Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-20
A SUNDAY
Tragedy.
Leslie EaaE srn. Shoots and
Kills Ja yr Sutton, at
. lPasla.
LOVED HIS DAUGHTER.
The suttons Were Opposed to East
burnss Attentions to Olive = States
mont by Young Eastburn-Olive
suston's Story of the Tragedy.

i
Bloomfield, Feb. 19.- Especial Cor
xespondence. )-Jasper N. Sutton, a
man about IS years of age, who was.
employed by James McGowen to do
chores and farm work, was shot and
killed between 9 and 10 o'clock, Sun
day morning, by Leslie Eastburn, a
young man of 23 years, who was en-
gagged to Sutton's daughter, Olive. The
young woman's parents objected tothe
match and tried to break the engage
ment. The story is that the daughter
sent a secret message to Eastburn
Sunday morning and later the young
man came to her home and was met
by Mrs. Sutton, who told him that he
was not wanted in their family any
more. He said that he desired to have
a private talk with Olive and reason
able talk with her parents. Mrs. Sut-
ton told him he had better leave be-
fore Mr.. Sutton came as he might be
rough with him. Then she told him to
go and pushed him out of the door.
Olive tried to follow him and strug-
gle ensued and the mother drew the
daughter into the house and on into
back bedroom leading out of the sit
ting room.
Eastburn then ran around the house
to the back door, which was not lock-
ed, and came to the bedroom door and
the two lovers hung TO each other and
endeavored to escape from the mother.
TREY succeeded in reaching the kitch-
en- but Mrs. Sutton told them to go
into the parlor and she accompanied
them in order to prevent private In
terview Between them. Mr.. Sutton
then came into the parlor, followed
by his son Pearl, young man of 25,
who pulled off his coat. Eastburn
told him that he .shad better stay out
of it, for if he would only be reason
able there would be nothing of it,
The father and son then took hold of
Eastburn and pushed him out of the
door. Eastburn put his hand on his
revolver and the elder Sutton told him
to take his hand off his pocket as it
would not do him any good. In the
meantime Olive started to run down
the street but slipped on the ice and
fell and her father starting after her
was stopped by Eastburn who fred
three rhots the last one passing thru
Sutton's heart, causing instant death.
Newton Sutton, aged 16, then appear
ed upon the scene of action and draw
ing his revolver demanded that East
burn should drop his, which he did.
7 Pearl Sutton then jumped onto East
burn and began biting him on the neck
bu. was stopped by Olive. who pound
ed her brother vigorously in
the face. Pearl then took
Easrburn into the house, where
he was arrested by L. 4. Bar
ton, and lodged in the county Jail to
await the action of the grand jury.
This is the story as it was told to
Courier representative Sunday morn
ing by Miss Olive Sutton.
Leslie Eastburn's statement, given in
his cell to Courier representative, is
as follows:
Jasper Sutton and Pearl Sutton
struck him three times while he was
in the house, and then he ran out.
They did not push him out. He fired
in the road. Eastburn got his revolver
at Wilbur Stevens three weeks ago
and took 81 and the revolver in pay
ment for some work he had done for
Stevens. After Eastburn went out of the
house Jasper Sutton ran towards him
and Eastbnrn stepped backwards and
said, Don't do it," He had understood
Sutton to say as he ran towards him,
II will fixe you Sutton reach East
burn and struck him three or four
times and Eastburn thought he meant
to kill him and so fired. He does not
know whether the first shot struck
him or not, but Sutton kept fighting,
Eastburn until he (Sutton) dropped
dead. Eastburn says that Sunday was
the first time he had ever been order
ed away from the house. He said lie
told Pearl Sutton three times, while he
was at the house, not to strike him,
and states that he did not go there
with the intention of having any tron-
bic. He simply wanted to have pri-
yate interview with the girl and her
parents, and said that just as soon as
he could have that he would go away.
The preliminary examination will he
held Wednesday.
Were About to Get Married.
Miss Cassie Plank, of Bloomfield was
in the, city today enroute to Des
Moines, where she will visit with
friends for several weeks. Miss Plank
was seen at the depot this morning in
regard ito the shooting affray that oc-
CURED in Bloomfield yesterday, and
said that contrary to the report circu-
lated, the young lady in the case was
with her lover on the street in front
of her residence when the young man
shot her father and that ii was the
intention of the young people to get
married yesterday. Miss Plank said
that she was acquainted with Leslie
Eastbnrn, the young man who did the
shooting, and that he has always
borne a good reputation