A MURDER AND SUICIDE.

 

TWO TRAGIC DEATHS IN KANSAS CITY SATURDAY.

 

A Former Johnson County Young Lady Shot to Death by Her Husband Who Turns His Gun Himself.

 

Many of the citizens of Johnson county were much surprised and grieved last Saturday when the news reached here of the tragic death of Mrs. J. D. Kent, formerly Miss Augusta Chambers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Chambers living near DeSoto in this county, and a niece of Mrs. Frank Duffy of this city.

 

In 1898 she married a Mr. Kent and they went to Kansas City to live, where he was employed as a night engineer on the Star. If their domestic relations were not pleasant it it was not generallv knownto the relatives and friends of the dead companions. It is therefore difficult to account for Kent's awful deed when on Saturday morning while his wife and 5 year-old son lay asleep, he went to her bed side and shot her dead, and then, while the little boy, awakened by the sound, screamed with fright, he lay down on the floor and shot himself, once directly through the heart and again in the forehead.

 

The bullet which ended Mrs. Kent's life entered between the right, eye and the nose, and she died, beyond doubt, instantly. Mrs. Kent was 25 years old and her husband 30 years of age. At the time of their marriage Mrs. Kent's parents lived on a farm nine miles east of Olathe, where Miss Augusta Chambers was well and favorably known. Later her parents moved to a farm near DeSoto, where Mrs. Kent visited them frequently.

 

The remains of the husband were buried in Kansas City Monday and the body of Mrs. Kent was brought to Olathe the same day and the funeral conducted from the M. E. church at 1:30 in the afternoon, Rev. Henderson officiating. The funeral here was quite largely attended. The body arrived over the Frisco in the forenoon and was taken directly to the church.

 

Olathe Mirror,
August 4, 1904
Page 1, col 6