The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-05-30
JOHN ". TERRELL
IN BASTHAVBN
HE DOES NOT SEEM TO I'M
PROVE UNDER TREATMENT
DEPLORABLE CASE
The Closing Chapter in a Sensational
Tragedy-A Prosperous
Farmer.

The transfer Of John w. Terrell
from the Jail in Button, Wells coun~
ty, to the Eastern Indiana Hospital
for the insane in this city some time
ago, is perhaps the closing chapter in
tragedy that has been exceptionally
sensational from the beginning, ow-
ing to the peculiar circumstances
which brought it about, the ferocity
which attended it's initial act and the
final interference Of the governor of
the state to prevent the punishment
of the chief actor, whose mind had
given way under the strain incident
to the crime and the subsequent court
proceedings.
In July last John w. Terrell was
one of the best known and at the
same time one Of the most prosper
Gus farmers Of Wells county. His
+ favorite daughter had been married
some eighteen months before to a
young man named Melvin Wolfe, but
the union proved unhappy and she
had returned to her fathers house.
Wolfe, after the separation, did ev-
erything possible to annoy his wife,
and, it is said, INDUCED in threats
against her and her father. His favor
tie method was to drive past the Ter
rell home and apply epithets to his
wife.
Drives Past Home.
One Sunday afternoon in July, as
the Terrell family were seated in the
yard, Wolfe drove past in a buggy
with a woman. He cursed his wife
and others sitting in the yard. Again
and again he drove past the house,
each time calling to members Of the
family and using the most insulting
language, especially to his wife. AS
Wolfe approached for the fourth or
fifth time, Terrell ran into the house,
took down his shotgun and, as his
son-in-law drove up, fired both bar
rels and severely wounded Wolfe in
the leg. Wolfe whipped up his hore
and drove rapidly to the village Of
Petroleum, four miles distant, where
he was placed on an operating table.
Terrell, as soon as he reloaded his
gun, ran to the stable, where he
mounted 4 horse, and, without coat or
hat, started in pursuit. When he
reached Petroleum he rode directly
to the doctors office, where a large
crowd had assembled. Terrell threw
himself from his horse and advanced
gun in hand. The crowd fell back in
CONSERVATION, but someone who had
entered when he rode up locked the
door and refused to admit him. He
burst it open, rushed to the side OF
his Frustrated son-in-law, placed the
muzzle of the gun against his hea(
and fired both charges Of shot into it
Wolfe's head was blown nearly en-
tirely away.
Face That of Demon.
: Those who saw Terrell as he rode uI
to the office and as he entered say
that his countenance was that Of ;
veritable demon. His hair wa
streaming in the wind, his face wa
: set, his eyes were ablaze. He did no
speak to anyone, and after he ha'
gained admission to the office h
seemed lost to everything but TIL
man who lay upon the operating ia
BILE helpless before him. After frin
the fatal shot he walked out Of tn
office and surrendered to the sheriff
Terrell never seemed to comprehen'
the enormitv of the deed. He lay i
Jail at Bluffton for several months
and at first gave directions regarding
e the work on his farm Gradually h
| lost interest in everything and be
S came moody and silent. 1t soon be
s came evident that his mind ha
t weakened under the severe strair
Z When brought to trial plea of in
r sanity was entered, but the jur
e found him guilty and fixed his pun
y ishment at Imprisonment for life.