The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-08-28
Paramour Had Returned to
Wrecked Home for the Wo.
mans Belongings.
WOMAN NET HER AFFINITY
At HIS W|FE'S OEATHBED
Forsook Her Six Children and Went
to Live With Man With Whom She
Was Infatuated--Sympathy With
the Husband.

the Husband.
Gallatin. Mo-, Aug. 2S-Three weeks
ago Mrs. Kate Claycomb. the wife OF
Otis Claycomb. farmer northeast Of
this town, left her husband and six
children and ran away to Excelsior
Springs with John Ward. q neighbor
whom she had met at Mrs. Wards
deathbed. Last night Ward went to
Claycomb's home to obtain some OF
the woman's property and in quar-.
rel he was shot to death by the angry
husband.
The meeting Of Mrs. Claycomb and
Ward was romantic. About year
ago when Wards wife was dying.
Mrs. Claycomb and her eldest daugh.
ter were in almost constant attend.
ance on her. Later Ward employed
Claycomb and induced him to move
into house on one Of his farms. Sew
eral weeks ago Claycomb began to
observe that his wife was acting
strangely and he found that she and
Ward frequently met
+ Suspected Use Of Drugs.
Ward appeared to have a strong In
fuence over her and from what he
saw the husband began to suspect
that Ward was using drugs on Mrs.
Claycomb. He called in physician
and after his treatment Mrs. Clay.
combs condition improved. Clay
comb began to believe that he had
broken the intimacy with Ward.
Three weeks ago Mrs. Claycomb
fled and Claycomb learned that she
had gone to Excelsior Springs with
Ward. He followed her there and
tried to induce her to return. She
refused. Claycomb returned and q
few days later he brought suit against
Ward for $4,000 damages for alienat-
ing his wifes affections. She has
never been seen in this neighborhoor
since, and Wards appearance yester.
day was his first since Mrs. Claycomb
left.
The Claycombs Twenty Years Wed.
Mrs. Claycomh is a pretty woman
of about 3S. while Ward was about
so years old. Claycomb is about 80.
and he. and Mrs. Claycomb had been
married about 20 years. The sympa-
thy Of the community is with Clay.
comb
The more the facts in the case coma
that Claycomb was justified and tina:
he will be promptly acquitted. Ward
was widower OF some means. When
h4 hol Id IN
leave her home and go away with
him and then later came back to Gil.
man. he refused to tell her relatives
where she was, though he made fre.
quent mysterious trips ostensibly to
see her.
His Six Children Left Motherless.
Claycomb was desperate man. He
was abandoned by his wife and lef:
with six children to care for, the old
est being Is and the youngest years
old. Ward had failed to make good
his promise to givo him work when
he induced him to move to Bancroft!
from the farm where he was em.
ployed. He had no money and had
contracted many debts upon Wards
promises. But he uttered not word
of threat against his prosecutor. That
was his pitiable condition when Ward
went to his home and found him and
his children gone. Friday night
Ward went to the house and was
rummaging around to find some sill.
verware he had given the children
when his wife died, and to get somo
of Mrs. Claycombs things. Clay
comb returned home and hearing
someone in the house. secured his re.
volver and waited in the yard. He
was surprised when Ward came on:
with an armload Of things and put
them in his buggy. Ward had start
ed to go back into the house when
Claycomb accosted him and asked
what he meant by carrying of things
when no one wat at home.
'It's none Of your business" Ward
replied with an oath. I'll go in there
whenever please"
He Only Wanted His Wife Back.
Then Claycomb fired. SO quick. ha
says he hardly knew what he waa
doing. The bullet struck Ward owe.
the right eye and killed him instantly.
II didn't know whether ] had hit
him. But he fell on the walk abou:
midway between the gate and the
house and lay STILL" said Claycomb.
81 looked at him but an instant and
then ran to tell the neighbors whaI
I had done. l wanted to 60 to Gala
tin and give myself up. did not In.
tend to kill him. only wanted my
wife back again. He must have
drugged her to get her away from us.
She was 80 fond OF her babies. When
they were sick she would not let anv.
one else wait on them We had been
married 20 years this December and
never until this man came between
10 had We had any trouble"