The leader., 1905-06-03
THE SAVANNA,
ILL.,, TRAGEDY
Murder Of Daniel S. Berry Followed
by Suicide Of ssBot'' Pulfcrd.
WAS SAyANNA'S RICHEST MAN
He was Suspected OF Having killed
Berry, Gossip limiting Mt Trou-
BILE over Domestic
Affairs.

uds h4liSu ulMSS1A ACW AuoAuCuJ0
after being questioned concerning the
whereabouts of revolver with which
he was suspected of having killed DAN
iel S. Berry, attorney, and former
member in the Illinois legislature.
Pulford denied, on the stand at the
coroner's inquest, having had any hand
quaintance substantlated his story
with an account of a conversation
which she professed to have been hold
ing with him in drug store at the
time Berry was killed.
The authorities persisted in suspect
ing him, however, and continued their
Investigations on the theory that he
was responsible for the shooting.
A story Widely Circulated.
The story was widely circulated that
Berry was killed as result of his
attentions to q married woman.
When he arrived at his store Pull
ford found newspaper reporter wait
ing for him with queries relative to the
revolver.
AS soon as the interviewer hal left
Pulford hurried home, and, going to
the hayloft Of his barn, shot himself
dead
His Mind ON Verge of Collapse.
Pulford's friends said boldly that his
mind was trembling on the verge of
collapse. They declared he had been
driven almost insane by his heartache
and sense of wrong. Almost before
the smoke of the pistol which i:illed
Berry had cleared from the hallway
of the opera house, it was hruited
about the street that "Bot" PulfoFd
had killed Berry.
A telegraphic message was sent to
Mount Carroll, the county seat, to that
effect. Sheriff D. E. Doty heard it. 1t
brought him hurrying to Savanna.
When first told of the suspicious
against him there was no trace of per-
turbation about Pulford. He looked
calmly at his questioner out of his
quiet brown eyes.
The Interview.
81 had nothing to do with the killing
of Berry" he said. 81 was in my drug
store when the shots were fired. l was
talking to Mrs. John Benson about
electric lighting of her house.
Ted Boutwell,, my clerk, and Frank
Whistler were in the store. All these
persons will bear. me out
WAS there not a feud and deadly
hatred between you and Berry?" he
was asked.
mo" he said, 'our relations were
not unpleasant. He rented his Office
from me-
"But the townspeople tell stories Of
the hatred you bore Berry"
81 knew nothing of such stories, I"
was the answer.
As side light on this interview it
was Said by a citizen that Berry lived
in constant expectation of an attack.
His pistol was found in his pocket
after he was killed. His death was
too sudden to admit of his drawing it.
A Dozen Years Ago.
1t is necessary to go back a dozen
years to appreciate the relations be-
tween Berry and Pulford. At that
time, perhaps Is years ago, Pulford
was struggling druggist trying to
make both ends meet, with indifferent
success.
1t is understood that finally his af-
fairs became so near the straining
point that he was forced to appeal for
help, and Berry came to his assistance.
Pulford rallied financially after
weathering the storm, and then the
era of prosperity which, by the strict
est economy in every phase of life, re-
suited in his becoming what he was,
one of the richest men in this part of
the state.
During this time Berry naturally was
an intimate friend of the family, and
in the natural course of his business
and social relations became we'll ac-
quainted with Pulford's wife.
Brooded Over a Secret Sorrow
Pulford had been brooding over
some secret sorrow to such an ex-
tent that in the opinion of some it
affected his mind.
The condition of the druggist became
so alarming that his physician ordered
him to go to sanitarium. Pulford's
explanation of his poor health was
that he was worried over the affairs
Of the electric light plant, which he
recently built
The real cause Of his threatened coll
lapse was said however, to be this con-
slant brooding over the estrangement
OF his wife's affections, and his belief
that Berry was obtaining the. mastery
not only dvef, Mrs. Pulford, but over
a large part Of the Pulford property.
Over Four: Hundred Conversions.