Each presented a varying version of truth; none, it would appear, got the whole sad story quite right.
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Readers of Henry Gittinger's Leader found a sanitized version of the story on his front page under the headline, "Alfred Howard." Whether this was intentional or merely carelessness on the part of the editor isn't known.
"Alfred Howard, son of George Howard, of Iola, Kans., died at the hospital in Kansas City, Saturday, after an extended illness with a complication of diseases. The remains were brought to Chariton Monday evening, and interred beside his mother, who died several years previous. His father, of Iola, Kans., and sisters, Stella Howard and Mrs. Will Mercer and husband, and brother, were in attendance at the last sad rites. He was a nephew of Mrs. Frances Howard, of this city, and had visited his numerous relatives here at various times. He was a young man 24 years of age and his death comes sadly to a large number of friends. Rev. A.H. Lathrop had charge of the services at the cemetery."
A considerable stretch is required to equate death by self-inflicted gunshot wound with "a complication of diseases." The report also overlooks the fact young Mr. Howard had killed the teen-age girl he was infatuated with before killing himself.
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"There was buried in the Chariton cemetery Monday afternoon the remains of Alfred Howard, 26 years old, a son of George Howard of Iola, Kansas, a former resident of Chariton. But few who saw the funeral procession knew of the tragic taking off of the young man, and how in a fit of jealous rage he had shot and fatally wounded the girl he loved and then turned his revolver upon himself and taken his own life.
"The double tragedy occurred at the home of the girl, Miss Clara Amberson, in Kansas City Sunday morning. According to the story in the Kansas City Times, young Howard had been keeping company with Miss Amberson, at whose home he had his room until about four months ago. She had broken with him, but he continued to call on her from time to time.
"He called Sunday morning. His welcome was not such as he desired, Miss Amberson and her sister leaving the house with two other young men. Howard departed also but returned unnoticed and secreted himself in the room he formerly occupied. When the young folks returned, Howard appeared on the scene with a revolver. He ordered the other men to leave and they did, deserting the girls.
"Miss Amberson's sister struggled with Howard, attempting to save her, but her efforts failed, Howard shooting the young girl through the right temple. He then turned the gun on himself. Miss Amberson was 17 years of age.
"The remains were accompanied to Chariton by the young man's father, George Howard, and his brother, Oliver, of Iola, and Miss Stella Howard and Mrs. Mercer, of Elliott, his sisters. The father, George Howard, is a brother of Chas. E. Howard of Chariton."
Elliott is a small town in southwest Iowa's Montgomery County where the Howards had lived after moving west from Chariton and where Alfred Howard's mother had died during 1898. In addition to his two sisters, a second brother lived there.
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The Herald report, published under the headline "Kills Girl and Commits Suicide," is tinged with the Howard family narrative surrounding the death, reflected in reports that appeared in George Howard's hometown newspaper, The Iola Daily Register and Evening News. Those reports suggest that Alfred's family did not believe that he would have committed such a crime unless, perhaps, severely provoked.
All of the reports fail to mention that the victim here, Clara Amberson, apparently was only 13 when Alfred Howard became obsessed with her after moving into the Kansas City boarding house operated by her mother four years earlier. Or that only her widowed sister, Mamie, recognized the hazards and attempted to break the relationship up. Here's the Herald report:
"The remains of Alfred Howard, of Kansas City, who committed suicide early last Sunday morning after shooting and killing a young lady, Miss Clara Amberson, were brought to this city Monday evening and interred in the Chariton cemetery, a brief service being conducted at the grave by Rev. Dr. Lathrop, of the M.E. church.
"Deceased was about 26 years of age, and was the son of Geo. Howard, of Iola, Kansas, who resided here several years ago. He was also a nephew of Chas. Howard, of this city, and had a number of other relatives here.
"He had been in ill health for several months and only recently had spent some time at Hot Springs, returning to Kansas City a few weeks ago. For nearly three years he had kept company with Miss Clara Amberson, and had roomed at her mother's home. A very strong attachment resulted, but recently through the efforts, it is said, of her sister, Mrs. Mamie Barringer, the engagement had been broken.
"On last Saturday evening Howard called at the Amberson home. Soon afterward two young gentlemen, Orville Remick and Edward Doerful, called, and Miss Amberson and her sister, Mrs. Barringer, went with them for a car ride. Howard left the home but afterward returned and entered the house through a window and secreted himself in the room he formerly occupied until they returned home.
