Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-20
Killing of Grinnell Farmer
Was Done Seemingly With
out Cause
MURDERER COMES OF BAD BLOOD
Notorious Crime Of the FIeeners in
War Times Recalled as Mitchel's
Mother Was a FIeener - Parker Was
Shot as He was Coming Out of the
Barn Door.
Special to Times-Repubncan.

Special to Times Republican.
Grinnell Aug. 20.-The scene OF the
murder of John Parker by George
Mitchell, brief account Of which was
given in these columns exclusively last
evening, was just over the line IN
washington township.
George Mitchell works for James
sparks and lives in his house on the
Farm, Sparks, boarding with him. Par
ker.s house fs about mile away. There
had been some trouble between Mitch
I'll and the elder Parker, and Mitchell
I had told him to not come on the place
where he lived. Yesterday Sparks 7.
b. Parker and his son, John Parker,
drove to Sparks farm across the field
{ III, look at some hogs. Mitchell met
!. them at the gate near the barn and
!, told them not to drive thru. John Par
ker opened the gate. however, when
Mitchell struck him with whip There
was more or less fighting by both Par
kers and Mitchell, Mitchell getting the
worst of 1t. He called to his wife TO
bring his gun. which she refused to
do. He then went to the house. delib-
Arately got his shotgun and loaded IT,
came back, and shot Parker, at such
close range as to tear a hole in his chest
40 his back bone was visible. Mitchell
md wife. after the shooting, walked
10 II. M. Smiths and had him telephone
for an officer to come and arrest him.
AS he had killed q man. The coroner
went with Marshal Green. impaneled
3ury. composed of Cash Williams. II.
a. Burch and John w. Smith, and held
an faouest with verdict, after testi-
! ynony OF all parties, Of premeditated
Imurde-.
Mitchell Is young married man. He
has no family and hie parents are living
~ Searsboro. He was formerly a
Spaulding e,nploye. John Parker and
father are familiar as old time resi-
/ dents Of the county. living together On
<he same farm. John Parker was ~
, or 45 years Of age, and has wife ana
several children. He had no trouble
with Mitchell, and was in fact, an In
nocent party.
Mitchell was arrested at Smiths and
taken, to the scene OF the murder for
testimony before the cornor, ana was
then brought to the city where ne Is
now an the city lookup.
Mitchell is known about Grinnell as
4 very ugly citizen. His mother was
FlAerer and the Fleeners. her brotners.
Toe md John, were the copperheads
y who murdered two United States mar
ghals on drafting duty In 1864. In's
rhine was committed on the highway
between Searsboro and Blue Point, ana
3 mt of 1t grew the wholesale arrests
by the Grinnell militia. when hall the
stipulation Of Washington township
was confined In box cars at rinneil.
The Fleeners escaped. Hence IT Is fear
ed that Mitchell's bad blood may have
provoked his attack.
John Parker. the man killed. accord
ing to the Story told by his father ana
Nv Sparks, was shot just as he was
coming out Of the barn door on the
Sparks farm where Mitchell lived as
tenant. John Parker was an inonen-
siye man ard had had no trouble with
Mitchell prior to the day OF the shoot
fnr altho II is claimed that the elder
Parker had had some words with Nit
chell.
Not more than week ago Sparks
was In Grirlnell consulting lawyer
about Mitchell's actions, claiming that
Mitchell would drive him away from
the house altho the farm was his his
stock was there and his contract gave
him the right to live in the house with
MitchelPs family. Because Spark
could not endure the treatment and
was afraid OF Mitchell he determined
to sell his hogs and move away. II
was for the purpose Of selling the hogs
to the Parkers that the visit was made
which so angered Mitchell.