Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1901-08-29
ASSASSIN'S WORK.
Lafayette Newkirk Shot
Down on the Street.

the public street while on his way
home from up town.
The shooting occurred on West
Monroe street, nearly opposite the
residence of Sam Morris and only
little over block from the pub
lie square.
1t was Il few minutes after nine
o'clock. Newkirk had been up
town aud was returning home with
II watermelon under his arm. The
moon was shining brightly, but
the assassin met him as he passed
Il shady nook of the street and
fired the fatal shot, afterwards
emptying the contents of the re.
volvcr into the back of Ncwkirk 5
head, Newkirk falling to the walk
on his face. Five shots were
fired, the first one striking in the
right side of the nose, putting the
eye out and passing into the brain.
The other shots were fired III close
proximity, one of them setting
fire to Newkirk' : vest.
W. l.. Rennolds lives just west
of Sam Morris and noticed the as
sassin as he passed mp the street
from the east and then back again
from the west. Ina few moments
he heard shot, and then after II
short interval saw the flash of
the four other shots. Prof. Il. w.
Moore, of Nandalia, one of tn"
County Board of Education, who
was staying with Mr.. Rcnnolds
during the examination of teach
ers in progress, also saw the flash
of the four shots Immediately
after the shooting the man walked
with a hasty step back in the di-
rection from which he came. \
number of persons heard the shots
but all supposed that someone was
shooting at dog
Newkirk' body lay on the side
walk until Ethan Howell and Joe
Cauthorn happened along. They
also heard the shots but suspicion
ed nothing. When they discover
ed the body they called Sam Nor
ris and ran for DR.. w. h. Rodes,
who lives near by. \ number of
people were soon on the ground,
but short examination only PROV
ed that the man was dead. The
shooting was in less than 300
yards of Newkirk' home and the
shots were heard by his wife who
says she ran ont to the gate and
in Il few moments the supposed
assassin passed up the street near
her i'll quick walk.
W. l.. Rennolds gives the fol-
lowing testimony: Just previous
to the shooting | saw a man com
ing down the middle of Monroe
street; he was coming from the
east. | did not take any particu-
lar notice of the man until he got
opposite my gate, when he turned
and came on the walk. He then
turned back towards town. In a
moment heard shot fired a lit
tie over il hundred feet to the east
of me and looked around in time
to see four flashes and to hear
four more shots. The man who
did the shooting then came run
ming toward me. As Prof. Moore.
of Nandalia. who was with me, and
| started out toward the gate to
see what was the matter, the man
turned to the street and cut across
to the cornerof Monroe and West
crn avenue. He was turned back !
from that street by some person
calling There he goes, and anoth- |
cr saying: They've hit him; he is |
The moon was shining
very brightly and | think that |
would know the man if | were to
see him again under the same con
litionS. He appeared to be Il man
who would weigh about lGj
pounds and looked to be about ) ft1
in. tall, He wore Il light brown
suit of clothes and II light hat,
There was not Il word spoken and
Newkirk did not utter "A sound af-
.cr he was shot"
Those who cried, "There he
goes, they've hit him." etc, sup
posed the fleeing man was a bur-
glar who had been run from some
'esidence in the neighborhood.
Coroner Bridgford began an in
quest over the body Monday which
astcd all day and adjourned to to-