4 Sep 1896--John Smith, aged 29 years, died at his home near Mt. Airy on Sunday and was buried at Roanoke. 4 Sep 1896--Died, the infant child of U. S. Pitney last Friday evening, after suffering for weeks.--Puxico Index. 4 Sep 1896--Omer Pyle and Miss Deline Nagle, both of Renick, were married in St. Louis Thursday of last week. 4 Sep 1896--Born, on September 2nd, to Geo. Orton and wife, a son. 4 Sep 1896--Born on Aug 30th, to Chas. McCowen and wife, a son. 4 Sep 1896--R. R. Jones was caught under a fall of rock at the Interstate mine Wednesday and badly bruised about the legs. 4 Sep 1896--W. E. Burnham, aged 56 years, died at his residence northeast of Renick Tuesday, September the 1st, of congestion of the lungs. 11 Sep 1896--The Dougherty hotel at Burton valued at $1200 was destroyed by fire Friday night. 11 Sep 1896--Died, on the 5th, Miss Mary Wheeler, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Wheeler, aged 28 years. Miss Wheeler was taken suddenly ill while in town shopping Tuesday evening. Dr. Dinwiddie was called in and pronounced the trouble spinal meningitis. She continued to grow worse until Saturday morning when death ended her sufferings. The remains were taken to Far West church, near Sturgeon, for interment. 18 Sep 1896--Died, on Saturday the 12th, the infant child of W. J. Richards and wife. 18 Sep 1896--John McCafferty, of Huntsville, aged 44 years, was killed by the cars two miles north of here Monday night, while beating his way to Moberly over the M. K. & T. The remains were discovered by Geo. Manuel and Harry Mason soon after the accident occurred. Coroner Proctor was notified and came down Tuesday morning and held an inquest. It is supposed that deceased was riding the trucks or rods and fell off. The remains were laid to rest Tuesday evening in the Higbee cemetery. Deceased leaves a wife and five children to mourn his loss. 18 Sep 1896--KILLED NEAR MOBERLY--Report reached here just before going to press this (Thursday) evening that a Mr. Grimes living east of Moberly had shot and killed his son-in-law, Luther Whitmore. Mr. Whitmore was a son of Tom Whitmore living east of town and is well known here. Particulars next week. 18 Sep 1896--Died, on the 12th, of consumption, Mrs. Mary Swanigan, col, aged about 30 years. 18 Sep 1896--A white sea gull made its appearance on the Higbee lake yesterday morning and was shot in the wing by Thos. Longdon and captured. Tom brought the bird to town and had the wounded part of the wing removed and will keep the bird for a pet. 18 Sep 1896--Mrs. Berry Hudson of near Yates, who went to St. Louis about a month ago for medical treatment died in a hospital there Saturday last. Deceased was about 50 years old and a member of the Baptist church. The remains were laid to rest at Pleasant Grove church near Yates Sunday. 25 Sep 1896--NEWS FROM CLARK--Uncle Robert Adams died of old age last Saturday morning. He was nearly 90 years old. 25 Sep 1896--Robert Adams, for 64 years a resident of Randolph county, died at his residence in Clark last Saturday, aged 89 years. 25 Sep 1896--The funeral of Uncle Nicholas Dysart will be preached at Pleasant Grove church next Sunday. Rev. Hugh Crockett will conduct the services. 25 Sep 1896--David Waltenbaugh was married at Keb, Iowa, on Tuesday, Sept 22nd, 1896, to Miss Lizzie Williams of that place. 25 Sep 1896--Mrs. Mary L. Irons, wife of Wm. Irons, died four miles east of Moberly Wednesday, of consumption, aged 44 years. 25 Sep 1896--LUTHER WHITMORE KILLED--Shot To Death Near Moberly by his Father-in-Law, C. W. Grimes--As stated in the News last week Chiles Grimes living east of Moberly, shot and killed his son-in-law, Luther Whitmore, who lived near that place. About four or five years ago Whitmore eloped with one of Grimes' daughters, but was afterwards forgiven. It is claimed that Whitmore had for the past two years seemed determined in his efforts to ruin a younger sister of his wife, and that she became afraid of him and informed her father. This was the cause of the killing. The morning of the murder Whitmore rode up to the Grimes place but did not get down. A few words passed between the two men when Grimes drew a revolver and shot Whitmore, who fell from his horse but got up and ran to a tree some distance up the road and endeavored to shield himself behind it. Grimes followed him up and emptied the pistol into him at short range. Coroner Proctor was notified and went out to the place of the killing where the inquest was held. The following is the evidence and verdict of the jury: THE INQUEST. W. J. Meals being duly sworn says: "I reside in Sugar Creek township, Randolph county, Mo. I am 50 years of age and am acquainted with deceased. His name is Luther Whitmore. About 10:30 a.m., Sept. 17, I was in the orchard when my daughter shouted to me to come quickly, as there was a man in trouble down the road. I ran to the front yard and saw Mr. Grimes and Luther Whitmore coming up the road. Grimes had a revolver in his hand and they then stopped at the tree where the body was found. Grimes shot once and deceased fell just as I got to him. I told Grimes not to shoot any more. He said, "stand back, this thing has got to be done," and shot three times more at the deceased. I had hold of Grimes' arm, I think, when he fired the last three shots. They were within twenty feet of the tree when I first saw them. Grimes was behind