skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Kansas City Post Kansas City Mo. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1
Harrison County, Mo., Woman Brutally Murdered-Farmer Under Suspicion.
BROKE VICTIM'S NECK
2-Year-Old Daughter Found Sitting Beside Body by Father.
Princeton, Mo. Sep 22 - (Special) - A little child, the 2-year-old daughter of Jasper Edward Shirley, a young farmer living nine miles south of Mt. Moriah in Harrison county, witnessed the murder of her mother Sunday. The husband returning home that evening from a visit to a neighbor's home found his wife lying dead on the floor in an upstairs room with her neck broken, and the daughter sitting beside the body. There was evidence of a horrible struggle.
Bunk Davidson, a farmer about 35 years old, is being kept under surveiliance by the authorities. No formal charge has been preferred against him. The community is greatly aroused over the crime.
"A big fat man came adnslapped mamma; mamma slapped him and he took her up stairs. Mamma is alseep, now." This is all the little girl could tell her father of this brutal crime.
An aunt of Shirley had visited their home Sunday morning and he took her to a neighbor's house to spend the day. His three sons accompanied him, Mrs. Shirley and the little girl being left alone.
Returning home about 5 o'clock, some three or four hours later, he found the house locked. He pried open a door and found the house in a state of confusion. Furniture was broken up and other things scattered over the floor. He spread the alarm.
Mrs. Shirley was apparently handled by a fiend. Her neck was broken, her wrists discolored and her body badly bruised. Her clothes had almost been torn from her body. Every window and door in the house was locked by the slayer.
The murderer was evidently injured in the fight for several blood spots were found in the house. Several stains were found on the window casing.
Blood hounds were unable to follow the murderer's trail.
A coroner's inquest failed to develop anything of importance. Mrs. Shirley was 27 years old.
Kearney Clipper Kearney Mo. Fri Oct 6 1911 page 2
Bunk Davidson, who was being held in connection with the murder of Mrs. Ed. Shirley at Trenton, was released, as sufficient evidence could not be found against him. The only clew is the story of a two-year-old daughter, who said it was 'a big fat man'.
The Kansas City Times Kansas City Mo Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1
A Farmer Was Arrested in Connectin With the Death of Mrs. Shirley
Trenton, Mo., Sept 21- Bunk Davidson, a farmer about 35 years old, is being held by Harrison County authorities near Melbourne in connection with the murder of Mrs. Edward Shirley of the same neighborhood. No formal charges have been preferred against Davidson. He is married and has two children.
Mrs. Shirley was murdered Sunday in her own home after having been attacked. When her husband and little son returned from a day's trip they found the doors locked. A 2-year-old daughter, who had remained with the mother, was in the house unhurt. The little girl told them that a "big fat man had fought with mamma and that mamma is asleep now. (very faded and blurry.)
Blood hounds were brought to the scene, but they accomplished nothing.
found articles in :
The Belleville News-Democrat Belleview, Illinois Fri Sept 22 1911 page 6
The Columbia Daily Times Columbia Mo. Tue Sept 19 1911 page 5
St. Louis Gloze-Democrat St Louis, Mo. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 4
Springfield Leader and Press Springfield Mo. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 7
The Clay Center Dispatch Clay Center Ks. Mon Sep 25 1911 page 4
Oxford Eagle Oxford Mississippi Thu Sep 28 1911 page 1
The Pleasant Hill Register Pleasant Hill Mo. Fri Sep 29 1911 page 7
Parsons Daily Eclipse Parsons Ks. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1
JG-TC: Journal Gazette and Times-Courier Mattoon, Illinois Fri Sep 22 1911 page 8
The Fort Scott Republican Fort Scott Ks. Sat Sep 23 1911 page 3
Henry County Democrat Clinton Mo. Thu Sep 28 1911 page 7
The Evening Review Garnett Ks. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 2
Abilene Daily Reflector Abeline Ks. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 2
The Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Fort Scott Daily Monitor Fort Scott Ks. Fri Sep 22 1911 page 7
The Princeton Post Princeton Mo. Thu Sep 28 1911 page 1
The Platt County Gazette Parkville Mo. Thu Nov 16 1911 page 3
