The Teague Chronicle - Dec. 27, 1918 edition

FATAL SHOOTING AT TURLINGTON CHURCH

J. J. CURRY ARRIVES AS SERVICE BREAKS AND FIRES AT WIFE AND CHILD

The breaking of Sunday morning services at Mt. Zion church on last Sunday
morning was the opening of a bloody scene at the front of the church. Mt. Zion
Church is in the Turlington community. As the congregation emerged from the
church building and R.H. Milligan (sic) and family including his daughter, Mrs.
J. J. Curry, and her two children, a girl of about five and a boy of about
eight approached their wagon to return home. J. J. Curry appeared on the scene
with a pistol in his hand and opened fire upon Mr. Millican (sic). The latter
dodged about the wagon and finally escaped into the church. The first shot
struck Letha, Curry's five year old daughter, who was in the wagon. The bullet
shattering her left arm, breaking the large bone of the arm, passing through
her body sideways and lodging just under the flesh on the right side of the
body.

Mrs. Curry ran between her husband and her father and received a shot in the
fleshy part of the right breast. The bullet ranging downward penetrating the
bowels and lodging somewhere in the pelvis. People who started to her and the
child were warned by Curry not to do so. Finally he was persuaded by his
friends not to intercede and let friends pick up his wife and child which they
did and gave assistance. Physicians were called to the scene at once. Dr. Cox
from Teague going to the assistance of the wounded mother and child and others
going to aid Mrs. Curry, mother of J. J. Curry. The two wounded were rushed to
Oakwood, caught a 7:15 passenger train and taken to Palestine to a hospital.
Dr. Cox said Monday there was probably slight hope for the recovery of either
the mother or the child. The child died at 8:00 Sunday evening about the time
she reached the hospital at Palestine.

After the affair Curry went to Fairfield with friends and gave up to Sheriff
Roper and was placed in jail after consulting a lawyer. All the information
given above is taken from the statements of eye witnesses and those who were on
the scene shortly after it happened.

The development seemed to be that Curry and his wife had been separated for
some time and their divorce suit is pending in the district court at Fairfield.
Mrs. Curry seems to be suing for divorce and possession of the two children
while Curry contends for possession of their boy. Curry it seems became frantic
over the situation and resorted to the act described. 

It is thought the shooting of the little girl was accidental. It is not known
that the shooting of the wife was not accidental as it seems he was firing at
the wife's father.

J. J. Curry is a son of R. H. Curry who resides four miles south of Fairfield.
He had been residing with his parents while Mrs. Curry and their children had
been making their home with her parents, Mr. & Mrs. R. H. Millican (sic). All
parties are members prominent families.