Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-04-20
KILLED HIS WIFE.

Oht VI tne nlO>l shocking trag-
edies which has occurred i'm Clarke
county in recent years was the
killing of his wife by Joseph III.
COpenhaver, at their home about
five miles southwest of Berryville.
last Saturday morning.
For several days Copenhaver
had been drinking very heavily.
and two days before the killing
was in Berryville and secured
fresh supply of whiskey.
He had threatened the life of
his son. and the son had left home
for the time.
The night before the killing me
was very abusive and threatening
and his wife and his sister. Miss
Mary Copcnhaver, were afraid to
stay in the house with him and
had slept i'm the stable that night.
Saturday morning. a neighbor.
MIR. Thomas jenkins. went to the
house TO get some seed potatoes.
Mrs. Copenhaver went to the eel
lar after the potatoes. and while
she was returning Copenhaver
wanted To know why his breakfast
was not ready. His wife replied
that breakfast had been ready
since 8 O'Clock, and told him to
90 IN and eat. He replied that he
wanted his breakfast brought to
his room. His sister then said
she would take his breakfast into
his room for him. He then fol
lowed his wife into the dining
room, and began cursing and
threatening her. She went ont
into the ward To- escape from him.
and his sister tried 10 prevent
his following. He forced her away
from the door and said he would
shoot. His sister said. You
would not shoot any one. would
You = and his reply was, You'll
see whether | will shoot or not. ."
and he stepped ont onto the narrow
porch. raised the pistol and fired.
His wife was near the wood-pile.
about twenty-five feet distant. and
the bullet entered Just below the
left shoulder blade and penetrated
the lung. She fell and rolled over
and he went 10 her and tried 10
carry her into the house. Not be-
ing able to Go this. he went into
the house and went to his room.
Miss Mary Copenhayer carried
the fatally wounded woman into
the house, but she lived only a few
moments.
DIR. W. =. Mcclure. of Win
chester, was on the scene very
soon, but there was no life i'm the
body when he arrived.
Sheriff Smallwood was notified.
and about two o'clock reached the
house. He was told that Copen-
haver was in his room in a drunken
Stupor. The house was cautiously
entered, and when the room
was reached the door was thrown
open quickly and Sheriff Small
wood Sprang upon Copenhaver.
who was lying on the bed with his
revolver stuck in the front of his
waistcoat, which was partly but
toned.
\ desperate struggle ensucd.
but others quickly came in to the
Sheriif's assistance. and Copcn-
haver was handcutTed. He was 50
obStreperouS, and made such vio-
lent efforts To break the handouts
that they were removed and a
straight Jacket, furnished by Ser
geant Taylor of the Winchester
force, was placed upon him. He
was brought to Berryville and
/ jailed to await the preliminary
hearing.
In speaking with several people
here he said " | thought | was
shooting ten feet over her head. :"
The two actual cyc-witneSSes to
the tragedy were Mr.. Thomas
Jenkins, Jr., and Miss Mary Cop
enhaver, the slayer'S sister.
When arrested he was found to
have two very fine pistols on his
person, one a veSt-pOcket der
ringer, and the other n fivc-cham-
bered arm. The revolver had been
snapped on one cartridge after the
shot had been fired. He claims
/ that he tried to kill himself first,
but the cartridge is behind the
empty shell instead of in front
of it.
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