Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-01
MIRA JOHN =. THoMpsoh, OF
MASON CITY. kMLa hvssANo
AND eELF.
SHOOTING OCCURS ON
STREETS or MASON CITY
Unhappy Married LIE Of Less Than
Two Years RssuIts in Sensational
\ shsstins Anray-Wsman Planned
Crime and Praetiesd Shooting At
Marse-Husband Poor Support.

Mason City. July The finish IL
written in murder and suicide in the
family Of Mr.. and Mrs. John E.
Thompson. Of this city. 1t was one OF
the most shocking tragedies Of the kind
ever occurring In the city. Mrs.
Thompson shot her husband and killed
herself. Tho tragedy Of Saturday even
ing was quickly over and there will be
no litigation, as the actors were quick
ly taken from the world.
A year ago last November John e.
Thompson was united in marriage with
Miss Carrie Pence. the 16-year-old
daughter Of Mr.. and Mrs. Lincoln @.
Pence. The father is q blind man, hav-
Ing met with an accident about fifteen
Of dynamite nearly ended his life. The
Pence family arc pioneers Of the coun-
~ and are very highly esteemed people.
Unhappy Married Life.
From what can be learned Mr.. and
Mrs. Thompson. after their marriage,
only lived together about two months.
MT. Thompson left for parts unknown.
After he had been gone for some time
his girl wife instituted proceedings for
divorce. This ACTON was never heard
in the courts. This spring Mr.. Thomp-
son returned to the city, but was not
welcomed at the Pence home. 1t ap-
pears that the young wife wanted to
return to him and try 1t again but the
parents. knowing that he was cruel
and severe in his treatment of her. did
not want her to give him any more at
ygr-.,
one mile north Of the city on small
farm. Mr.. and Mrs. Thompson would
quite frequently have meetings in the
woods or on the bridge not far distant
from the Pence home. Just all that oc-
CURED between them is not known.
Hunband Wanted Money.
About three months ago. while Mrs.
ce-Thompson was making her own
living and was in the employ of the
Western Electric Telephone Company.
she was quite badly injured by light
ming shock, 80 much 50 that 1t was
feared that her arm would be para
lyzed It is stated that Mr.. Thompson
was rather shiftless young man and
he wanted to get hold of some money
easily and insisted that his wife bring
action against the company for dam
ages. She refused to do this. and 1t Is
stated that quite q little trouble arose.
This whit he fact that divorce proceed
sings had been Instituted, aggravated
the trouble, and, 1t 10 stated that
Thompson was again planning to go
away for good.
Woman Purchased Gun.
Mrs. Pence Thompson evidently had
planed the murder and knew perfectly
well what she was going to do. She
went to the hardware store Of the
Bailey Company and purchased 80
revolver and box of cartridges. This
was about three days ago. She evil
IDENTIFY practiced shooting for in her
handbag quite a number of empty
shells were found. Saturday evening
she left her parents home, where she
had been living ever since her husband
left, and went down town. No one
knows Of any plans made by Mr.. and
Mrs. Thompson that they were to meet
at certain place, but 1t Is quite evil
dent that there must have been an
understanding. She left Main street at
Seventh and went east about half
block when husband and wife met. No
one saw what happened and do not
know how it occurred.
Woman Gives Alarm.
The first known Of the shooting was
when vern Tofhemire came along in
his auto and the woman rushed out and
jumped in front of the machine and
Mr.. Toffemire killed his engine In the
quick stop he had to make She
screamed to him that II have killed my
husband and myself" At the sight Of
a dead man and frantic woman Mrs.
Toffiemire tainted and Mr.. Tofflemire
got out to render what assistance he
could to his wife. when. Mrs. Thomp-
son stepped away from the auto few
feet and sent bullet thru her heart.
She fell dead in her tracks. In few
moments the street was full. 1t was
found that Mr.. Thompson was not dead
and he was picked up and taken to the
Park hospital but died fifteen minutes
after arrival there. The bullet had
entered at the base of the skull at the
center of the back Of the head and
had plowed its way upward. She had
then turned the revolver on herself and
sent bullet thru the lower part OF her
abdomen and two minutes later COM
pleted the tragedy by sending the sec
ond bullet thru her heart. The shoot
ing occurred at about S:45 on Saturday
night. The bodies were taken to the
morgue and will there remain until this
afternoon, when burial services will be
held. But little is known Of the muir
dered man in this city. He was a
painter by trade but did not seem to
be very thrifty.
-a1A0 DR EH10En