WILL T. BORTON

BORTON, HASKETT, SANFORD, RYDER

Posted By: Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert (email)
Date: 1/2/2002 at 21:04:52

Leon Reporter
January 3l, l895

Friends in Leon were shocked last Saturday by
receiving a telegram from
Emporia, Kas., that WILL T. BORTON had
accidentally shot himself. MR.
BORTON will be remembered by many friends in
this city, having been
married here about six years ago to MISS IDA
HASKETT at the residence of
her sister, MRS. EMMA SANFORD. From the
Emporia Daily Gazette of
Saturday we glean the following:

Last evening a little after 8 o'clock, MR.
W.T. BORTON was in the drug
store of CHAS. RYDER. He was explaining to a
couple of friends how a
few nights ago he had been awakened by men
who claimed to be looking for
a purchase of seed wheat but whom he believed
to be burglars. "The next
time," he said, "I will be ready for them,"
and he drew out a
self-acting revolver. While carelessly
displaying the revolver and
explaining to his friends how he would use
it, in some way the revolver
went off, just as the muzzle swung in front
of WILL's breast. "My God, I
am shot--accidentally" he cried as he fell,
and those were his last
words as the bullet had penetrated the heart
and death came four minutes
after the fatal shot. The news was at once
taken to his wife, mother
and sister who are almost crazed by the
terrible tidings. The mortal
remains were conveyed to Samuel's Undertaking
Rooms and this morning a
coroner's inquest was held. The verdict of
the jury was in accordance
with the facts above stated, that death was
the result of accidental
shooting.

The entire community was not only shocked by
the terrible news, but the
heart of everyone is saddened and
sympathizing with the wife, mother and
sister. The blow was so sudden that it could
not be lightened except by
the sweet friendship which came on every
hand. MR. BORTON was young in
years but was one of the wealthy men of the
county. Everyone knew him
and his family so that there was no one who
did not feel a personal
sorrow. In the dark hours of sorrow and
bereavement, words of comfort
seem but idle, but the stricken family have
the sincerest sympathy of
all.

The funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at
2 o'clock, from the
residence of MR. RYDER, 6l6 Union.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 2, 2002