Pittsburg Co., OK - Obits: Will Thomas
************************************************************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by:
Genea Bohanan at genea@cwis.net

USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
************************************************************

      The Hartshorne Sun, Thursday, October 15, 1914

                      “WILL THOMAS”

A tragedy occurred at the home of Will Thomas, a mile and a half north of town
at an early hour Friday morning, in which Mrs. Thomas shot her husband three
times with a revolver. He died at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon. Thomas was
addicted to drink, and is said to have been drunk some two weeks prior to this
date. Someone brought him home at about 9 o’clock Thursday night and put him to
bed. Mrs. Thomas arose at 5 o’clock Friday morning and prepared breakfast and
called her husband. It is claimed that many times during his sprees he had
threatened the lives of his wife and children and numbers of times driven them
off the place.

On this occasion Mrs. Thomas says he was advancing on her with an open knife in
his hand. She seized a pistol and fired the first time intending to frighten
him, but as he kept coming toward her she shot twice more, one taking effect in
the left forearm and the other in the right temple. Thomas stagered and fell
back on his bed, dropping his knife which stuck in the floor. He died at 2
o’clock Friday afternoon.

There are six children in the family, three of whom are married, and three
younger ones are at home.

Thomas was a native of Mississippi and had resided in this section about 27
years, following the vocation of farming at which he was reasonable successful,
and doubtless would have prospered but for the awful habit of a drink.

Mrs. Thomas is a sister of our townsman; Bud Fulgham, and is grief stricken
because of the tragedy, but as it appears to have been wholly a case of self-
defense, no arrest has been made.

Interment took place in the city cemetery at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon.