Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-10
Special to rimes-Republican.

| Special to Times Republican.
| Eldora, Jan. 10.-This communit,
was profoundly shocked shortly aftel
6 o'clock last evening when the new:
quickly spread around town that ter
rible tragedy had just been enacted II
our city. The first report came tina
Joseph Policy had shot and Instant,
killed his wife. Sheriff Mitterer ant
DR.. Morse and others were hastily sum
moned, but before reaching the house OF
Mrs. Policy, in the first ward, word was
received that the assassin had beer
found dead with bullet hole in his
forehead, in his barn at his house in the
Second ward. 1t was soon ascertaineo
that Mrs. Policy was not dead. but thai
she had been shot in the upper part OF
the arm, the bone being fractured and
the bullet wedged in the arm. It is the
old story of second marriage and lack
Of harmony, and everything else essen
| tial to peaceable and happy home
Mr.. Joseph Policy and Mrs. Saloma
| Ellsworth were married about two and
a half years ago, in this city, and have
lived together more or less happily I'M
til some few months ago, when the lack
of domestic felicity became we'll known
about town. It grew steadily worse
until, about two weeks ago, Mrs. Policy
| left her husband and went to live with
her mother, Mrs. S. Bowman, in the
First ward, and a petition for divorce
was filed for the coming term of court
The grounds for divorce as stated in
the petition are cruel and ,inhuman
treatment. 1t is well known, however,
that the parties had signed an agree
ment as to the alimony and payment
of costs, ETC., to be in effect as soon as
the decree was granted. 1t is believed
that Mr. Poley's mind became affected
by thinking over his troubles.
On last Tuesday he went to the hard
ware store of G. F. Stauffer and pur-
chased 32-caliber revolver. Mr..
Stauffer thought he acted a little
strange, and when he went to hand him
back the change he asked him If he was
buying the gun for self defense. and af-
ter some hesitation Policy admitted he
was not, and seemed unnerved, and Mr..
Stauffer refused to let him have the
revolver and gave back his money, but
yesterday he went to the same store
the store with it.
He was seen near his wife's home
about $50 o'clock last evening. He APP
pears to have gone around the house
and entered from the back way without
knocking, passed thru the kitchen,
sshAvA-s a-s.sss,.5---s,rotf1e,--
washing his hands, opened the door to
the dining room, where his wife and her
aged mother were sitting by the fire,
drew the revolver, took careful aim and
fired. His wife had not seen him, and
VISA not aware of any harm until the
report and the shock Of the bullet
caused her to pitch forward onto her
face. She had been sitting a little side
ways and her arm stopped the bullet,
which would otherwise have pierced
her heart The assassin saw her fall
and, of course, thought he had killed
her. He made his escape from the
house in the confusion, and went to his
own house, some half dozen blocks west,
where he was found in stall in the
barn by his son, Harry. His body was
warm and blood was oozing from bull
let hole In his forehead. Assistance
was summoned and he was taken to the
undertaking establishment of Mr. ]. II.
Hadly, where 1t was discovered that a
second bullet wound had been made in
the center of the abdomen, just above
the stomach. It is thought that this
wound was caused when the body fell
forward, as the revolver was found I'M
der the body. Mr.. Policy was SO years
old, and pioneer settler of this coun-
ty, first settling in Jackson township,
many years. Some ten years ago he
retired from the farm and bought and
built home in this city, where he has
resided ever since. He was prominent
and active member of the M. e. church.
His son. Harry and his two daughters,
Mrs. Fred Harrison and Mrs. Murray
Wildman have been here a few days
visiting their father and were the first
to discover his body.
Mrs. Policy is a daughter Of Mrs. Sam
Bowman, and the widow of Daniel
Ellsworth. She Is a quiet and retiring
lady, Of much culture, and of estimable
character. Mr.. Policy had the reputa-
ton of being an honorable and upright
man, but extremely close in money
matters, and 1t is thought by many that
the main cause for difference between
Mr.. and Mrs. Policy was money and
property matters. 1t is also known thai
Mr.. Policy refused to allow his wife to
keep her mother and blind brother in
his house, and even refused to allow the
blind brother to come to visit his wife.
Whatever the cause, the result Is most
deplorable, and the surviving relatives
have the sympathy Of the entire COM
munity.
AT noon today 1t appears Mrs. Policy
| was more seriously wounded than at
first supposed and the doctors say the
chances are against her recovery. Upon
careful examination today the doctors
discovered that the bullet passed thru
the upper part of her arm and entered
her left side, passing entirely thru her
body and lodging in the ribs on the left
| side of her body. The doctors fear that
| the stomach or fntes:ines were struck
| by the bullet, as the patient has had,
this morning, two severe hemorrhages
of the stomach and is in great pain.
| Mrs. Policy is SO years old, quite
feshy and the doctors have little hopes
that she will recover.
When Mr.. Poley's body was found the
county attorney found on his person a
letter and revolver with three cham
bers empty and two loaded; also a bot
| tie of strychnine poison. Mr.. Policy left
letter to his son. It is quite lengthy,
but has not been given to the public,