The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-27
A TRAGIC INCIDENT.
Two Days In Country Town, ola
Forepnugh, the Snowman,
squared Everything"

There is one country town in the
west which does not believe that circus
people are mercenary. The incident
was recalled by a man who saw g. He
said: 1T was in 1872, in the town Of
Holden, Mo, a place on thg Missouri
Pacific railroad, where there is also a
junction OF one branch Of the Missouri.
Kansas & Texas railroad. The circus
opened on Saturday. As IL was to show
In a town ia an adjoining county on the
following Monday, it remained in Hol-
den over Sunday. On Saturday morn
ing n man who lived in the town killed
hiswife and himself In sman town an
occurrence OF this character nearly
paralyzes business. Everyone had ac-
cess TO the house of the double tragedy.
Naturally, the crowd in town was great
er than usual. The circus had drawn on
the country. Wagons filed with people
blocked the lanes early, and then filed
the town. These people Whiting for he
show to open pat i'm the intervening
time looking at the dead. The bodies
of the man and woman had been placed
eide by side. The pistol was picked up
by the coroner, who found IL Under
small table near where the shots had
been fired. And that rs how he discov-
cred two circus tickets that had been
left ON the table. Where they had been
purchased was not known, as circuscs
do not have tickets ON sale in small
towns except at the wagon. Inquiry
showed that these people had 20 money.
Not n cent was found, and at the place
whers the man had been employed It
was learned that he had overdrawn his
earnings. The night before he pleaded
with his employer for a dollar. lie
said he wanted 1t TO buy tickets to the
circus, and added that his wife threat
ened to leave him If he did not take
her. On this plea he obtained the
money. There was no other evidence
at the inquest.
"The coroner was an honest man. He
returned the circus tickets to the pro-
prietor, old Adam Forepaugh, who
learned the story OF tine double killing.
| was present when the coroner told his
story to the gruff old circus man. who
put the tickets i'm his pocket and walked
away without saying a word.
"Sundny was the day of the funeral
The circus people remained in their
train, which was made up ready 10 pull
out on the following morning. In the
little house where the dead were coflined
were less than dozen persons. A few
minutes before the dead were taken out
3 stranger called and asked for a friend
Of the victims The only one who an.
swered was the undertaken, and il is not
likely that his friendship was entirely
unsehsh The interview between the
men was brief
"The little cortege on its way to The
cemetery crossed the track on, which
the circus train near by stood. An old
man sat on the rear platform of his
private car, smoking, as the hcarSe and
three bugg.es went by. He took OF his
hat until the vehicles had passed. Tho
undertaken was satisfied, aud when the
graves were rounded mp and the under
taker left some flowers there, un ua-
usual thing az a country burial and the
few who were with him wondered, he
.old them that old Forepaugh. the cir
aus man, had squared everything. -
s.. 81. sun