A DEPLORABLE TRAGEDY

JAMES M. BURNHAM SHOOTS

HIS FATHER TO SAVE

HIS OWN LIFE

James M. Burnham, the well known Editor and proprietor of the Wymore Wymorean, shot and instantly killed his father, Capt. C. A. Burnham, at their home in Wymore Sunday morning.   Capt. Burnham was a strong and robust for a man of his age, and when drinking was considered a very dangerous man. He had been on a drunken spree for three or four days, and James had endeavored to shun his father as much as possible as the Capt was very abusive and quarrelsome when in that condition.

Late Saturday night, the Capt returned home and fell on the front porch in a drunken stupor, after a while he got up and seeing his wife, who was up awaiting him, he became very abusive and applying the most obscene epithets to her, went upstairs to his own room.  He arose about 4:30 and went down town, returning to his home about 8 o’clock when the family had just sat down to breakfast.  He savagely ordered James to leave the house at once, and when James arose to comply with his orders, the enraged father grabbed his son and swore he should not leave.  He grabbed up a butcher knife and in his wild frenzy, would have murdered his son, and perhaps his wife and daughter-in-law.  James realizing his own life, and the lives of his mother and wife were at stake, drew a revolver and shot, the bullet striking the Capt in the breast and killing him instantly.

The killing, as the evidence at the coroner’s inquest disclosed, was in self-defense and held justifiable.

James Burnham has been almost crazed with grief, and nothing but words and thoughts of sincere sympathy are expressed for him and his estimable family.

Barneston Star, Friday, August 24, 1900 Barneston, Nebraska