"While Mrs. Barringer stepped outdoors to the well to get some water, he entered the parlor and pointing his revolver at the young men ordered them to leave the house. They did so and Howard then shot Miss Amberson through the heart, killing her instantly. He then shot himself. Mrs. Barringer entered the room just as he fired the shot which killed her sister.
"Miss Amberson was only 17 years of age and was a beautiful young lade. It is said that she wanted to marry Howard and would have done so but for her sister's interference. The tragedy was a terrible one and was a great shock to the relatives of both parties. Young Howard visited here last summer and was considered a clean, exemplary young man. He is survived by his father, a step-mother, two sisters and two brothers, who will have the sumpathy of a host of friends here in their overwhelming sorrow. The father, Geo. Howard, of Iola, Kansas, one brother, Harvey, of Red Oak, and the sisters, Miss Stella Howard and Mrs. Will Mercer and husband, of Elliott, attended the last sad rites."
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The most comprehensive report of the tragedy that I've been able to find was published in The Kansas City Journal of July 5, 1909, as follows:
ESCORTS RAN FROM HOWARD'S REVOLVER
Alone, Clara Amberson and Her Sister Fought a Losing Fight With Murderer --- Girl Dies After Four Hours.
"Miss Clara Amberson, who was shot in the right temple by Alfred Howard, a rejected suitor, in the dining room of her home, 735 Kensington avenue, just before midnight Saturday, died at 4:20 a. m. yesterday (Sunday). She did not regain consciousness.
"In an unlighted room, and deserted by the young men who escorted them home, and who fled when Howard appeared with his revolver, Miss Amberson, assisted by her sister, Mrs. Mamie Barringer, battled in vain with Howard for possession of the weapon. Finally throwing Miss Amberson to the floor, Howard jumped on her, and then, as Mrs. Barringer seized him about the neck, he pulled the trigger.
"The bullet struck Miss Amberson just back of the right temple and she collapsed. Believing that he had killed her, Howard turned the weapon on himself and sent the second shot through his own brain, and fell lifeless beside her. Surrounded by her mother, sister and friends, the wounded girl passed away four hours later.
"In the light of subsequent events, it is believed that Howard contemplated the murder and suicide Saturday afternoon. It is known that he saw the young women at Forest park in the evening in company with young men, when he had been denied the privilege of escorting them or even calling at their home, and it is believed that the sight of the girl who was all the world to him, encircled in the arms of another man on the dancing floor, maddened him.
"Four years ago Alfred Howard, then 22 years old, came to Kansas City from Iola, Kas. He secured a position in a railroad freight office, and roomed and boarded with Mrs. Anna Amberson, mother of the girl he killed. Miss Amberson was then a child of 13.
WANTED TO MARRY HER.
"They were together a great deal. Howard assisted her with her studies, and when she was graduated from high school last year he declared his love for her, and asked her to be his wife. This was objected to by her sister and her mother because of her youth.
"Six months ago Howard left their house, and shortly afterward went to Hot Springs, Ark. In the meantime Miss Amberson entered a wholesale millinery establishment and was rapidly perfecting herself in that line when he returned three weeks ago.
"Howard had been in poor health since his return, but this did not deter him from declaring his ardent love for the girl whom, he told his friends, no other could replace. Miss Amberson found many excuses for not making engagements. Thursday he called her on the telephone and to his several requests for an evening she replied that she had previous engagements.
"Saturday evening he called at the Amberson home and asked Miss Amberson to accompany him to a park or that she spend the evening with him as she chose. Miss Amerson smilingly told him that she had an engagement for the evening and that she was sorry. During the conversation he showed the sisters the revolver which he later used. No thought of violence crossed the minds of either girl.
SHADOWED TO FOREST PARK.
"Miss Amberson and Mrs. Barringer were unaccompanied when they walked to Forest park, a short distance from their home. There they met several friends, among them Orville Remmick of 5212 Independence avenue, and Ed Doerfull of 4621 East Seventh street.
"It is believed that Howard shadowed the sisters to the park. He arrived at the Ambrose home shortly before 10 o'clock in the evening. The noise he made when he withdrew a screen from a window in the kitchen of the Amberson home and clambered in was heard by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wharton, roomers on the second floor, but they ascribed it to a parrot. For almost two hours Howard lay in wait. He chose as his hiding place the bedroom of the sisters, which opens from the dining room to the north.
