The Orange Leader (Orange, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, August 28, 1903 Page: 2 of 8
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r
a distase prevailing in this
as because so decep-
tive. Manysudden
I deaths are caused
i by it—heart dis-
pneumonin,
¡ heart failure or
apoplexy are oltea
the result of kid
ney disease,
kidney trouble
allowed toadvance
the kidney-poison-
_ ed blood will st-
"ital organs, causing catarrh of
er, or the kidneys themselves
: down and waste away cell "by cell,
dder troubles almost always result
t a derangement of the kidneys and
í is obtained quickest by a proper
at of the kianevs. If you are feel-
¡ badly you can make no mistake by
* [Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, the
kidney, liver and bladder remedy.
: corrects inability to hold urine and
in passing it, and over-
: unpleasant necessity of being
1 to go often through the day,
I to get up many times during the
' The mild and the extraordinary
rof Swamp-Root is soon realized,
t stands the highest for its wonderful
lures of the most distressing cases.
Swamp-Root is pleasant to take and is
by all druggists in fifty-cent and
*r size bottles. You may have a
pie bottle of this wonderful new dis-
try and a book that tells all about it,
both sent free by mail. Address, Dr. Kil-
mer & Co., Bitighamton, N. Y. When
j mention reading this generous
n this paper. Don't make any
,butremenit>erthe name,Swamp-
sip-Root, and the
NY ,
Dr. Kilmer's Swam
Binghamton,
Root, and
on every
>UBLE MURDER AND
H
SUICIDE.
ly Jealous Husband Commits
Moat Dastardly Crime.
The following detailed account of
• Shocking tragedy . and Its conse-
quences that occurred in Orange last
Snnday .night, is taken from the Daily
Tribune of Monday-and Tuesday, and
fully tells the story of the awful act
of a madman: .
Mrs. Martha Stafford, the 18 year
Old wife of Charley Stafford, is lying
dead at her father's home on West
Polk street, Charley Stafford la mor-
tally wounded by a revolver shot fired
1>X his own hand from the same pistol
flrtth which lie killed his wife at 524
street, and William M. Stakes is
j at the Henderson .street home
tif Ms, sister, Mrs. L. Bupont, as the
w result of a demoniacal and wholesale
murder and suicide attempted last
aright by Stafford.
Behind all thiB and leading up to It,
lis • story of a man's cruelty driving
bis wife to seek protection in a stran-
ger's house, the wlfe'B alleged infat-
uation for another man, the.husband's
Insane jealousy, and his deep -laid
for revenge, which he carried
to an all too. successful culmina-
by shooting down an unarmed
with the shotgun belonging to the
brother, shooting the much
woman, who at the time was
ft , bed with a burning fever, arid
turning the revolver on himself
sending a 38 calibre bullet crash-
through his brain.
out three and one-half years ago
Btafford was injureg at the A.
Gilmer mill in this city and suffered
f!9ia loss of the lower portion of his
left limb. At the time he was paying
attention to the 14 year old' daughter
of Leopold Block and just sb he was
able to sit up in bed after the effects
of the shock from the amputation of
the limb had passed off, she ran away
from home and they were married, he
sitting on the side of the bed and she
by his side. This rather roman-
half-elopement has culminated in
t now threatens to be 'a double
er and suicide.
Stafford brought suit against A. 011-
and the suit was compromised *by
agreeing to pay him a stipulat-
lum per month for the remainder
his life. With this assured In-
the young coupfe embarked on
sea of matrtmony and for a long
all seemed well and it looked as
the «course of true love would
smoothly. Stafford was' of an in
jealous temperament, jfcpwever,
the slightest provocation would
use Ms young wife, both by words
' Í This state of affairs kept
ttte three years of their mar*
life and on ufore than one occa-
be wife threatened to leave him
he had been particularly cruel
her.
nine months, ago Chas. C.
married the pretty daughter of
I, an old and respected resi-
the South End, and they moved
bouse No. S24 Polk street and
tb«lr abode. Will M. Stakes,
brother, who at the" time
than 21 years of age, moved
new borne with them and bis
payments have helped to pay
expenses of the little
add a little to the fund
was laying aside for paying
on the furniture. They
and contented until the
of Stafford and bis wife in-
Ives Into the cosy little
vo weeks ago
bad one at
I after he
l«ft him.
rloy
M: the
In return^
roof and the
strong right arm
Up to this time there hadnever been
a breath of suspicion against Mrs.
