Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-03-07
JEALOUS SLAYER Of
SOLDIERS WIFE IS
HELD FOR MURDER
WOMAN WHO SHOT AND KILLED
ANOTHER SHOWS LITTLE CON
Germ FOR GRAND JURY IN
DiCTMENT.

CaiIonton. March 7-Trss,, as
was the end Of Mrs. Eunice Wayman
whose husband is now serving with
the American army Of occupation in
Germany SO may it be for her self
confessed slayer Mrs. Mabel Aus lin.
For if relatives OF Mrs. Waymm are
successful Mrs. Austin viii sacrifice
ler lie on the altar OF justice for the
crime
Mrs Aus IN has been indicted an
q charge OF murder by the Greene
county grand jury. Her trial VIII
probably DE- held within a few days.
What the Woman's defense will be-
is vet rroblematical. She is expect
ed however TO plead either the "un.
written law or insanity She
charges Mrs Wayman with being
paramour OF her husbands This.
she declares, led up to the shooting.
Interest in the trial has stirred the
countryside into busting activity.
Crowds flock to the jail daily where
Mrs. Austin is being held Every
where the shooting is being discussed
This is expected TO retard the se.ec-
ton Of a jury, as unbiased jurors sill
be difficult 70 obtain
Already an array of legal taltn. Is
being marsballed by both side, .nr
the trial Attorneys for relatives o.
Mrs, Wayman viii demand he ez.
IRENE penalty.
Shot down almost in cold blood.
Mrs. Wayman steadfastly refused rr|
confirm or deny charges Of numar
with Mrs. Austin's husband Howe.
ing between life and death for tw1
days after the shooting. efforts had
been made by relatives 20 secure n +
statement during her rational mo.
ments. 1t was to no avail All She
said on regaining consciousness tust|
before death sealed her lips was:
Tell Fred cher soldier husbandl 4
said good,by" +
But Austin has boldly confessed To i
an affection for the girl He frankly .
admitted it to his wife in Jail here /
And that was what caused Mrs. Ans
tin to say;
You're to blame for it all You're
the one ! should have killed"
Nevertheless Austin is stanchly de
Tending his wife.
Mrs. Austin's remark was the first
indication of remorse for her &C. She
had shown since the shooting Pr,
vlously she appeared relentless an /
yengeful. Even yet she does no .
seem to realize the seriousness of the /
charge against her When informed
of the grand jury murder indictment
she professed but little concern.
supercilious toss of the head was the
only reply
The shooting Of Mrs. Wayman wa.
sensational Ii occurred last week in
the Singleton general store al Whit
Hail. near here Mrs. Austin was pur
chasing groceries when Mrs Wymal
entered the store. Espying the Ia
ter, Mrs Austin walked up to her and
asked
You're Mrs Wayman, aren you.
Receiving an affirmative repy. Mrs
Austin said Answer this. then" a.
She whipped ont a revolver from thr
folds of her dress and fired two Shot
point blank at AIRS Wayman. The lac
ter fell to the floor mortally wounded
Mrs Austin then calmly walked from
the store and surrendered to police
With bullet holes in her lungs and
abdomen. Mrs. Wayman was rushed
TO a hospital in Jacksonville. Tive
days later she died A coloner's urv
then returned a verdicc Of murder
against Mrs. Austin, who after being
placed in Jail at White Hall ua-
brought TO thi. city for rial
All of the principals in the ease are
from Beardstown They aye we'll
known there -o-oalled characters
OF tae uow lHe had pre,lou..g BEEN
before the pubic eye.