Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-02-13
TERRIBLE TRIPLE TRAGEDY IN CODNGTON
COUNTY ON FARM HOME NEAR KAhlPESllA

.over was drawn tight and the trip
vas very comfortable in the big car
although it was running at the rate
If Az miles an hour. When the party
llighted from the car they found
Deputy Sheriffs Ed Elkins and Clint
3ibbins and DR.. Freeburg ON the1
scene. The house was in an uproar
ind smell of powder filled the air.
Clifford jenkins, the young man who
vas shot first, lay dead on the kitchen
ioor with quilt spread over his body.
body lay in another room
also covered up with a quilt. James
Jenkins, the wounded man, lay on g.
table groaning, with the doctor work
ing on him.
The saddest part Of the whole scene
was when the mother came from an
other room weeping and moaning
and wringing her hands and kneltI
down beside Eer dead boy and kissed
n1s cold brow, crying piteously: He
has killed NY moor boy" The other
women of the household walked the
floor crying and moaning and the
house looked as though it had gone
an Indian massacre.
Was Hard Working Man.
The reporter for the Saturday News.
talked with a close neighbor of MI.
Hammond. He is not neighbor at
this time but did live near the Ham
mond farm until few years ago. He
said Hammond was one of the hard.
est workers in the whole township.
He had heard that he was quarrelsome
but he had never had any trouble with
him. He seemed to think that HAM
mond would have gotten along all
right If he had been living alone with
his wife and there had not been too
many in the family. He said Ham
mond was not what one would call a
drinking man-took glass of beer
occasionally but rarely ever drank to
excess. He also stated that the boys
were pretty good boys and did not
use liquor to excess. He said he thot
it was a case of too many different
families trying to live under one roof.
The real trouble commenced when
his wife and Clifford Jenkins came to
town last Saturday and had papers
served on Hammond by the sheriff
to make him show the probate court
what disposition he had made Of the
money during his administration OF
! the Jenkins estate. Hammond con
suited Attorney Glass on the matter
Saturday afternoon and Mr.. Glass told
him that he would have thirty days
to answer the complaint and made 6
date to meet him Thursday when the
matter would be taken up. Hammond
promised to come to the city on that
| day and wrote it down on slip o1
paper. Don Allen of this city, hap
| pened to be in Mr.. Glass Office at the
time Hammond came in and he tolt
Mr.. Allen that he was having some
trouble with the folks at the farm
He told Mr.. Allen about the papers
being served on him and said that HI
was surprised at Clifford jenkins
signing them. Mr.. Allen said tina
Hammond seemed very much agitate,
over the matter and that he tried t.
pacify him by talking to him.
Hammond Talked of His Troubles.
Between Christmas and New Year
Mr.. Hammond happened to meet tn
editor of the Saturday News in CON
( pany with P. o. Mimnaugh and shel
| if Elkins. He made the remark tha
he must hurry up and get home to d
| his chores, saying that If he did no
go home and do the work, that
would not be done. He said tina
there were several young men aroun
the farm who belonged to his wift
but that they would not help do th
work on the farm. AS he walked o.
he said he was getting tired of tn
whole affair and had good notion
take his hat and coat and leave tn
farm for good. That was the las
: time he was seen by the editor {
this paper.
Says Deed Was Premeditated
Mrs. Hammond told the reports
that her husband was not insane b,
that he had threatened their lives ft
: la number of years and that they a
lived in constnt fear that he woul
some day carry out his threats.
Hammond Well Connected.
\. Mr.. Hammond has several brothe
4 residing in WatertoWn and yicini
l-Eand they are all good peaceful and Z
i spectacle citizens. 1t is said tn
HI, t,,.r,t ,,,I,n ,icifod Il