the deceased and when Whitmore got to the tree he tried to shield himself behind it. Never saw deceased with any weapons." Lucy Meals, being duly sworn, says: "I reside in Sugar Creek township. I am acquainted with the deceased, Luther Whitmore. The first thing I knew of the shooting, I heard Whitmore call for my father. He said, "Oh, Mr. Meals, save me." I think he said this three times. I called to father to come and went with him to the place of the shooting. Mr. Grimes shot the deceased just as we got to the tree. The deceased fell and I think Mr. Grimes shot him three times as he fell. I asked Mr. Grimes what he did the shooting for and he said "it had to be done." I went to the house and got some covering to put over the deceased. I was in the yard when I first heard Whitmore call and "I did not see Grimes until he and the deceased were almost under the tree in front of the house." Miss Mary Meals, who also witnessed the shooting, was examined and her evidence corroborated that given by her father and sister. Hugh Grimes testified as follows: "I reside with my father, C. W. Grimes. I am 17 years of age. I know the deceased, he is my brother-in-law. My father, mother, sister and myself were over in our house when the deceased rode up in front. He hollowed hello a time or two before we went out. Pa asked him to get down, but he said no, he did not have time. We started, that is myself and pa, to the fence and deceased put his hand in his hip pocket and told pa he would like to see him. Pa told him to get down off his horse, but he said he did not have time--he was just going by and stopped to tell us how Annie was. We went on over the blocks to the road and he put his hand in his other hip pocket, and Pa said, "you say, Annie is bad, is she?" He said, "yes" and then pa shot him off his horse. He fell off after the shot. Pa shot at him three times and ran him over in front of Mr. Meals' and shot at him as he went around the tree. Deceased fell and then Pa fired three shots after he had fallen. Pa went back home, I caught a horse for him and he got on the horse and said he was going to Moberly." Miss Maggie Grimes being duly sworn, says: "I am a daughter of C. W. Grimes and am 20 years old. I reside with my father and mother. I went up stairs this morning and Ma said, "there is Luther on horseback." She went down stairs and I looked out the window: I could see no one, but I heard a part of the conversation. I heard Pa ask Luther to get down. He said he did not have time, but would like to speak to Pa a few minutes. I heard no more until I heard the report of the pistol. I came down stairs to the porch and saw Pa coming up the hill. I went to the lot and got the horse Luther had ridden, intending to bring it to father. Passed mother on the road. She had the gun in her hand. She insisted that I should take it. I said they would have no use for it, but she still insisted and I took it. When I next saw them Luther was on one side of the big tree in front of Meals' and Pa was on the other. When I came up the hill to Meals; Luther was on the ground and Pa shot him. I heard pa say, "this thing (has)to be done." Mother, father, Hubert and I went back home. Hubert saddled a horse and Pa said he was going to Moberly." Dr. G. O. Cuppaidge of Moberly conducted the post mortem examination, and his statement is as follows: "I have this day, by the order of the Coroner of Randolph county examined the body of a man said to be Luther Whitmore. I find five bullet holes of entrance and two of exit, the entrance holes being as follows: "One four inches directly below the right nipple; two 2 inches from the left nipple and between left nipple and sternum; one at point of ensiform cartilage; one 8 inches below left nipple and near sternal line. "The exit holes are situated as follows: "One at 10th rib almost in direct line with the apex of the axillary space; one 6 inches below point of left scapula. I found two bullets of 38 caliber size, one at back of the superior lobe of liver which it had penetrated, and one just under the skin, three inches below folds of axilla; I found a hole at apex of the heart caused by bullet. In my opinion the deceased came to his death by the injuries and loss of blood caused by said bullets." VERDICT OF JURY We the jury, being duly sworn and impaneled by D. Proctor, coroner of Randolph county, MO, to enquire into and due presentment make as to the manner and by whom the deceased, Luther Whitmore, whose dead body was found at Sugar Creek township, Randolph county, MO, on the 17th day of September, 1896, came to his death, hearing all the evidence, find that the deceased is Luther Whitmore and that he was killed at the same place where body was found and that there were present at the time of said death W. J. Meals, C. W. Grimes, Lucy Meals and Mary Meals. We also find that the deceased came to his death by a pistol shot by C. W. Grimes at residence of W. J. Meals, September 17, 1896. Immediately after the shooting Grimes went to Moberly and gave himself up. The grand jury, which was in session, promptly indicted him for murder in the first degree, and his trail set for Wednesday, Sept 23. The remains of Whitmore were taken to the residence of his heart-broken parents, three miles east of Higbee, and were taken from there to Moberly Sunday for interment. Kathy Bowlin, Additions, corrections, comments welcome.