The copper era., 1901-07-04
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Ed. Harwell, a Well Known
Citizen, Kills His Wife
and Himself.
The Tragedy Was Premeditated,
But No Cause Assigned For
The Terrible Deed.


1:15 o'clock, from the effects OF which
this community has not yet recovered
At about I 10 the bodies OF Ed. Har
. well and his wife were found in theil
home, coy cottage near the En- bank
ment. Each had been shot through
the head.
The news spread rapidly over towr
that Ed. Harwell had killed his wife
B and himself. Both parties were st
we'll known, and the tragedy was sc
terrible in its nature, that strong men
turned pale, and many refused to be-
lieve the story. Soon crowd gather
ed at the residence and entered
through the open door Of the parlOr.
In an adjoining room were the lifeless
forms of Mr.. and Mrs. Harwell. Mrs
j uarYel MaSSusi ting at the table with
her head on her left arm and her right
hand resting on the table. She had
been shot behind the right ear, appar-
emily without the slightest warning,
and dying instantly. Mr.. Harwell
was lying on his back with his head
towards the front OF the house, with
the pistol still grasped in his right
hand and an ugly hole in the right
side Of his head. His death also must
| have been instantaneous. 1t was a
sight from which men instinctively
| the house refused to enter.
Justice Wright was at once sent for,
and Constable Hamilton found diff
Guilty in securing a corOner's jury, as
many men refused to act in that capac-
ity. a jury was finally secured and
viewed the remains, after which they
adjourned until the following day,
hoping to gain some further light on
the terrible tragedy.
Kind friends then took charge OF the
bodies and prepared them for that
long sleep from which there is no
awakening.
Mr.. Harwell had been on the day
watch at the Clifton Saloon, and left
there about 1870 for his home. He
had attended to business as usual, but
seemed pre-occupied, and when not
waiting on customers was busy writing.
He was strictly temperate man, in
fact it is said that he had never tasted
liquor, and was strongly opposed to
the business in which he was then en-
gagged. He had often stated that he
intended to quit the business, and in
fact a month previous had resigned his
position to take effect on the following
day. After the tragedy many remark
ed that for the past month he appeared
to be morose, and as some expressed it
Cranky" but as he was positive
character, and always OF Il serious tenn
permanent, no particular attention was
paid to it at the time.
Mrs. Harwell and her daughter, a
beautiful child OF ten years, were to
have left on the following day on a
visit to relatives in Texas. All pre-
parations were made even to the pack
ing of lunch. To this trip Mr.. Har-
we'll had apparently given his consent.
He had told others that his wife was
SOIuS HOinCf iuu bildb bC ABCCttu W
lay off and take Il rest.
1t is quite remarkable that such
tragedy should occur in the middle OF
the day in a thickly populated part of
town, and yet not be discovered until
several hours afterwards. Jack Hol-
man, who has room in the building,
was sitting on the front porch and
heard the shots. Elbie Smith also
heard the shots, and asked Mr. Hol-
man il they were not pistol shots. Mr..
Holman replied that he thought they
were firecrackers. The Chinaman,
who is employed at Elbie Smiths, also
heard the shots, and all three of them
agreed that there were five shots fired,
which, on an examination of the pistol,
proved to be correct. Three of these !
shots were evidently fired at random,
and probably with the intent of attract |
ing attention. 1t is quito evident that
Mrs. Harwell was killed at the first |
shot fired, and it is also equally certain |
that Mr.. Harwell was killed by the last |
shot. The first three or four shots |
were fired in quick succession, though |
all agree that there was slight pause |
before the last shot was fired. 1t would |
seem that had Mr.. Harwell fired the |
last shot while standing that the neigh |
bors would have heard his body strike |
the floor, but they did not. Not a
groan or cry of any kind was heard by |
those who were so near.
The bodies were first discovered by |
the five-year-old daug hter of Sheriff |
James Parks, who called to say good
bye to her auntie and her cousin, and
Immediately gave the alarm. The
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Harwell had
been sent to Sunday school at 10 o'clock
and told that she might visit friends
in North Clifton during the afternoon.
1t was most fortunate indeed that she
did not return home previous to the
discovery OF the bodies.
Mr.. Harwell had resided in this
about fourteen years. He was
to Miss Hobbs, sister to Gus
and Lee Hobbs, at Duncan, about
eleven years ago. So far as known
their married life had always been
happy. Mrs. Harwell was a sweet
gentle little woman, who
the love and respect of all
who knew her. All who knew her best