A Dreadful Murder - Particulars Revealed

YEARNS, SHAFER, SHAFFER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 3/25/2007 at 11:06:17

"Fairfield Ledger Weekly", February 11, 1869

HORRIBLE MURDER.

We have just learned the particulars of a dreadful murder, committed last Saturday evening in Red Rock township at the residence of J. T .YEARNS, Esq., member of the Board of Supervisors from that township.

Some months ago a man named SHAFER, and a daughter of Mr. YEARNS’ were married and lived together a short time without anything occurring to mar the happiness of their union. But SHAFER, it appears, went away from home for the purpose of hunting a location, and while absent received a letter, purporting to come from his wife, stating that she did not care whether he ever came back or not, and if he did she would not live with him.--- On returning home he asked her what she meant by writing to him in that manner, and she denied writing the letter.--- He appeared to be satisfied, and she then went out of doors and never returned again. She was absent for some time, but finally returned to her father’s house where she was at the time of the sad affair of last Saturday evening. SHAFER, learning that she was at her father’s, went there last Saturday evening, and tried to induce her to go home, and live with him again, but she refused. He then drew a revolver and shot her dead, and then snapped it at her mother, and also at himself, but failing in this procured a butcher kife [sic] and cut a horrible gash in his throut [sic]. Mr. YEARNS was absent at the time, and the neighbors on being alarmed procured the services of a physician who dressed the wretched man’s wounds, and it is not thought that he will recover.

P. S. Since the above was put in type we learn that SHAFFER and his wife had been married several years and have two children. We also learn that he was a worthless man, and that he frequently abused his family. Two of Mrs. SHAFER’s sisters have been attending school at the University here, and were terribly shocked and grief-stricken at the news of their sister’s sad fate. "Pella Blade" 3d.

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"Fairfield Ledger Weekly", April 8, 1869

Escape of SHAFER, the Wife Murderer.--- G. W. SHAFER, who, it will be remembered, not long since murdered his wife in Marion county, and who as played the “maniac lover” to perfection, by having in his arms the dead wife when discovered, attributing the bloody deed to his extreme love for her, and since the murder has expressed his willingness and haste to die, and in sundry other similar ways, is not half so willing to die as he was, but has adroitly managed to escape. The Oskaloosa Herald of Friday says: “Geo. W. SHAFER, the Marion county wife murderer, made his escape from the jail at this place last Saturday night, by jumping from a window in the room of the second story, which, on account of delicate health and supposed insanity, the Sheriff had allowed him to occupy. SHAFER is 5 feet 9½ inches high, sallow complexion, dark hair, blue eyes, thin visage, prominent nose, general build slender and bony, large bony hands, has a large scar on the right side of his throat, no whiskers, beard thin and soft, weighs 135 lbs., and had on when he left a dark colored suit of home-made jeans, and a low crowned black hat. A reward of $50 is offered for his arrest. The Sheriff feels confident of his recovery, unless aided by outsiders to escape, which he does not believe.”

[Also posted to the Marion County Documents board]

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.