Stafford and Charley Stakes avers that
all her aotlonB while under his roof
were those of a lady. That she and
Will Stakes became friendly was only
a natural sequence of their being
thrown in such close association and
bis. natural manly resentment of her
wrongs.
But the demon Jealousy had entered
the soul of Btafford and from the time
of her entering the home of the Stakes
family until the aWful tragedy of last
night he seemB to have been waiting
for a suitable opportunity to take her
life and his own.
Stafford left a letter in his pocket,
apparently written some time yester-
day, as it bore date of August 28, to
which he stated plainly bis intention
of killing both his wife and himself,
and asked that they be burled side
by side. He said that sooner than
give h'er up they would both go to hell
together, - <
Since she went to Stakes' home Staf-
ford has repeatedly threatened her
life and that of Will Stakes. When
either of the Stakes brothers taxed blm
with the utterances, however, he had
denied ever threatening them with
bodily Injury. The dead woman told
Charley Stakes that Stafford had said
he would cut her throat at the Brst
opportunity, and she, seemed to be
in dread of his doing -so.
About ten days ago she was taken ill
with typhoid fever and wto nursed by
Stakes and his wife. Dr. Lawson haij,,
been. treating her, and on Saturday
night Stafford came to the house and
inquired how she was getting along. He
came in and near her bed for a
short time and the physician laughing-
ly twitted them with being separated,
and everyone seemed la- good spirits.
Stafford followed the doctor to the
gate when he left the house and made
a remark to the effect that the Stakes
family did. not want blm around, but
he was coming just the same.
Yesterday he came early In the
morning and was allowed to remain
near his wife the better part of the
day. He was treated with hospitality,
and Joined-the Stakes brothers
Mrs. Stakes In the good old Boutbern
hospitality of coffee drinking.
About four o'clock yesterday after*
noon lie remarked that he bad to go
"down in the cove on business,1" and,
taking his crutches, which be usually
carrted on his long walks, he started
out, returning about 5:30.
There had been mpre or lass of a
crowd atg^he house all day and when
he returned the last of the neighbors
were just leaving for home. Mr. and
Mrs. Charley Stakes, Will Stakes and
Stafford sat for a time in the west
room, where Mrs. Stafford was lying
in bed." Everything seemed perfectly
pleasant and Stafford made more than
one remark about bow friendly he felt
toward them all. and toward Will
Btakes in particular.
About six o'clock Mrs. Btakes asked
Charley to Itght a fire preparatory to
cooking supper and -they both entered
the kitchen for that purpose. After
the fire had been atarted Charley
Btakes rolled, a cigarette anil' stopped
back Into the front room to secure
some matches. Will Stakes was sit*
ting by the west 'window, While Btaf-
ford was about eight feet east of him
and sitting afctthe .foot of his wife's
bed. He was about eight, feet w«st
of the door leading into Will Stakes'
bedroom, in which he knew the double
barreled shoigun of Charley Stakes'
always stood loaded. . Stafford and
Will were chatting pleasantly and
Charley left them thus, going out on to
the reár porch, where hé and his Wife
sat down' on the rear steps while be
^enjoyed his plgarette. .
There was no sound from the front
room and not the slightest suspicldn
crossed their minds of the awful trag-
edy so soon 'to . be enacted therein.
Seated thus, «orne 'fifteen mtautee
passed by and .Mrs, Stakes was Just
on the point pf rising to enter the
kitchen when the loud report of the
heavily loaded shotgun startled them.
