Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-02-19

JOHN I'DONALD KILLS MRS. KATH-
ERNIE LENNOX AND DAUGHTER
AT NORTH CLAYTON.
QUARREL CAUSE OF TROUBLE
Young Man Had Been Denied Admit
lance to Home of Sweetheart
by Mother.
GIVES HIMSELF UP TO MARSHAL.

GAYS MILLS, Wis, Feb. 1S.-[Spe-
clal.I-Refused admttance to the home
Of his sweetheart, John Mcdonald, aged
20. farmer living in the village of
North Clayton, about six miles from
lere' late Wednesday afternoon shot and
killed Nancy Lennox, aged 20, the girl
who had refused to be his wife, and her
mother. Mrs. katherine c. i4ennoX, at
thelr nome on farm near North Clay
ton.
Tragedy Follows Quarrel.
Mcdonald had been paying attention
to Miss LennOx for the past year. Last
summer quarrel arose between the
lovers and they did not see each other
tor some time. but the differences were
patched up and Mcdonald once more
began VISITING the Lennox home. Re
Gently Mrs. LennoX became dissatisfied
with McDonald's conduct and forbade
Inc young man to visit her daughter
Tuesday afternoon Mcdonald called
upon the mother and daughter in an eff
fort to effect a reconciliation. The at
tempt to win over the mother failed and
Mcdonald left the house in a rage. He
went Immediately to Gays Mills and
purchased 3S-caliber revolver. He re-
manned in Gays Mills Tuesday night and
most of Wednesday, but late in the aft
ernoon returned to the Lennox farm
Words passed between Mcdonald and
! the girl and her mother and Mcdonald
opened fire on Miss Lennox
Mother Beaten with Revolver
The enraged farmer fired three shots
at the girl, all of them taking effect. The
! hrst entered her temple, the SECOND
! struck the girl in the breast and the thirC
! lodged in her back. The mother. in al
! effort to protect her daughter, rushed be
| tween Mcdonald and the girl. McDon
| aid emptied his revolver at Mrs. LennoX
! two bullets taking effect in her side anC
| breast. The wounds inflicted upon Mrs
! Lennox were not necessary fatal but
! Mcdonald, as if maddened by the sight
/ Of blood and the thought OF the crime
| he had committed, pounced upon Mrs
| LennoX and beat her over the head witt
the butt of his revolver, MASKING bel
; head into shapeless mass.
Surrenders to Marshal
The murder was not discovered unit
| late in the evening when neighbors
alarmed at not seeing a light in tht
matter. The mother and daughter were
found cold in death. The room bore
evidences of a fierce struggle, for thu
walls and floor were spattered will
blood. In Mrs. Lennox's hands wa
clasped a broom which she had undoubt
eddy picked up with the intention o
| striking Mcdonald after he had opened
fire on her daughter.
Mcdonald disappeared shortly aft
er the tragedy and was not seen until hi
appeared in Gays Mills and gave himself
up to Marshal G. E. Thompson. Feeling
in the community was at such higI
pitch that Marshal Thompson deemed i
advisable to get his prisoner out of thu
neighborhood and in the evening he wa:
taken to the county jail at Prairie oil
Chen.
Miss LennOX was the operator for thu
Telephone company at Clayton. He
! father, Oscar LennOX, well known
farmer of Crawford county, died a yea
ago. Mcdonald was not particularly wei
thought of in the community.
t Bound Over for Trial
Mcdonald was arraigned in cour
this morning and pleaded guilty
Judge Clemenson did not sentence TIL
murderer, but bound him over to tn,
May term of court for trial to give hin
an opportunity to change his plea afte
consulting with his family.