The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-05-02
SLEW COUPLE
FOR KEEPING
HIS BABES
Love for Little Ones and Re-
sentiment of Wife's Restrain
ing Him from Seeing Them
Cause of Dual Crime.
Battle Greek Murderer Tells
Why He Shot Down and
Killed Both of His
ParentS-in-LaW.

knew what ! was doing and
am not sorry. TIE shots would
not have been fired, had not my
wife secured an order restraining
me from seeing my children
love tire little ones."-JoSEPH
q. BLUNT.
"He said he would kill me, or
brand me for life II ever whip
ped one Of the children. ! have
done all the hard work uncom-
plaininely. Stree the flood he has
been brutal toward me and when
! said was gcing to get divorce
he said that II didn't, he would.
He mad 20 reason TO blame my
parents MRS. BLUNT.
(From a star Correspondent
BATTLE CREEK. Mich. May o.
Mrs. Joseph b. Blunt, unTerve6 and
still trembling from her narrowing
experience at dawn, when her hus
band, maddened because she had sued
for divorce. shot down and killed both
her parents while their little children
Witnessed the bloody crime, made a
statement TO The Times representa-
tive.
The interview took place In what
had been but few hours before the
home OF her parents, now cold I'm an
untimely death.
Her pretty children, a boy OF four
and chubby girl OF two sobbing from
fright; their father In the city jail
with a terrible charge against him
and her own racked nerves caused the
young wife to show In her eyes the
horror she was passing through as
she recounted her husbands deed and
told OF what led up to 1t.
Story Of an Abused Woman.
''It was my divorce suit, unques.
tionably, which caused Joe to do this
awful thing she said.
Our married life had come to such
a pass that could not live with him
any longer. Only latelyahe said that
he would kill me. or brand me for
life. IL ever whipped one OF the
children.
Il have done all the hard work un-
complainingly," Mrs. Blunt continued.
IL even waded in water to my knees,
during the recent food, to save our
vegetables from being destroyed. He
did practically no work at home. Since
the food he had been brutal toward
me and when I said that was going
to get divorce. he said that IL | did
not, he would. He had no reason to
blame my parents"
Murderer Not Sorry.
Blunt. pale and sullen, sat In his
cell at the Jail, his leathery face In
his hands. elbow on knee
Il want TO be left alone" he snarled
at The Times man.
His reserve finally broken by per-
sistence. the murderer said Of his
crime:
81 know what | was doing and am
not sorry. but will not make a state
ment yet. II was not drunk. because
i never touch liquor However, the
shots would not have been fired had
not my wife secured an order restrain
ing me from seeing my children.
II loved the little ones he added.
in choking whisper.
Perhaps will tell the rest later,
but am too unnerved now to talk"
Without word of warning, Joseph
B. Blunt. well known local Socialist
and liquor salesman for l.. A. Kerston,
shot and killed his wife's parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Homer 8. Jones. this morn.
ing, In the bedroom shared by the
Jones couple with Blunt's wife and
two children. The latter witnessed
the murder and were driven out Of
tho house into binding snowstorm,
In peril OF death.
Blunt's wife sued him for divorce.
Thursday, claiming he had threatened
her life repeatedly and mistreated her.
She went home to her parents. who
lived but few rods distant. and into
this house Blunt entered at daybreak.
Shoots Jones Thrice.
Jones was shot thrice, falling dead
on the floor. His wife was MORALLY
wounded as she lay In bed. expiring
in her attempt TO get out.
Blunt's little boy, aged four. was
sleeping with them. but was unhurt.
Mrs. Blunt picked up her daughter.
aged two, and ran outdoors. wander
1ng aimlessly until the neighbors call
led the police. believing the woman
'demented.
Blunt walked into police headquar-
tiers and surrendered.
The victims were Sc and So years
!o1d. respectively, and came here from
,Greenville. IL years ago. The murder
er was an ex-street car employee.
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