The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1905-06-09

that threats against each uthtI |
had been made by both parties, and
Shearluck had been forbidden Ia visit
the home OF Cunningham. Last
Thursday afternoon Shearlock was in
Flat River aud started home with a
bucket Of lard, loaf of bread aud
some mail matter He was walking
and went by way of an old road that
passed through jules David aud Gun
ningham'S farms, but which had been
enclosed When he arrived at the d.
viding fence Of the two farms, and just
as he climbed over the fence, the fatal
blow wa, struck The club used wa.
an ash stick, about four feet long aud
two inches through at the larger end,
tapcring To about one inch al the
smaller end, aud had been used for
stalking of the fence There were no
witnesses to the killing, and all that is
known Of what passed between the two
men is from the statement of Cunning
ham given before the coroner's inquest
the next day, aud which is given be.
low.
After killing Shearlock, Cunning
ham went to another part OF hi
farm aud told Maurice Hunt, who
was working for him, that he believed
he had Killed Shearlock, and for Hunt
to 60 and tell W 5, Conway and 9th.
cts, which Hunt did After telling the
neighbOTs, W. ). Conway, VIM. Pa.
pin aud Hunt went to the scene OF the
tragedy, where they found the body al
Shrarluck lying face downward with
head toward the fence, the arms
doubled under the body, can Of lard
under one, loaf OF bread under the
other and some papers and other mail
matter under the body The left side
OF the head well toward the back was
badly crushed and the stick with which
the deadly work was done was lying
near, the butt end smcsfcd with blood
The body was moi disturbed but wa,
left rs found until the arrival Of tie
Constable aud Sheriff When Con.
stable Burns arrived ut the farm aud
found Cunningham, the latter re.
marked, al guess you are looking ior
me, and give myself up.
Friday morning Prosecuting Attor-
ney Wilson, Sheriff Croke and Squire
". II. Young went out 10 the Gun
ninghum farm to hold an inquest ovcl
the body, which had been guarded
during the night and lay as it was first
found, Squire Young, acting as coro,
ner, had the body removed TO squire
CON,ngton'S office at Flat River rs q
more convenient place TO conduct the
inquest
Several witnesses were examined
bringing ont the fact that deceased had
been in Flat River the afternoon Of
June lst aud made some small pur
chases, but nothing as to the feeling
between ShcarIock and Cunningham
was brought out. The following state.
mcnt was made by Cunningham
cuNNINGHAM's STATEMENT
Yesterday evening about 4 O'Clock
perhaps little later, MIR. Shearlock
cane along my premises where | was
putting up fence enclosing my prem
iscs, and had just finished it. He was
just IN the act OF taking hold of the
fence when discovered him, when /
forbid him aud requested that he would
not come on my premises. | was a
little excited aud don't remember the
exact words, but that is the substance.
He was climbing the fence when
made this remark. He said nothing
until he got down on my premises
He said, Cd d. you, | see | have
to Kill you aud | might as we'll do ii
nov. About the time he finished the
sentence noticed his hand in his right
hip pocket, just got the glimpse of
something that glittered in his pocket
When ! seen that jumped forward
about two steps 10 tree when my eyes
caught SIGHT Of the stick that was
kinder between me and Shearlock.
caught il up and passed little above
the tree and struck the lick | didn't
strike a very hard lick, but struck as
quick as | could. lie turned u little
as he fell and | saw the handle of the
pistol. then struck him again, pos
sbly twice. Then set down the stick
right on the ground and went up on
the north part of the farm, where Mau-
rice Hunt, who worked for me, was AT,
and told him believed had killed
Shcarlock. In his effort to obtain his
pistol il seemed To fast aud wouldn't
come out.
CoRoNER's VERDICT.
We, the jurors, empaneled aud
sworn on the I'd day Of June, 1905,
at the township of Perry, in the coun.
ty of St. Francois, by W. II. Young,
justice of the peace in and for ST.
Francois township, acting coroner, to
diligently enquire and true presentmen,
make how and by whom John Shear
lock, whose body was found on the
farm Of James Cunningham, in Perry
township, ST. Francois county, State
Of Missouri, on the LIST day of June,
1905, came to his death, having viewed
the body and heard the evidence, do
find that deceased came to his death
at the hands of James Cunningham by
q wound inflicted on his head with
stick In the hands of the said James
Cunningham.
Signed j. F. EDWARDS,
j. n. WE'LL,
l.. S. HOY,
X. l.. BoATwRIGHT,
LEWIS w. MERRITT,