The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-30

WIFE WILL RECOVER
Murder and Suicide Took Place Al
the Home Ct : Friend Where
Vito and Child Had
Hidden.

Hannibal had tragedy yesterday
afternoon when barber killed him
self and child and also tried to muir
der his wife. The journal tells OF the
/ sensation as follows
A most horrible tragedy was enact
/ cd little after three o'clock yester-
day afternoon at the home OF AIonzo
Pulliam, 727 Pleasant street. North
| side. when Charles Beasley. barber.
shot and killed his little three year
old daughter, Helen. shot his wife in
! the back of her head and then lay
down by the side OF her murdered child
and sent bullet through his own
brains. Beasley and his wife had been
married about three years and recent
| ~ they have had many quarrels and
finally separated about two weeks ago
/, the wife and babe going home to her
parents. Mr.. and Mrs. William Robin
son on Palmyra avenue. Beasley had
threatened on several occasions to kill
his wife and she feared that he would
carry out his threat. Yesterday after
noon she and her child were alone and
fearing that he husband might come
to the house and kill her she took her
babe to the home of Alonzo Puldliam
I727 Pleasant street and remained
there.
About o'clock Beasley put In an
appearance at the Pulliam home and
finding his wife and child there told
his wife that he intended to kill her
and the same time drawing his re-
volver. She ran with the child in her
arms, but he overlook her, took the
child from her and shot 1t through the
head killing it instantly. This took
place in the rear yard Of the Plllliam
residence The infuriated man then
ran after his wife and fired shot at.
her Some of the neighbors made him
put up his revolver. but he returned
and chased his wife and fired another
shot at her, the ball striking her on
the back OF the head. He then reload
ed his revolver and lay dow by the
side OF murdered child a dgsiber-
ately fired bullet through brains.
The ball penetrated the SKULL just
above the left eye and killed him al
most instantly. The shooting was wit
messed by Mr.. and Mrs. George Pull
lam, George Dugan and three or four
others.
Drs. Bounds and Basket were hasti-
" summoned and examined the wound
tn m
had been taken to the home of a
neighbor Just across the street, and
found it not to be of a serious nature.
The ball had entered the back part
of the head, glanced and came out
about three inches from where it en-
tered making two horrible looking
holes. Her head was also powder
/ burnt. but the doctors said the wound
was only a flesh wound and not neces-
sariIy serious.
Coroner O'Donnell was called and
after viewing the dead bodies and in
/ terrogating several eyewitnesses did
not. at the time deem an inquest nee
essary and took the body of Beasley
! to his undertaking parlors and pre-
pared it for burial. He then returned
1 to the Pulliam home and prepared the
body of the child for interment.
Charles Beasley, tie murderr, and
suicide. was about 25 years old, bar
Der by profession and had recently
been in the employ of his brother, Ed
BeasIey of South Main street. Helen.
4 his little daughter whom he murdered,
was his only child and was about ~
wears old. She was remarkably
bright child and was a great favorita
with the neighbors. The weapon witt
which he committed the terrible deeds
is a 32-calibre pistol--a five shooter.
He had discharged every chamber and
then reloaded it and fired at least one
time after reloading it. The neighbors
7 saw that he fired six shots. When he
/ went to the Pulliam home his wife
and child were in company with Mrs.
Pulliam on the first floor. When he
started after his wife to take the child
from her she ran down the basement
stems out into the back yard where ne
overlook her, took the child from her
arms amidst her protests and screams
and deliberately shot it through the
head The tragedy attracted an inn
mense crowd to the scene and there
was great excitement. Some contend
ed that Beasley was crazy when he
committed the horrible deeds while
others said that he had only carried
ont the threats that he had frequently
made. 1t was indeed sad. sad scene
and one that will never be forgotten
4 Delay in commencing treatment for