Putnam patriot., 1919-07-25
UNION FARMER SHOT TO DEATH
BEFORE WIFE AND CHILDREN
LOUIS ENSIGN WELLS THE VICTIM OF BULLET FROM
RIFLE FIRED AT HIM BY AUSTRIAN NEIGHBoR
Michael Markovch Gives Hms elf Up Stafford Springs
thortes After Day In Wo DDS, and Confesses to the
Crime

a Ntdi dSO CdIllt 10
nam and consulted a local firm of
lawyers concerning his relations with
his wife. He stated then that she
wished to leave him, and he had in
serted in Putnam paper notice de-
claring that he would no longer be
responsible for bills contracted by
her. His lawyer referred Markovich
to- justice of the peace in Union,
and this justice, whom Markovich
went to see, reconciled the pair, and
they resumed the normal tenor of
their way. Since that time no more
had been heard of the matter.
1t was on the 18th of July that
Mrs Markovich fled to Wells home,
where she was taken in by his wife.
At that time she said that her hus-
band was intoxicated, and was abus-
ing her.
Last Friday afternoon, according
to the authorities, Markovich appear
ed at the Wells farm with a shot gun,
and attempted to shoot his neighbor.
He was prevented from doing this by
Mrs Markovich, who flung herself in
front of Wells and protected him. 1t
is said that in spite of the trouble,
Markovich visited his wife, and two
children who were with her, every
day since the time they left their
home and went to their neighbors.
Upon hearing of her husbands ar
rest, Mrs. Markovich is said to have
exclaimed: 81 am glad of it. He has
treated, me cruelty, and | have been
afraid of him for long time"
Those who visited the scene of the
crime state that Markovieh's aim was
deadly, for the bullet pierced Wells
heart, causing instant death. 1t en-
tered the body at the heart, and pass
ed through and out just under the
shoulder blade. 1t then tore piece
from the mail box pole, and fiattened
out against a nearby wall The shot
gun is described as being an unusually
powerful one, and such as might be
used in hunting large game.
Markovich is known here in Put
nam, for he made this city his trading
center, driving here, some IT miles,
with his wagon. The Wells farm is
in Tolland county, just over the line
from Windham county.
DR.. E. r. Pike of East Woodstock
and DR.. D. P. Bard of Stafford Springs
performed an autopsy on Wells body
Monday. They found death due sole
ly to the bullet.
At justice court held in Union on
Tuesday Markovich was bound over
to the superior court charged with
murder in the first degree. The case
will be tried during the coming term
in the Tolland county superior court,
sitting at Rockville.
At the hearing Tuesday Judge Will
liam H. Heald of Stafford Springs pre-
sided as Justice and the state was rep
resented by Lawyer Michael D. o.
Cornell of Stafford. At this hearing
Markovich was not represented by a
lawyer and plea of not guilty was
entered for him. As he had already
confessed to the murder there was
nothing that Judge Head could do
but to find probable cause and bind
the self-confessed slayer over for the
September term of the court.
The home of Michael Markovich in
Union has been thoroughly searched
by Captain Robert Hurley of the state
police and three guns were taken
from the premises, shot gun, an old
Springfield rifle, with which Mako
vich did the shooting, and a Mauser
rifle. A large number of shells were
also taken, but many of them were
empty. These are held in the state
police office in the capitol in Hartford.