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Lemuel Moffatt kills wife, then self
Meridian Tribune, 15 Jun 1906
TRAGEDY NEAR CAYOTE
A horrible tragedy was enacted last Monday morning at 8 o'clock at the farmhouse of Lem Moffett, one and one half miles northeast of Cayote. At the Moffett home resided the father, mother, the 12 year old sister of Mrs. Moffett, and an infant.
On Sunday evening Mr. Moffett commanded Moffett's sister to carry the baby to the home of its grandmother, a short distance from the Moffett home and the child obeyed. What explanation the child made for the visit is not known, but her coming filled the grandmother with a premonition of disaster and she at once started for the Moffett home. Before arriving her fears were augmented by the discovery that the house had been fired and she hastened her steps.
Arriving at the house an ominous quietude added to her misgiving which in a measure prepared her for the horrible sight which met her gaze as she entered the house. Weltering in her life blood lay the dead body of Mrs. Moffett where she had been mercilessly put to death by her husband.
There had been deliberation about the frenzied act, for after the wife had been killed Moffett had evidently planned to obliterate the evidences of the tragedy.
The house had been set on fire. As the flames leaped up he consumated the final act in the tragedy by killing himself and falling near the body of the victim.
The crackling flames, the ghastly corpses of the dead mother and father and the blood bespattered floor is what the frightened grandmother saw.
The flames were extinguished and in the front yard was found a pocketbook containing $190, where it had evidently been thrown. Insanity is advanced as the cause for the tragedy.
Mr. and Mrs. Moffett were buried in the Valley Mills cemetery late Monday evening.
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Clifton Record, 15 Jun 1906
TRAGEDY AT MOFFITT HOME
Lem Moffitt Kills Himself and Wife at Their Home Six Miles East of Clifton
News reached here early Monday morning of the horrible tragedy which was committed at the home of Lem Moffitt, about six miles south east of Clifton. At the Moffitt home resided the father and mother, small child, and the 12 year old younger sister of the murdered woman. About two o'clock Monday morning, as near as we can find out, the father commanded the little girl to carry the baby to the home of its grandmother, a short distance away and the child obeyed. What explanation the child made for the visit at that hour of the night is not known but her arrival filled the grandmother with a premonition of disaster and she at once started for her son's home. Before arriving her fears were aroused by the discovery that there was fire in the house and she quickened steps. Upon arriving an unusual quietness about the place increased her fear and misery of what soon came to light. It is reported that the doors of the house were barred from the inside and the grandmother used an ax as a means of entrance. As she entered the house the horrible sight met her gaze. Weltering in her life blood lay the body of Mrs. Moffitt where she had been mercilessly put to death by her husband.
There seemed to have been considerable deliberation in this terrible act, for after the wife had been killed Moffitt had evidently planned to destroy all evidence of his horrible work. The house had been kerosined and set ablaze and as the flames leaped up he committed the final act by shooting himself in the breast and falling back across the bed near the body of his murdered wife. The ghastly corpses of the dead mother and father and the blood bespattered floor is what the frightened grandmother saw after she had extinguished the flames which had a good headway about the bed. And afterwards a purse was found in the yard containing nearly $200 where it had evidently been thrown to prevent its being destroyed by the flames; and it is also said that Mr. and Mrs. Moffitt had both signed their farm over to Mr. Moffitt's mother several months previous to the horrible tragedy, which does not hardly seem like the works of a sane person.
Mr. Moffitt was about 33 years old and very stout and robust, and his wife was several years younger, and was raised in the county, being the elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mackey, who have for a number of years resided a few miles above Meridian.
This was indeed a sad affair, and cast a shadow over the entire community in which it occurred. |
