The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-01-30
TRAGEDY NEAR RID6EWAY.
An ASsyridn peddler Shoots Two
Young Ladies' and then
Kills Himself.

Bethany Republican, in which Misses
Helen and Bessie Small, aged respect
lively about q and IS years, were SER
iously wounded and their assailant
afterwards killed himself by cutting
his throat and shooting himself with
the same revolver ian automatic Colts
of 80 calibre.)
The news Of the tragedy spread like
wildtire and the men for miles around
fastened to the scene, some of whom
were armed, expecting that it would
probably be necessary to use desperate
means in order to overcome the per-
petrator Of the awful crime. But after
reaching and entering the house now
occupied by Charles Prather IA son-in-
law of the late Therein SmalD and
family and Misses Helen and Bessie
Small, it was soon discovered that the
man who had shot and wounded the two
young ladies was a corpse.
The incidents leading up to and Gull
minating in the tragedy are substan-
TALLY as follows: John Abraham Site,
an Assyrian peddler, aged about 30
years, who was we'll known to many of
the citizens of Harrison county, he
having horse and wagon and travel
ing through the country peddling dry
goods, had been making the Prather
home one Of his stopping or boarding
places at various times and was there
last Sunday. From evidence brought
out at the coroner's inquest he threat
ened to kill Helen Small last Sunday
morning, but his threat was then re-
garded as a joke. From the evidence
it further appeared that he became very
angry when the Misses Small leased
him Sunday afternoon, and finally fred
with murderous intent at both of them,
seriously wounding each of the young
ladies. The weapon he used on them
shoots copper jacket cartridges, and
having an automatic trigger one USE
ing it has only to cock the revolver and
holding finger on the trigger it will
discharge it's deadly missiles in. rapid
succession. The fact that copper
jacket cartridges we're used is said by
some to increase the danger of blood
poison setting in as the result of
wounds inflicted. This may be little
ahead of the thrilling story, but should
it serve the purpose of preparing the
reader to obtain fuller understanding
of all pertaining to the tragedy enacted,
we'll and good. We leave part Of the
facts to what developed at the cor
oner's inquest.
After the young ladies were shot Mrs
Emma Gillidett and little son and Mrs
Charles Prather, who were the only
ones in the Prather home at the time of
the shooting, besides the two Misses
Small and John Abraham Site, went as
fast as they could to Mart Gillespie's,
three-fourths Of mile south from the
scene of the shooting, and gave the
alarm.
AS we understand it, Messrs. Snow
and Scott were the first to find John
Abraham Sites body, which was sitting
in a reclining position on the floor in
bed room, with head resting against
the bed rail. A revolver was found on
the bed and small pocket knife, COW
cred with blood, was found on the floor.
The corpse presented an awful spec
tacle. The mans throat was badly cut,
the knife having severed the left Jug
ular vein, also the wind pipe, the cash
stopping just over the right jugular
vein. A CHASTITY hole was in the head
the bullet having entered at point
about an inch in front of the top part Of
the right ear and coming out on the
opposite side about 1 J inches above the
outside corner Of the left eye, crushing
the skull. The body was in pool o.
blood and either of the wounds would
have been fatal.
Now as to the young ladies':
Helen Small may have been sho
twice, but it is generally believed tina
one bullet inflicted both of the wounds
she received, the bullet first going clea
through her left arm below the elboy
and lodging in the other wrist, wher
it is reported it still remains imbedded
After Helen had been wounded sh
ran out of the house and went over t
Mart Gillespie's.
Bessie Small was more seriousl
wounded than her sister Helen. TIL
bullet entered Bessies head littl
back Of the left eye, taking the ey
out and passing through the uppe
bridge of the nose the bullet come on
close to the corner of the other eye.
was close call for Bessie.
There we're no men about the hous
, when the shooting occurred. Whs
possessed the peddler to do what he di
will probably never be known, as it is
, true saying that dead men tell r