENwoRTH, Kan, Aug. 2o.-A pc
culiarly distressing quadruple tragedy took
place to-day at Farley, a small town across
the river in Missouri. DR.. Sturley Harring
ton, a physician of Farley, drunk and
imagining fancied wrongs. killed James
Wallace, his uncle, a wealthy farmer; Mrs.
William Wallace. Harrington's mother-in-
law, and j. p. Dillingham;. sheriff of Platte
county, who tried to arrest him, and was
in turn shot dead by Harry Dillingham;, the
sheriff's son. Before he was cornered by
the sheriff's posse, Harrington held up the
clerk in the general store at the muzzle
of his revolver. and exchanged shots with
the clerk. firing into a crowd of spectators.
Harringtons twelve-year-old daughter was
a forced witness of the different stages of
the tragedy, the physician taking her with
him in his buggy as he went from place
to place on his bloody errands. Saturday
night Harrington quarreled with his wife
and drove her from home, threatening her
life. He had had words with James Wal
lace over a. line fence, and had been on
protracted spree. Mrs Harrington had not
returned home this morning, and Harrng-
ton, going to Wallace's home. demanded to
know where she could be found Wallace
rrofessed TO have no knowledge of her
whereabouts, whereat Harrington whipped
out revolver and shot him twice, once in
the head and once through the heart. Leav-
ing his victim as he lay. Harrington drove
half mile to the home of Mrs. William
Wallace, and again demanded to know
the whereabouts of his wife. To Mrs. Wal
hof che ~
Mrs. Harrington, the physician shot her
cead before she could make outcry.
Harrington drove Immediately to Leaven-
worth, taking his little girl with him. The
Wallaces were alone and no one gave
chase. At Leavenworth. Harrington ap-
peared calm and collected. He purchased
some cartridges for his revolver, and a
forty-one-calibre rife and ammunition for
it. remarking to the proprietor as he left:
'I left order for the cartridges at the
store in Farley. and as 1 am going home
1 might as we'll take them
AS Harrington retraced his steps the
liquor and the thoughts of his crime ap-
parently maddened him. Reaching Farley.
he entered William wehee's general store
and demanded some money of Daniel Can
non, the clerk.
81 have only 50 and cannot let you have
that" said Cannon.
''Yes, you can. for 1 will pay it back"
replied Harrington.
Cannon still refused, and Harrington
drew revolver and demanded the money.
There were a dozen men in the store, but
none made a move to interfere. The clerk
turned over the money, and Harrington
sta fa1 10 he
Cannon seized revolver and fired one
shot at him. He missed. and Harrington,
turning quickly, emptied his revolver In
the direction of the crowd None of the
shots took effect. but they sufficed to keep
the people at bay and Harrington saun-
tered toward the door.
Sheriff Dillingham; and his posse had been
following Harrington closely and as the
murderer emerged from the store he stood
face to face with his pursuers Harring-
ton instantly raised his weapon and fired
at the sheriff, the ball entering Dilling-
hams forehead. Harrington moment
later stepped over the body of the dying
sheriff and started TO run. He had gone
but few rods when a shot from the re-
volver of Harry Dillingham;, son of the
sheriff. brought him TO the ground. Both
Sheriff Dillingham; and Harrington died
within a few minutes.
The cause of the shooting is said to be
trouble caused by Harrington having been
expelled from the Masonic Lodge at Far
ley. He was expelled some time ago and
charged his uncle, James Wallace. and
Daniel Cannon with being instrumental in
the proceedings. 1t is said he made the
threat that he would clean out every Ma
son in Platte county for this action. No
reason has been ascribed for Harrington
having shot his mother-in-law, except that
he was crazed with liquor. The Wallaces
were among the most respected citizens of
Platte county.