The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-05-25

before by Dickey. Jerry left there
about ~ o'clock, telling the members Of
the family that he had been in town one
week and had been remaining at the
Williams hotel. Dickey stated that
Shifts had been lately engaged in
truck gardening and that he sometimes
made a little money, but the money was
spent almost as soon as 1t was earned
for drink. The wife stated short time
ago to a friend that her husband al
ways sought whatever money she had
saved through her work, that was in
the house, and spent it for drink, and
that she was being starved to death,
and could not stand his brutality.
The dead man has a son at Carrollton.
He will arrive in the city Wednesday
morning and take charge of his
fathers remains. The son, 1t was stat
ed by Dickey, had engaged in a
shooting affair several years ago at
Uhrichsville. 1t appears that the father
has been married twice. 1t is under
stood that for reasons best known to
himself he left his first wife, his son
remaining with her. The first wife re-
married and one evening while the son
was at home he heard noise Of an en-
gagement downstairs and upon entering
the lower part of the house he dis
covered that the husband had knocked
the woman down. The affair resulted
in young Shifts shooting and killing the
stepfather. He was held in the New
Philadelphia Jail for several months,
when he was given trial and the jury
acquitted him Of the charge, in that he
had acted properly and in the defense
of the mother whose life was in dan
ger. He is now successful business
man in Carrollton and Is we'll known.
Many people visited the city hall to
see Shifts. Every long breath
drawn seemed his last, and with every
breath blood rushed from his mouth,
nostrils and ears. He laid without any
medical attention until $40 when. DR..
Morrow was called. AS the physician
entered the place he found that Shifts
was beyond medical aid, although moth
ing was done to make the last few
hours of his life at least comfortable.
The doctor left, others numbering in the
hundreds called and viewed the dying
man. Not a word of sympathy or an
expression of hope for his recovery was
heard among the throng who called.
During that time until his death which
occurred about 500 o'clock, was there
one expression Of sympathy heard. His
last half hour on earth was fearful
one to those who witnessed 1t. His
lungs having become filled up caused
the breathing to become more difficult.
He still struggled for life, but just az
the clock in the court house tower
pealed the hour of Jerry Shifts was
ushered into eternity to meet his maker.
In the meantime the ambulance re-
turned to the home of the Decker's
where lay the wife whom he had at
tempted to kill. DR.. Morrow had order
ed the taking of Mrs. Shifts to the Ault-
man hospital where she could be proper
ly attended to. Mrs. Decker, who
is Mrs Shifts sister, strenuously OBJ
jected, saying that she was willing and
competent to take care of her, but
finally gave in. Bert Shilling, assisted
by News-Democrat representative,
lifted her from the bed, and
placed her upon a cot, carried her to the
ambulance, where accompanied by Mrs.
Miller neighbor, sfterwar took her
to the Aultman hospital. Before leav-
ing the house, and while lying in the
Mrs. Shifts spoke without
any apparent pain to the News-Demo-
crat representative, saying: my hus-
band came to my sisters house about
fifteen minutes after one, today, and
asked to see our baby, little tot year
and half old. l told him the baby
was at one of the neighbors. He be-
cane abusive and demanded to see
the child. i became alarmed, and call
ed to my sister. 1 stood at the front
door Of the house. When my sister
came and Shifts saw her he started for
asked for the child. Before l could
reply he shot me and as / fell on the
porch he grabbed hold of me and pulled
me toward him. Some of the neighbors
had sent for an officer and as the pa
troll came around the corner Shifts fired
the second shot which struck the
ground. He then placed the revolver to
mis- head and fired"
She then said, Where Is he? Is he
1ead?" The reporter assured her he
was in good hands and still living. She
then fell into a comatose state and re-
NAMED SO, saying nothing more during
the ride to the hospital or afterward.
Mrs. Shifts, whose maiden name was
Maggie Keene, a daughter of one of
Pike townships most prominent and
Influential farmers, was married some
years since TO Frank Cogan, who after
wards died. She then married Shifts
who was dissolute fellow, never known
10 do an honest days work, rather ]
spend his wife's money in dissipation.