Woodson County KS Archives Obituaries.....Maxson, Ralph Lee June 2, 1922
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Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 July 23, 2020, 12:51 pm

The Yates Center News Fri Jun 2, 1922 pg 8
The Toronto Republican Thu Jun 8, 1922 pg 1
         THE MAXON TRAGEDY
      To the Public:
Editor Republican:
   To settle some rumors that are afloat in rgard [sic]
to the terrible tragedy of Sunday May 28th, will 
state that Ralph Maxson has been cruel and abusive
all during his married life. He would not work only
when he felt like it, in consequence the keeping 
of the home devolved on his wife and oldest son.
   The previous week his wife had sued for divorce,
as she was not able to physically to keep up the
battle any longer. Then he decided to kill his wife,
but on Saturday night when she retired she could
not sleep, so she went into another room, telling 
the boy where she was going, and he got up out of
his bed in the same room, and got in the bed his
mother vacated and went to sleep.
   His father returned about 2 a.m. and went right
to the side of the bed where his wife had been in
the habit of sleeping, and cut the throat from ear
to ear. His mother, hearing a noise, ran in, 
turning on the lights as she went, but the boy was
beyond aid.
   Neighbors rushed in and officers hunted for the
slayer while the body was removed to the under-
taking parlor. The wife was removed to a neighbors
house in a state of collapse and for a few minutes
the house was unoccupied, and when the neighbors
returned to clean up the room after the tragedy,
Ralph was unconscious on the floor. He was rushed 
to a hospital and it was found the jugular vein
had not been touched. He had hid in the wardrobe
while the body of his murdered son was taken away.
   Loraine's body was brought  back to his late
home Sunday afternoon, and the place was crowded
with friends until after the funeral Monday at
4:35 p.m. The city fire department turned out in 
a body, as he was an honorary member, also the
Boy Scouts, to which he belonged over three years.
But what happened after the funeral showed the
respect and love the citizens of Beaumont had for
Mrs. Maxson and her sons, by a lot of check being
handed her, enough to pay the expenses of the 
terrible affair.
   Friday morning Mr. Maxson was getting so much
better he realized his punishment was coming, so
he tackled his guard and two nurses in an effort
to escape, and when he found he could not get
away, he jumped out of the window 4 stories from
the ground dying in a short time, thus freeing
his family from all uneasiness as to his threats.
                      MRS. M. M. BUCK


The Toronto Republican Thur Jun 22, 1922 pg 1
             COMMUNITCATED
(The tragedy that touches two of Toronto's 
oldest and best families is known to our 
readers. It would have been better, perhaps,
had no mention of it been made in this paper.
But that as it may, it has been done, to the
extent of giving Mrs. Buck space to say what
she thought was due in defence of her daughter.
Having done this it is but simple fairness to 
allow the Maxsons to do likewise relative to
Ralph. Both sides having thus been presented
to old friends and neighbors, nothing further
concerning this most regrettable tragedy will
appear in these columns.--The Editor.)
                  -------
   "Under the heading, "Maxson Slew Son Because
He Idolized Him and Not by Mistake, He tells
friends," a Beaumont, Texas, paper says:
   R. L. Maxson did not cut the throat of his
son, Loraine, by mistake, but murdered the
boy and attempted to kill himself because he
idolized his son and did not want his wife to
have him. Having set his mind on suicide, it is
presumed Maxson, rather than have the lad live
witih his mother determined to take the lad
with him after death.
                --------
  Ed. Maxson writes as follows:
    "Soon as I got word of poor Ralph's death,
without any details, I wired you. Came to
Beaumont. Enclosed find Beaumont newspaper
clippings which tells the story. Lillie, I
understand, came over from Huston and made
the necessary arrangements. She and I were
the only members of the family present. Ralph
was laid away by the side of Loraine--in a 
nice part of the cemetery. Embalmed, and a 
pretty casket. The funeral was private from
the undertaking parlors. The Methodist
minister held a short service and rendered
prayer service at grave.
   Poor soul, he is out of his trouble, pain
and suffering. The doctor, as well as others
I talked to, said he evidently was crazed by
grief and humiliation of his family troubles
I trust God will judge all parties justly
and liberally.--Your Brother, Ed."
             -----
   The above article is the truth and nothing
but the truth. I hope all parties making this 
their main topic of conversation, will read
it.--Frank Maxson.

same article also appears in 
The Yates Center News Fri Jun 30, 1922 pg 4


   Word was received here Tuesday morning
that R. L. Maxson formerly of this place,
had killed his son and then attempted 
suicide at his home in Beaumont, Texas. 
Family troubles was given as th e cause. It
had been known here for sometime that a 
divorce suit was pending in the Maxson
family. Mrs. Maxson is the daughter of 
Mrs. M. M. Buck, of this place.


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