Independent-Journal Potosi Mo. Thu Oct 5 1911 page 1
The Hamilton Advocate-Hamiltonian Hamilton Mo. Thu Oct 5 1911 page 6, Thu Sep 28 1911 page 6
The Jamesport Gazette Jamesport Mo. Fri Oct 6 1911 page 2
The Concordian Concordia Mo. Thu Oct 5 1911 page 7
The Clarksville Sentinel Clarksville Mo. Wed Oct 4 1911 page 7
Tri-County News King City Mo. Thu Oct 5 1911 page 7
Ste. Genevieve Herald Sainte Genevieve Mo. Sat Oct 7 1911 page 2
Knob Noster Gem Knob Noster Mo. Fri Oct 6 1911 page 2
The Holden Progress Holden Mo. Thu Oct 5 1911 page 3
Callaway County Journal Fulton Mo Fri Oct 6 1911 page 9
The Republic Monitor Republic Mo Thu Oct 5 1911 page 3
The Amsterdam Enterprise Amsterdam Mo Thu Oct 5 1911 page 3
The Butler Times-Press Butler Mo Sat Sep 30 1911 page 1
Adrain Journal Adrain Mo Thu Oct 5 1911 page 6
Kearney Clipper Kearney Mo Fri Oct 6 1911 page 2
The Kansas City Post Kansas City Mo Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1
The Kansas City Times Kansas City Mo Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1
St. Louis Globe-Democrat St Louis Mo Fri Sep 22 1911 page 4
The Boonville Daily News Boonville Mo Thu Sep 28 1911 page 5
Bethany Clipper Bethany Mo Fri Sep 29 1911 page 1
The Princeton Post-Telegraph Princeton Mo Wed Sep 28 1911 page 3
The Gallatin Democrat Gallatin Mo Thu Sep 21 1911 page 1
Harrison County Times Bethany Mo Thu Sep 24 1911
Carthage Evening Press Carthage Mo Fri Sep 22 1911 page 1
The Post Princeton Mo Thu Sep 28 1911 page 3
Meramec Valley Transcript Pacific Mo. Fri Oct 6 1911 page 7
Buffalo Reflex Buffalo Mo. Thu Oct 5 1911 page 2
The Slater News Slater Mo Oct 12 1911 page 7
The Blackburn Record Blackburn Mo Oct 13 1911 page 2
Parnell Sentinel Parnell Mo Oct 7 1911 page 2
The Elmo Register Oct 6 1911 page 3 Elmo,Mo.
The Bucklin Herald Bucklin Ks Oct 6 1911 page 5
The Leader Craig Mo Sep 29 1911 page 3
Adrian Journal Adrian Mo Thu Oct 5 1911 page 6
The Independent Journal Potosi Mo ThuOct 5 1911 page 1
Clay Center Dispatch Clay Center Ks. Mon Sep 25 1911 page 4
The Gallatin Democrat Gallatin Mo Thu Sep 21 1911 page 1
Harrison County Times and Gilman City Guide Bethany Mo. Fri Sep 22 1911
The Cainsville News Cainsville Mo. Thu Nov 23 1911 page 1
Bethany Republican Bethany Mo Sep 21 1911
The Kansas City Post
Sat, Sep 23, 1911 ·Page 10
Authorities Unable to Find Trace of Slayer - Farmer is Released.
Princeton, Mo., Sept. 23 - (Special) - Although the authorities are working out every possible clue, the brutal murder of Mrs. Jasper E. Shirley at her home, nine miles south of Mt. Moriah, Sunday afternoon, remains shrouded in mystery. Her 2-year-old daughter witnessed the crime and was found sitting beside the body in an upstairs bedroom by the husband and father.
She repeats it every time she is questioned. The babe can barely talk, but she adds "Mamma is sleep now."
"Bunk" Davidson, a neighbor farmer and cousin by marriage of Mrs. Shirley, who was held under surveiliance, has been released. The murderer of Mrs. Shirley must have been a powerful man, for her death was caused by a broken neck, Mrs. Shirley herself a strong woman, gave him a terrific battle, as was evidenced by the disarrangement of furniture in the house.
Bloodhounds from Beatrice, Nebraska were brought here but could not pick up the trail.
The authorities believe the slayer will bear marks of the struggle, for blood was found on the carpet in one room and on the window sill. There were no cuts on Mrs. Shirley's body.
Daily Star-Journal
Fri, Sep 22, 1911 ·Page 3
and in The Clinton Daily Democrat
Fri, Sep 22, 1911 ·Page 3
Trenton, Mo. Sept. 22 - Bunk Davidson, a farmer about 35 years old, is being held by Harrison county authorities for the murder of Mrs. Edward Shirley of the same neighborhood. No formal charges have been preferred against Davidson. He is married and has two children.
The Boonville Daily News
Thu, Sep 28, 1911 ·Page 5
is being held by Harrison county authorities near Melbourne in connection with the murder of Mrs. Edward Shirley of the same neighborhood. No formal charges have been preferred against Davidson. He is being guarded at him home. He is married and has two children. Mrs. Shirley was murdered Sunday in her own home after having been attacked. When her husband and little son returned from a day's trip they found the door locked. A 2-year-old daughter, who had remained with the mother, was in the house unhurt. The little girl told them that a "big fat man had with mamma and mamma was asleep now."
