Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-15
DESCRIBES KILLING OF FATHER
Boys Insist Shooting was Done TO
Prevent Being Killed
Themselves.

AUBURN. Neb.. Sept. l4--(special THE
jury at the inquest over the body of Isaac
Williama who resided about eight miles
east OF this place, returned verdict that
the deceased came to his death from the
effects OF several gun and pistol wounds dis
charged from the hands OF his sons. Clar-
ence and Charles Williams Clarence VIII
liams is about 3 years Of age and Charles
about 10. and they are the only living wit
nesses to the tragedy. They freely admitted
the killing to the coroner's jury. Their
story of the killing IL substantially as fol-
lows:
Tie deceased and Clarence were intend
ing to go to a neighbors to help thresh
Mr.. Williams was sitting on a hay rack
on wagon In the barnyard and the boys
were hitching a team to the wagon. Previ-
Gus to this Charles and his father had been
discussing Charles proposition to go to
Shenandoah, Ia, to attend school. and the
father had become a little angry about II.
Either from something that Charles said or
did. the deceased became violently angry
and jumped of of the wagon and ran at
Charles with a pitchfork threatening TO kill
him. Tho boy ran and lodged around the
team and wagon with the father in hot
pursuit repeating his threats AS Charles
pistol at his father but apparently none
of them hit him. Instead Of checking the
deceased, this only made him more furious
and vigorous in the pursuit.
While the deceased and Charles were
thus engaged, going around and around
the wagon and team, Clarence williams
ran to the old dwelling house of the de-
ceased. which stands in the barnyard near
where the team was being hitched up,
and which is now being used as a granary
and store room. and secured a shotgun
which was kept therein. and ran out where
his father and brother were. and seeing.
ns he claims that the father was about to
catch and kill his brother he raised the gun
and discharged both barrels thereof at his
father, which killed him almost instantly.
Six shots from the shotgun penetrated
the body of the deceased and there was a
slight wound on his arm, apparently caused
by pistol ball
This tragedy is the elimination of trouble
that had existed between the father and
sons for some time. The deceased had a
violent and uncomfortable temper and when
angry was beside himself. in fact. quite
a few OF the neighbors have regarded him
as insane when mad. A few weeks ago
while he and Charles were out milking
he knocked Charles down with a club and
then ran him into the house with an axe,
threatening to kill him. The two boys and
the mother ran into a bedroom and locked
themselves In. remaining awake all night,
expecting to be attacked. Mr.. Williams was
| well-to-do farmer and has resided in this
county for over thirty years. Before NOV
! ing to the farm he was butcher in Brown
VILE A great many years ago he cut and
almost killed a blacksmith over a trivial
matter. Some eight or ten years ago he
struck brakeman with a coupling pin of
a freight car, which was feared for long
time would rrove fatal. Some five six
years ago he assaulted his oldest boy, who
is now in wyoming. and II Ia believed would
have killed him but for the timely inter-
| ference of neighbor. At this time the
deceased left home and wandered about the
country for about a week and when he
came to himself he was near Rulo, in Rich
! ardson county. He claimed to have no
recollection of where he had been or how
he got to where he was when his memory
returned. The other boy at this time left
home and has never been back.
! When not angry Mr.. Williams was kind
and indulgent father but when angry he
was brutal.