Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-14
DAVENPORT MAN SEEKS TO Elk
TERMINATE WIFE AND SEVEN
CHILDREN.
TRIED TO sEHEAD
THEM WITH RAZOR
Thirteen Year Old Son Stops Effort to
Slaughter by Selling Shotgun and
Threatening to Kill Parent-A. J..
King in Jaii--Wife Alleges He is
Wanted in St. Louis For Murder.

Davenport. June 14.-Angered be-
cause his wife refused to lead a life
of shame, A. j. King, alias John Lee,
IS years old, molder employed by the
Zimmerman Steel Company and Tesld-
ing on Rockingham road opposite
Paramount cemetery, is said to have
attacked his wife with club and razor
and threatened to behead his seven
small children with razor. King
13-yearold son. upon seeing that MS
father was trying to kill his mother,
grabbed q shotgun and pointed 1t al
his father. king, however, managed
TO knock the gun from the boys hand
and knocked him down flight OF
stairs. This was the last seen OF the
boy, altho the entire neighborhood has
been searched.
King, who was placed under arrest
by Marshal I'D Smithinser, of Rock
ingham, is said 10 be wanted in 81.
Louis on a charge Of murder, and also
at Madison, Wis, on a charge of rob
berry. He is now lodged in the Scott
county jail and faces charge OF as
sauft with intent TO commit muroer
He will no doubt be taken TO St. Louis,
however, if he is wanted at that place
on a murder charge. Altho the al
legged attempted murder occurred about
o'clock Sunday morning and King
was placed in jail short time later,
Sheriff Kuehl failed to give any of the
details to the newspapers until he was
asked about the affair yesterday. He
admitted that he had sent Kings de-
scription to st. Louis in an effort 10
learn il he was wanted at that place.
According to the stories told TO Mar
shall Smithinger by Mrs. King and the
children. King came home with an
other man about O'Clock Sunday
morning. Both are alleged to have
been intoxicated. Because Mrs. king
refused to do as her husband COM
manded. King is alleged to have pulled
a razor from his pocket and announced
that he would murder all OF the chill
dren.
"Tl cut their heads off and then get
YOU" is the statement he. is alleged to
lhave made to his wife. The youngest
child is a year old, while the oldest is
aged thirteen.
Stopped by Wife.
Mrs. King claims she at once
grabbed the razor and started TO scuffle
with her husband She succeeded in
taking the razor from his hand King.
however reached in his pocket and
drew a second razor, and again rushed
at his wife. His companion, whose
name has not been learned. disappeared
while King was fighting with his wife.
al -avs
upon seeing that his mother was n
danger is alleged 10 have grabbed
shotgun and pointed il al his father
The father rushed at the lad and
grabbed the gun before ne had an OPP
{, rortunity to pull the trigger. Mrs.
king told the marshal that King then
/ grabbed the boy and threw him down
stairs This is the last seen Of the boy.
A report was circulated that the boys
clothing had been found on the river
bank. This story, however, was denied
10y the marshal.
Beats His Wife.
After throwing the boy down tn
stairs Mrs. King claims her husband
again rushed at her and proceeded to
give her a beating. After she man
aged to take the second razor from his
hand he is alleged TO have picked up
a club and hit her over the head, until
she fell to the floor in an unconscious
condition
In the meantime two Of the children
ran from the house in their night
clothing to the home of Marshal
Srnithinger The children told the
marshal that their mother had been
killed and that their father was chas-
ing them.
Greeted With Shotgun.
Smithinger at once hurried TO the
King horne where he found King
with the shotgun in his hands. King
at first refused to surrender and
threatened to shoot the officer if ne
made any attempt TO place him un-
der arrest The marshal. however,
finally succeeded in placing the man
under arrest altho he was forced to
knock the gun from his hands. When
searched third razor was found IN
his pocket.
Mrs. King told pitiful story To
Marshal Smithinger regarding the
abuse she has suffered because she
had refused to follow her husband :
command. She also informed the
marshal that her husband was want
ed at Madison and also at St Louis
Sheriff Kuehi said yesterday that Re
had received word that King was
wanted at ST. Louis and that ne had
notified the authorities that he was I'M
der arrest here. The description sent
out by the identification bureau at st
Louis tallies with King The initial:
a ]. 4" were found tattooed on his
arrr while on the other arm "A number
OF tattoo marks had oeen removed
King told the sheriff that the initials
on his arm were those of his first wife