"On their way home, Deorfull, who escorted Miss Amberson, and Remmick, who escorted Mrs. Barringer, suggested that they eat some ice cream. They stopped at the Forest Park pharmacy and chatted for a few moments with O. Chaney, the druggist.
RAN FROM REVOLVER.
"It was warm and the young men carried their coats over their arms. When they arrived at the Amberson home, they conversed for a few moments on the porch just outside the dining room, when the suggestion that they get a drink of water was made. the quartet entered the dining room. Miss Amberson and Doerfull going to one window seat while Mr. Remmick took a chair. Mrs. Barringer went into the kitchen for the water, when suddenly Howard sprang out of the bedroom.
"Holding a revolver which he pointed at Miss Amberson, he cried:
" 'Throw up your hands and don't scream!'
" 'It's Alf! Help!' cried Miss Amberson.
"Doerfull was first to see the revolver and the first to get out of the room. He was closely followed by Remmick. Both left their coats and hats. The cry for help brought Mrs. Barringer back to the room. By this time Miss Amberson had grappled with Howard and had clutched the revolver. Then began the battle for possession of the weapon and the shooting.
HAD PLANNED THE CRIME.
"Screaming for help, Mrs. Barringer, after the shooting, fled to the sidewalk. Neighbors hastened to the scene. Doctors declared Miss Amberson fatally wounded, and said that Howard's self-inflicted wound had caused instant death.
"The police who searched his clothing found the note which he had evidently written some time during the evening in which he declared that 'Mamie' (Mrs. Barringer) was the cause of the anticipated double tragedy, and asked that Miss Clara and he be buried side by side.
ESCORTS DIDN'T WAIT.
"Ed Doerfull, the escort of Miss Amberson, told a reporter for The Journal last evening that he had never been frightened as badly in his life as he was when he looked at that shiny steel barrel and heard the command to throw up his hands.
" 'I didn't wait to learn any more about who the fellow with the revolver was,' said Mr. Doerfull. 'Mr. Remmick and I had escorted the girls home and stepped inside the house to get a drink of water. I was close to the door and when I heard the command to throw up my hands and I saw that shiny steel barrel of the revolver, I concluded that I had better play checkers and move.
" 'I did not stop to grab my coat or hat, but ran. I don't know how I got home, for I was badly frightened. I lay awake all night and got up around 6 o'clock and went over to Remmick's house to see if he got home all right.
" 'I did not know until then that anyone had been shot, as I was too far away from the house when the shots were fired to hear the noise of the reports.
" 'I don't know why I ran away and did not notify the police about the man with the gun, but I guess most anybody would act the same as I did if they looked into the business end of a revolver and were ordered to throw up their hands.'
GOT THEIR COATS SUNDAY.
" 'I got my coat and hat this morning at the same time Mr. Remmick got his. We saw Miss Amberson's body then and we will probably go to the funeral together.
" 'I did not know the young lady very well, having only met her a few times at the park. I did not go back to the house today, as I had an engagement to go to a picnic at Swope park, and it was too late when I got back this evening."
"Orville Remmick, who was with Doerfull when Howard entered the room with the revolver in hand, told his parents that he was taken by surprise, and that when he heard the command to throw up his hands and he saw the revolver, his first thought was for his personal safety. He said that he ran for the door and ran home.
REMMICK HEARD REPORTS.
"Half a block away he heard the muffled reports, and when he got home he telephoned to the Amberson home and learned of the double tragedy. He feared for a while, he said, that his companion, Doerfull, had been shot. Remmick left his coat and hat at the Amberson home and called for them yesterday morning. He spent yesterday afternoon at Forest park and yesterday evening at Electrick park.
"Miss Amberson was 17 years old. She was the youngest of three children. Besides her sister, Mrs. Barringer, and her mother, she leaves a brother, Will, who is in the navy. An effort was being made yesterday to notify him by wire and hold the funeral until his arrival, if possible. The Ambersons came to Kansas City from Salida, Col., six years ago.
"Howard had been rooming for the last two weeks at the home of Mrs. Ellen Harper, at No. 801 Cypress avenue, just a block from the Amberson home. That he planned the murder and suicide is believed by Mrs. Harper, as his trunk was locked and contained all of the small articles which he kept about his room."
2 comments:
Sometime between 1880 and 1920 the age of consent in Iowa changed from ten (yes, TEN!) to sixteen. Age of consent in the State of Delaware in 1880 was SEVEN!!!
Finally found it. In 1890 the age of consent in Iowa moved from 10 to 13. Then in 1920 it moved to 16.
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