Does anyone know this story? Lourice The Douglas Enterprise ... Vol. 16, No. 39. January 27th, 1906 WHO WAS TO BLAME The Pitiful Story of a Young Husband On March 10, 1898, a young man of good family was hanged for murder. Two years before he had made a run-a-way marriage with a girl, whom he devotedly loved . He was a well esteemed young fellow, whose life seem full of promise. The newly married pair returned to the girl's home and were freely forgiven and kindly received. They began housekeeping near her parents, and all went smoothly until the young wife's mother took a strong dislike to her son-in-law. At once, she began to make trouble between the pair. She told Dora that she had thrown herself away, she had married a man far beneath her, who would never amount to anything. She counseled her to leave John and return to her old home. It is true the young husband was not able to give Dora the comforts she had had when she was a girl, but she knew his circumstances before she married him. Finally the wife was persuaded to leave her husband. She returned to her mother, leaving to John the message that she still loved him, but could not hold out against her mother's pleadings and representations. A few months after the separation a little child was born. John could hold out no longer. He went to his mother-in-law and begged her to let him see his wife and child. She refused. "You are not worthy of Dora, " she said, "You shall not speak to her again." He appealed to the law, but he was defeated. His wife's family had great influence in the community and he was almost al____[paper torn]_____heart________lonely. m_______________________ ___________________________s. September ___ 1897 --- He went to ____ drank deeply, and while intoxicated, armed himself with a shotgun and went to the home of his wife's mother. He demanded to see Dora and when she came to the door he begged her to live with him again. She was frightened. "I will ask mother", she said, and went back into the house. He was standing where he could hear her ask her mother's consent to her returning to him. He heard the mother refuse, with scornful, abusive words about him and walking to a window he fired the fatal shot. The mother dropped, dying at her daughter's feet crying: "Oh, God! He has killed me." After the deed, he went into the woods about a hundred yards away and stayed for two days. When his victim was buried, he was so near that he could hear the service and the sobs of the grief-stricken family. After that, he went to his sister's house and slept there for three nights securely hidden from his pursuers. He became an armed and desperate fugitive. For three months, the bravest men in the county hunted him down, but they failed to take him. In December, he gave himself up for a friend and was tried, convicted and sentenced to death. His wife attended his trial. She was very bitter against him, after he was convicted, he begged her to forgive him and kiss him once before he died. She scornfully refused. During his imprisonment, he often spoke of his child with great tenderness. He never uttered a reproachful word about his wife, whom he seemed to love with passionate devotion. He professed religion, was baptized and died resigned and calmed. Dora is married again, but she is not happy. She is full of remorse and regret for the past. John was buried beside his father, mother and sisters.