Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-09
Loaded Himself With Dyna-
mite Bombs and He Then
Started Out to Kill All He
Could Find.
WOMAN SHOT TO DEATH; So
ANOTHER BADLY HURT
BEFORE HE KILLS SELF
After Creating Terror Reign in an
Entire City Block, Lunatic Blew
Out His Brains at Feet of One of
His Victims.
Rr Assoolsssa Prss.l

Ry Associated PreG&l
AURORA, Ill, April 6.-John Anderson
a plumber. whose mind had been affected
became suddenly violent today and arm
ing himself with two pistols. shotgun
and three bombs, which he fastened to his
person by means OF harness. started out
TO kill the inhabitants Of city block. in
which he said malicious gossip concerning
himself had been circulated
He killed one woman, narrowly missed
staying her husband. wounded another
woman. and then committed suicide.
A Crimson Trail
The dead:
Mrs. John Mcvicker. shot through the
heart as she ran toward a room where
her children were playing.
John Anderson. committed suicide by
blowing OF head with shotgun.
The injured:
Mrs. John BeIford. flesh wound and
broken arm from pistol bullets.
John Mcvicker. husband Of Mrs. Nc
Wicker, scalp grazed by bullet
City Block in Terror
Anderson terrorized the entire square
the inhabitants of which he had an
uounced his intentnon TO annihilate. That
his already weakened mind had complete
" given way was obvious.
Doors were locked and barred and wo-
men and chilren fed to cellars and attics
as soon as they saw the maniac walking
along the street, scrutinizing the different
houses. as II undecided where TO begin
The block in which he purposed work
ing devatation is bounded by the rail-
road and First and Second streets
His first stop was at the home Of Mrs
McVicker, probably his oldest and best
friend. Mrs. Mcvicker and her husband
had repeatedly befriended Andersen. who
was 4 wfdoxer They had received him at
their home and had nursed him when
in
Bullet Through Her Heart
With a pistol in each hand Anderson
began fring. The first bullet grazed Mr..
Mcvfcker's scalp. Mrs. McVicker ran to-
ward the kitchen, where her four children
were playing. in order to protect them.
She fell dead across the threshold with
a bullet through her heart.
Apparently satisfied, Anderson left the
place and proceeded 10 the home Of John
Bedford, a few doors distant Anderson's
resentment was conferred on Belford,
whom he accused, apparently without a
shadow Of reason, Of circulating SANDER
GUS stories about him. Mrs. Bedford and
her mother, Mrs. Amanda Minton, 50
years old and blind. were alone in the
house.
Woman Shot Twice
Anderson opened fire with his pistol on
AIRS. Bedford. One bullet inflicted flesh
wound and another shattered her arm
and she fell to the floor.
Mrs. Minton, hearing. but not seeing.
rose from the couch on which she had
been resting. and began cropping her way
across the floor. The maniac, however,
paid no attention to her.
BY this time the neighborhood. had be-
come alarmed and men were gathering
outside. Anderson walked to the window
and peered out Then he returned to
the center OF the room. picked up his
shotgun from the table on which he had
placed IL. and blew out his brains.
Bombs Failed To Explode
Mrs MintOn. in moving blindly about
had returned to the couch just as An
derson's body fell across IT,
To the fact that he fell on this yield
ing surface Is due the failure Of the
bombs strapped 20 his person to ex-
plode. TSey were homemade and Il is
believed were carried by Anderson in
order 20 make sure OF his own death in
case Of accident TO his other weapons.
IL was an hour before the people in
the neighborhood Gained down sufficient
" 10 unlock doors and windows and 10
emerge on the street.