Stakes rushed to the front room and
got to-the door In time to see his
young bro¿hér reel and fall to (be
floor. Stafford was standing in the
middle of the room with the gun stand-
ing muzzle up alongside of him. When
they got, to the corinecting door he
turned, and, pointing the gun straight
at Charley Stakes' heart, pultyd the
trigger, Mrs. Stages, with noble devo-
tion, throwing /herself on her hus-
band's breast as If to screen blm from
the murderous shot. Fortunately the
gun snapped, thus saving the .young
man's life, or that of his heroic wife.
Mrs. Stakes frantically dragged her
husband baok Into the next room, and
be, realising that he could not cope
with Stafford unarmed, «ran quickly
to the home of. Mrs. Stafford's father,
Leopold Block, and told him what bad
occurred and ssked ¡for a weapon, of
some kind with which to protect him-
self and wife. He WM refused and
returned home after hearing the three
•hots from Stafford's revolver.
Upon their return to their home a
terrible sight met their gaze. Mrs.
Stafford was lying on the bed. with a
great gash In her neck from which the
blood was streaming, literally deluging |
on which she lay. Blood
¿ton another wou&Ain
Seated on the floor taiver
weet winoow was
brains oozing from
Rlli
mm iii
u>avn mo
wwr.
MWHIH
gttb*W<lt
-
w
fa
shot) and respectable young
brother.
entire
away, and the blood ooslng from bis
terrible wounds. He bad not changed
color and seemed perfectly cool when
they got to him. He asked his brother
to help him up and said: "Don't hurt
me If you can help tt." Leaving bis
wife with the Wounded boy, Stakes
ran around on Henderson street to the
home of his brother-in-law, L. Dupont,
and. securing his assistancé, they car-
ried Will Stakes to Dupont's house.
Whdn the officers arrived on the
scene a horrible situation presented it-
self. Some fifty people were crowding
around the doors and wlndowrbut
none of them would venture In. Dr.
Lawson, who happened to be driving
well thought of by all who know them.
Until recently Will Stakes was a
member of the Salvation Ariny's local
corps and seemed to be trying to lead
a Christian life. The ridiculo of some
of his frllends caused the young man
to leave the ranks or the Army, but
Its Influence hps clung to him and from
all accounts he has never fallen baok
Into bad habits since leaving bis com-
rades in the ranks of the soldiers of
"Blood and Pire."
Sheriff Johnson searched Stafford
and found, la addition to the letter
mentioned above, a small black puree
containing three silver dollars, five
eoppers and a slick dime, la another
pocket was found a deposit book on
IMP
i i i i .i
$1 vv t- ' wis-,, Wmi *
•• •. '¡Me**- pty ■
It almost at hand, and yon will
want a new rig.
by, had been called and was .la the the Baak of Abbeville the leaves of
room ministering to the wounded wo> wj,leh were so badly torn that ft was
man, while her slayer sat on the floor, imooM|b|e to tell whether or not tbe
looking coolly out of tbe west window bgggwr hii any deposit io that bank,
and now and than raising bis band to . the Mme 0001 wu . denasitor's
wipe tbe blood and brains out of his m
eyes. ■§■!: ,
. He was carried out onto the front
gallery of the bouae and laid
ine physician took one look at
remarked that bis case
and proceeded, with his ministrations
toward the stricken woman.
Everything that mortal could do
wis done for the wounded woman, but
sbe-dled at :16 p. m.
The revolver used was a U calibre
bnllt on a 45 frame and the fatal
Make our show room the most amactive
in the ciry, and
Our Values aré Exceptionally Good.
credit hook on tbe First National
Bank of Orange, showing a deposit of
95 under data of March IS, 1901, and
drawn against stM tbe
of tH. gprtttsa abo*« tfcg
entries ate tbe words, .*$)«po*itsd by
Mrs. 8taff0fd and to be drawn by bar."
Below these entries Is one la Stafford's
band writing, showing a debit of fit.
