The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1908-06-18
Charles Ray
from first psge.)

that be could not act until she swore
out warrant unless Charley was sctu-
ally doing crime, and referred her to
Prosecuting Attorney Bright. The lat.
ter promised to attend to the matter,
but probably sizing thu difficulty up as
one of the Rays numerous petty quar-
rels,w in no hurry, and before he left
carthage with Sheriff Parker the inev-
liable tragedy had occurred.
SAYS HE AIMED GUN At HER.
According to the story told by both,
Mrs. Roy and the boy returned to
the house, Selling an opportunity to get
tothe house while charley was talking to
q passing neighbor in the road. charley
evidently OWNED, however, the purpose
of their trip and became more furious
than ever. At about 2:3O o'clock he
came rushing across the yard with his
gun, coming from a direction in which
he was protected by the smokehouse
until within thirty feet of the house.
This smokehouse stands just southwest
of the house, and as Ray charged
around its southwest corner he met his
doom. Mrs. Ray and the boy had taken
refuge in the second story, and the for
mer took her post at the window with
u shot gun loaded with No. 4. shot. At
the instant Ray came into view she
fred, and her husband in the very act
Of sighting at her along the barrels OF
his own gun, fell to earth corpse.
The heavy No. shot did its work, fully
twenty shot striking him in the head,
neck and chest, and death was instan-
taneous.
Mrs. Ray immediately sent Earl to
inform their neighbors of what had
happened, and small crowd had soon
gathered on the premises. Neither Mrs.
Ray nor her son would discuss the af-
fair with any Of them and Earl in sum.
moning them to the scene limited his
information to the mere fact that Chas.
Ray was dead. They have both main.
tanned this attitude ever since the shoot.
ing, with two exceptions first, when
Mrs. Ray made to the sheriff, on bis
arrival, full and complete statement of
the matter, admitting that she did the
shooting: and second, just after the in
quest, Monday night, when she re.
marked that she was in greater peace
of mind since she shot her husband
than for the past seven months, during
which time she hardly slept for fear of
being killed or having the house burn
ed over her head by Ray.
When Sheriff Parker and Attorney
Bright arrived on the scene quite a
crowd had gathered, including many
people from Jasper, but the body had
not been touched except to be covered
with sheet by John Ward. After
gathering all the evidence they could
find at hand the two men had Rays
body conveyed to Jasper, where until
Wednesday, the day of burial, it lay at
Teeter's undertaking establishment.
Mrs. Ray was not arrested, but both
she and Earl voluntarily attended the
inquest held in the opera house that
night by corner Baird. Seven witness
es, in the order named, were examined:
George Winters, r. p. Lane, Earl Ray,
claud Boyer, John Lee, Geo. Vincent,
and Sheriff Parker. Mrs. Ray was not
put on the stand.
SEVEN WITNESSES EXAMINED.
George Winters testimony was 10 eff.
feet as follows: The first knowledge he
had that day Of any trouble at the Ray
place was shortly after noon, when Mrs
Ray and her SOD, Earl, came to his
house, which is only 200 yards from
the Ray home, and stated that Charley
was giving them trouble; had laid siege
to the house with shot gun and had
threatened to kill them, and that they
had slipped out on the north side Of the
house while he watched the opposite
side. Earl stayed at the Winters place
while Mrs. Ray went to j. P. Johnstons,
a half mile away, to phone to Carthage
to ask the officers to come and get
Charley. She returned after little
complaining she could get no satisfac.
ton out OF the officers, and returned
with her son to the Ray home, follow
ing wagon down the road and gaining
access to the house while Charley was
conversing with a man out 10 the road.
She had a shot gun with her when she
went to the Johnston place and took it
al L l. - - -