William Knowlton Obituary.

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Isabella Co. Enterprise 13 Mar 1911 p1c1-2
HE SHOT HIS WIFE
And Then Took His Own Life
     The heading to this article tells in a few words the sad story enacted in a little cement 
farm
home in southeast Coe, Friday morning.  A 32 calibre revolver was the weapon, and it 
happened
after a night of pleasure at a dance in Shepherd.
     It's all a mysteryûat least so far as can be learnedûand the Enterprise will tell the story 
as
learned by the writer at the scene of the tragedy soon after the awful crime, and leave all 
theories
to its readers.
     William Knowlton, aged 30, and his wife, yet only 19 years old, lived in a snug little 
house
on an 80 acre farm two miles east and two miles south of Shepherd.  They had been 
married three
years, were without children, appeared happy and contented.  Things were going nicely 
with
them, so it seemed, and they were accumulating a good property.  On Tuesday night they
attended a Gleaner dance at Shepherd, and arrived home about 3 o'clock in the morning.  
The
wife held the lantern while he cared for the horse, then they went into the house, disrobed 
for bed,
put away their clothes, she wound the clock, which was on the dresser, and says that she 
noticed
that it was a few minutes after 3.
     Nothing but pleasant conversation occurred on the road home, or after their arrival.  
She
says she awoke in the morning when her husband kissed her, as he was accustomed to do, 
and she
thinks he kissed her more than once.  Then the report of the revolver, and she said, "who's 
shot
me."  The bullet entered the right side of her head below the temple and came out at the 
point of
the jaw on the other side.  She must have been unconscious a few minutes, for when she 
regained
consciousness she said her husband was crying and trying to stop the flow of blood from 
her
mouth with the sheet or pillow case.  Then he sat upon the side of the bed and said he 
would
shoot himself.  She plead with him, and he replied, "I will, I must."  At this he fired a 
bullet into
his own right temple, fell over across the bed and upon her dead.  Mrs. Knowlton went to 
the
door and called.  The blood on the sill bears her witness.  She returned and looked into 
the
bedroom, then went to the door again and called, and neighbors living 80 or 90 rods 
distant heard
and came to the house.  Nothing in the room was disturbed, but Dr. Abbott of Shepherd 
was
called, also Sheriff Sampson, Prosecuting Attorney Matthews and Coroner Baskerville.  
On
arriving at the house where a large number of neighbors had gathered, the officers made a 
careful
investigation.  She was able to answer all questions and gave the foregoing story.  The 
revolver
was on old one, and she ways he took it from a suitcase, which was under the bed.  It was 
on the
bed where he dropped it, two shells were empty, and his right hand showed powder burns 
leaving
no doubt as to who did the awful deed.
     But why?
     That is the mystery.  He had sold his farm, and on Friday was to close the deal for 
another. 
Was he worried?  Nothing indicates it.  Was he jealous of his wife?  She says not, and 
none of the
neighbors over heard of it if he was.
     Coroner Baskerville thought it useless to hold an inquest, and no one requested it, so 
an
undertaker was called to take charge of the body and prepare it for burial.
     At noon Friday Mrs Knowlton seemed to stand a good chance for recovery, provided
poisoning or inflamation did not set in.
     Apparently it is one more mystery.