The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-08-09
MURDER and SUICIDE
JEALOUSY AND WHISKEY CAUSE
OF TRAGEDY THAT MAKES
FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN
ORPHANS
Edward HaIstead Follows Wife Here
From Mt Pleasant and Delib-
erateIy Plans to Kill Her.

A most shocking tragedy was enacted
in Owosso Wednesday afternoon at 2:45
o'clock at the Travellers Home on Mich
igan Avenue, when Edward Halstead
killed his wife by firing four bullets
from 38 calibre revolver into her
body and then shooting the top of his
own head off with fifth bullet. The
cause of the act was jealousy and the
fact that his wife had arranged to
begin suit fordivorce on the grounds
of cruelty and non support.
Mrs Halstead came to Owosso from
Mt. Pleasant In June and secured work
at the home of j. Russell. on Water
Street. Soon afterward Halstead came
here and went to work as mason on
the.Sugar Co.'S. new building. He call
ed repeatedly at the Russell home but
was finally refused admittance. Mrs.
Halstead recently found employment
at the Travellers Home as a domestic.
She accepted the position against the
advice of friends, as her husband was
boarding there. She had him arrested
for non-support and this farther
angered him and he made threats at
the tire he was ordered by the court
to pay small sum weekly toward the
support of the four children of the
couple, three of whom were in the
/ Dorcas Home and the fourth child
at the home of friends in West
Owosso. He had been drinking con-
siderable lately and on Wednesday did
not go to work, staying around in the
attic and seemed respondent declaring
he was going to kill himself. His
threats were not taken seriously, but q
search of his clothes after the tragedy
revealed several cartridges, bottle oi
laudanum, razor and pair of shears
showing that he had planed to murder
and commit suicide. About 2:30 in the
afternoon he knocked at the door ot
Miss Emma Vose, thinking it was his
wife's room and stated that he had 6
letter for her. Miss Vose told him hi,
wife was in the next room and also in
formed her that her husband wanted Il
see her. AS she stepped out of the door
the man grabbed her by the throat shoot
ing four times at her, the bullets strik-
ing her in the arm, the chin, and two
in the left side of the body causing
instant death. He then shot himself il
the temple, dying from the effects o.
the wound at six o'clock Wednesday
evening.
A coroner's jury consisting of Miles
WiggIns, Bert Hodges, M. j. Phillips
Frank Burks, Martin King and L. A
Sanderhoff was summoned by Coroner
V. M. White, the bodies viewed and
an adjournment was taken until yester.
day in the case of Mrs. Halstead, wher
a verdict was rendered that she came
to her death at the hands of her hus
band while he was temporarily insane
The verdict in the other case will bt
rendered today that Halstead took hi
own life while insane.
Mr.. and Mrs. Halstead were married
eight years ago in Mt. Pleasant whel
she was but 10 years of age. and tn,
couple have never lived happily, he be
ing shiftless fellow who worried bu
part of the time, while she has Away
worked hard, making an effort to sup
port the four children, the Oldest beinl
but seven years of aye, the younges
but two. Halstead worked as cemen
mixer in the summer time and in tn
woods in the winter, but failed to ge
work part of last winter and spent hi
time drinking. His wife decided t
leave him, and in June sold the house
hold articles and came to Owosso plat
ing the children in the Dorcas Home
staying there herself two weeks an
then going to the Hauck House an
later worked in Stephan's cigar factor!
and then to the Travellers Home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Lichte, Of Ros