Shannon, George Walter – d. 1926

MILLER, SHANNON

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 9/6/2021 at 16:53:34

Shannon Buried At Vandalia Sun.
Body of Man Who Killed Himself at Milwaukee Brought to Des Moines
Houck is Convalescing
Young Man, Victim of Angry Husband’s Gun Will Come Home; Wife Not Present at Funeral
The body of George Shannon, who shot himself at Milwaukee, Wis., Saturday, Sept. 18, after wounding Lloyd Houck and threatening the life of his wife and son, was brought to Des Moines last Friday. The remains were kept at the mortuary in that city until Sunday, when funeral service was held at Vandalia from the Congregational church. Nither Shannon’s wife or his son were present at the funeral services, having remained in Milwaukee. Mrs. Shannon turned the body over to her husband’s brother.
Houck is reported to be convalescing and will probably return to Knoxville as soon as he has recovered enough. The bullet which struck his head, only broke the skin near the left eye, because jast as Shannon was about to shoot, his wife hit his arm. Shannon fired four shots into the prostrate body of Houck then, two of them taking effect, but neither in a vital spot. While eorge was reloading his gun, Mrs. Shannon and the boy opened the kitchen door and escaped.
They summoned the police who called to him to come out. They could see him reloading his revolver. When they attempted to crash in the door, Shannon killed himself.
The tragedy occurred in the kitchen of the boarding house which Mrs. Shannon was operating under the name of Peggy Miller. Shannon had located his wife after a six months’ search after she and her 12-year-old son and Houck had left the farm near Oradell last March. Shannon came there Tuesday and remained until Saturday night when he was to leave for home. At 8:30 that evening he called Houck, Mrs. Shannon and the boy into the kitchen, saying he wanted to talk to them. After they came, he closed the door and whipped out a gun, saying he was oing to kill every one of them and commenced firing.
Charles Houck, father of the boy, arrived home last week. No action is contemplated either by Milwaukee police or any parties concerned, so the case is a closed incident now.
Source: Knoxville (IA) Journal; Thursday, September 30, 1926, page 1