Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-06-19
HORRIBLE MURDER
Opposite Huntington In Ohio. John
Shater Kills His wife and Son ana
Wounds His MOther-i -in.Law,
Then POiSOnS Himself.

that was ever enacted in this re.
gion took place last Thursday about
o'clock. p m, near II ckwood.
opposite Huntington, in Ohio,
which resulted in the death of three
persons aud seriously wounding
another. John Shafer was the
murderer. The tragedy as near a.
we have been able to find out was
as follows:
Shafer an.l his wife have not been
getting along amioably together for
quite a while and he was once ar.
rested for failing to provide for his
family. He agreed to do better and
was released, his mother going on
his bond. But it seems that his
good behavior lasted only . short
time, as he brutality assaulted his
wife one day last week for which
offense he was arrested last Wednes-
day on q warrant sworn out by Mrs.
Thacker, his mother.in-law. His
trial was set for 2 o'clock, Thurs.
day afternoon. Instead of placing
the prisoner behind the bars, how.
ever, the Justice turned him over
to constable, Who put him in charge
OF relative, with inst -uotions to
have him in court at the time set for
trial. 1t seems that the one in
whose custody the prisoner was
placed let him 60 his way and he
went to Huntington on Thursday
morning and purchased . shot gun
and some No. IL shells.
A short time before 1 O'Clock.
Thursday, Mrs. Thaoker, Mrs.
Sbafer snd her six months old baby
and her eleven. year old son Herschel,
left their home IN . carrisge for
South Point to attend the trial.
The demon was in waiting . shor.
distance down the road for them
with murder in his heart. His
first shot took effect in the upper
part OF Mrs. Shafer's body. She
with her little baby in her arms fell
out of the buggy and the baby rolled
over the bank aud was unini iured.
Mrs. Thaoker aud the eleven.year-
old boy jumped from the vehicle
and started for the home of James
Yates, q short distance from the
scene.
Mrs. Thacksr, who Is quite aged,
was soon overtaken by the murder
er, and with the barrel of the gun
pushed over her heart, the trigger
was pulled. But Mrs. Thaoker
jumped and the contents of the gun
took effect mostly in her left
shoulder. She fell to the roadside
in agonizing pain and the little boy
kept on running az fast as he could
Mr.. Yates house. Just as
the little fellow was in the act of
stepping on the porch he was caught
by Skater. Mr.. Yates, who was
just recovering from q spell of
typhoid fever and in very weak
condition, epdeavored to interfere,
but Shafer told him, with su oath :,
that he would kill him, too, if he
laid bis hands on the boy. Yates
ran In the house to get bis revolver.
bat there was 20 loads in the
weapon and on coming out he was
startled to hear again the report OF
the gun. Sbafer took the lad to
his mother, who was lying by the
roadside mortally wounded. When
they reached the wounded womap's
side she said In q faint voice:
"Chsfley, don't kill onr boy"
This seemed TO further excite The
demon and he again pointed the
gun at the woman, whom be had
promised to protect, and sent
another load into her body. He
then led the boy into the woods and
shot him twice, almost tearing his
little body IN two and causing in.
slant death. The gun was 80 close
TO the body when the shots were
fred that the clothing Of the boy
was on fire when the neiehbor's
found the remains.
The bodies of Mrs. Sbafer and
Mrs. Thacker were removed to the
OF Mr.. Yates and medical
aid summoned. But Mrs. Shafer's
were Of such nature that
medical aid could do her no good
and her spirit took its flight in
about three hours. Mrs. Thaeksr.
although badly wounded, NAV
After killing the boy the devil'in
human form disappeared and s|
posse was soon formed and search
vas instituted, bat they failed TO
iind the assassin until Friday about
three o'clock, p. m, when his body