The Indianapolis journal., 1903-07-13
Drove by Again and Was Shot I'm the
Leg with Two Loads OF Buckshot
by the Angry Farmer.
KILLED IN A DOCTORS OFFICE
HE HAD BEEN TAKEN THERE BY EsIS
FEMALE COMPANIONS.
His Father-in-Law Followed Him,
Burst I'm the Door and Killed Him
as He Lay Under the knife.
special to the Indianapolls journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
BLUFFTON. Ind, July 12-Wells county
is wild with excitement over the terrible
venge that John Terrill. one of the wealth.
lest oil men and farmers in this part OF
the State took early this evening on Melvin
Wolf. the recreant husband of his daugh-
ter.
After emptying both barrels of his shot
gun in VOLTS right leg this afternoon. Ter
rill followed his victim to Petroleum, little
town near this city. found his way TO the
office of the doctor that was amputating
VOLTS leg, burst open the door OF the op-
Grating room and fired charges from both
barrels of the shotgun in VOLTS head as he
lay stretched on the operating table.
Although mad with rage. Terrill acted
with the most perfect composure. BY the
time he had reached the front OF the doc
tors office, a mob Of several hundred per-
sons had gathered. springing up from
everywhere. Men tried to ssize the muir
derer, and there were cries OF Lynch
him." Terril's iron nerve saved him.
Waving the shotgun. which he had quickly
reloaded after killing his son-in-law at the
mob he shouted that the first man who
tried to interfere with him would die in
his tracks. Still waving the gun. he
walked rapidly down the steps. out In the
street and took the road to Bluffton. Not a
hand was reached out to stop him. The in
cipient mob was thoroughly cowed.
When Terrill disappeared In the direction
of Blufton, several persons ran TO tele-
phones and notified the Bluffton police Of
what had happened. Patrolmen were dis
patched in tine direction of Petroleum to ar
rest the murderer. They met him within .
short distance of the city and menacing
him with revolvers, ordered him to submit
to arrest. Terrill made no resistance. He
did not try to use his own gun and did not
struggle when he was taken in charge by
the police Of this city. He simply said that
he had started for Bluffton with the inten-
ton of giving himself UP.
NO FEAR OF LYNCHING.
He was lodged in jail. charged with mur-
der The authorities of this city have
taken every precaution against mob vio-
lence, and none Is apprehended. Although
Terrilrs crime was, ferocious in nature.
there is more or less sympathy with him.
and il is recognized that he was goaded by
the dead man almost past the point OF hu-
man endurance.
Four years ago Melvin Wolf, young
farmer of some standing in the community.
married John Terrilrs daughter. one Of the
bellies of the neighborhood. Both the Ter
rill and the Wolf homes are in Nottingham
township, not far from the village of Pc
troeum. The girl was pretty. vivacious.
and one of the best-liked of the young
people of the neighborhood. 1t was love
match, and bride and groom started out
with the most iattering prospects of a
- l..
said, VOLTS ardor waned. He ceased to
love his WIFE and became more and more
indifferent. He began TO treat her badly.
10 neglect her, and to make her life miser-
able Finally, several months ago, he de-
serted her and she returned home TO 1--we
John Terriil. who had developed violent
hatred of Wolf after the latter had begun
to treat his daughter badly, tried TO keep
out OF the young mans way, IL is said.
fearing that he would be tempted TO Kill
him. Terrill is a proud man. and did not
relish the gossip Of the neighborhood, He
was made bitterly unhappy by the sight OF
bis daughters misery. Wolf failed TO ap-
preciate the peril OF his position. Time
after time in recent weeks he passed the
Terrill home. making insulting remarks TO
every one he chanced 10 see than belongs TO
the family. A number of times. II Is said.
he met his wife and insulted her.
This afternoon Wolf exceeded all his pre-
vious insults. With two girls he drove by
the Terrill home in buggy. They were
enjoying themselves generally. liz IS
averred that Wolf shouted a number tf
epthets in the direction OF the house The
three drove on, but returned In few min
utes. This time they were seen by John
Terrill who became insane with rage. lie
went TO his room. got his shotgun. loaded
il with buckshot. and waited for VOLTS
temperance. The third time Wolf drove
by Terrill was waiting near the house I'm "A
clump OF bushes. He took careful aim and
fired both barrels at his son-in-law. The
heavy shot entered the right Les. tearing
the flesh and shattering the bone.
FATAL ELIMINATION.
The injured man was held in the buggy
by the two women. the horse was lashed
with the whip. and Wolf was driven at top
speed TO Petroleum. only few miles away.
There he was taken TO the office of Dr.
Saunders who knew at once the leg would
have 10 be amputated. He took the man
into his operating room. laid him on the
table and made arrangements TO sever the
injured member.
Suddenly the door was thrown open.
Terril apeared In the door with a shotgun
at his shoulder, his face red with the ex-
ertion of following rapidly after the man
and the girls Without speaking a word he
pulled the triggers and the two loads OF
heavy bnckshot crashed into the brain of
the PROSTATE man The operating table
and the floor OF the room were like a
slaughter mouse. Ut SdunutTs escaped
through another door. and Terrili did not
tarry long.
Hundreds of people I'm the neighborhood
had heard OF the trouble In the afternoon.
They knew Terrill had followed Wolf 10
Petroleum rapidly he could 60.
They knew that Wolf had been taken TO
the office OF DIR. Saunders and when Terriu
started 1 that direction they knew a
tragedy would follow. After the deed had
been done some of the hotheads. II is said.
wanted 10 string Terrill 20 the nearest
tree. but they lacked the nerve TO follsu