On aaoOMrpage ta/tbe l
the words. "Parted on August 19,
IMS.** ¡8' '
to tbe Stakes and nabad for
struck her In the center d tbe right i nroteotlon
side of the neck, ranged upward and; ¿
lodged In the left jawboae, shattering
tt to fragments. After this jriiot «be tator.
must have lnstlnetlvely put bar left William M. Btakes died gt 1:10 p.
band to the wound, as tbe second shot The family have taken tbe death
broke her-left forearm and plowed Its! xey mocb to heart and tbe
way through the right shoulder. {IB"® two *i*tora of
After shooting Stakes, Staftord evl- young maa are prostrated by tbe
dently threw down the shot gun and At one time slnee the death
fmm
"«i?
drew bis revolver from where it bad
been secreted about his person. Pour
Ohambers of tbe pistol were empty, the
hammer having probabV rested on an
empty shell, as It to customarily car-
ried by babltnal revolver oarrieta:
After shooting his wife, he turned
the revolver on himself: Préüilng the
muzzle against th« right temple, ue
pulled the trigger. The ball paitsed
straight'.through the brain, and passed
out at tbe left temple. How he lived
through the night so terribly wounded
no on<f seems to know. Moet men shot
in tbe ssme manner die Within an hour
.afterwards.
Two local physician^ attended
Wll| Stakes at his brdther-lh-lawt
Hendersbs ««reet home. They found
tbe entire lown,r Jaw ;,sbot away and a
portion of the upp«ir Hp gone. A few
shot passed through his tongue and
some twenty or thirty «eégüd in the
cords of the neck. The remainder of
the. charge of Ño. 8. shot pfasa* by
Stakes' head and lodged in the wlnlorw
casing near where he was sitting when
shot/
The tragedy to a deplorable one and
Is by far the worst whlph baa ever
stained tbe records of Orange county.
Those who are In position to know
state that Stafford had no cause for
being jealous at his wife and none
who know at his treatment of her.
blame tbe woman for leaving blm and
seeking that protection in . the
house of another which abé failed to
find under ; Jthe roof pf what should
have, been her happy hoate.
Stafford 1s slowly' dying and It is.
doubtful If he will live until tonight.
Young Stakes, wblle * fearfully
wounded, has a fighting obanoe for his
life and may pull through, fllveirthlng
which the best medical and surgical
skin can aceOmpHflb/ia being done for
blm and talis physicians hold put a fafnt
hope for his' ultitagte recovery., ,)
H. F. Stafford, the father, of New
Iberia, La., and a sister from the sáfoé
place, and t¿. D. Stafford, a brother, of
-bedside ,«f thglir son and brother,
the event of bis 1
all three were In a faint at tbe same
time and tbe oonseqaenoes to tbe Ép-
dies are apt to be of a vwy sariont na-
ture.
The funeral will occur tomorrow
11 o'clock from the home of Mr.
pont. on Henderson street
In' Shrergroeif oemetery.
All who know of bte trie inward-
nrtsa of tbe case stympathise with the
bereaved parents, brothers and sisters
of tbe young man so suddenly nut
down by the band or a madman.
one of the parties who waa on the
scene of the "Crime a few minutes after
.the shooting last night, stated to the
Tribune reporter ttyit Will Stake# bad
just'risen' froap Ms sent and waa pour-
ing out a glass Of medicine to give tbe
sick woman wben tbe shot from the
gun la Stafford's laid blm low
Thus whlle aoting tbe part of the
JWce Dri b «M
TAKff YOU It CHOICE.
C«rt4 in Two to figs
Orase noom tt. gets natwtn . orm$é,
tfl. O. LAKC CHARLCS.LA.
Good Samaritan, bo
the hands óf one who
the protector of
he, (Staked) wat
Stafford U stUi
Mates be
i«;Or even dajrs,
ceruiin
death at
hn«*
m&m
V
' Midsummer excursions to
Springs, Arte. Round? trip tickets
$15.40, June 16, July 7 and tí, August
4'and 18, September 1 and 15; limit
twenty-one days from date of sale.
I* W. LINK,
mié a nil I«t«
BB0KER,
'IIM4 ''Mid i
, j;ív, . ¡i
iMbMhsM*
ilium
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ptífca&Wfil <-0j0
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Ford, A. L. The Orange Leader (Orange, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, August 28, 1903, newspaper, August 28, 1903; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth183121/m1/2/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lamar State College – Orange.