Tragedy at Falling Springs

A terrible tragedy occurred at Falling Springs, miles from Pomeroy, Garfield county, Saturday. Henry Williams, a young man 28 years old, after trying to kill his wife, mother-in-law, and several neighbors, committed suicide by shooting himself through the head. Williams had separated from his wife, a young woman, about five months ago. About 2 o'clock in the morning, Mrs. Coleman, hearing a noise of breaking glass, awakened. Williams had smashed the window by throwing a heavy flower pot against the sash and thus gained entrance into the house. He took some straw and set fire to the smokehouse, and when his wife looked out of the upstairs window, he took a shot at her, the bullet grazing her forehead. He then entered the house. His wife and her brother stepped onto the upstairs porch and jumped twelve feet to the ground and ran to summon help. In the meantime, Williams took a couple of shots at Mrs. Coleman and ran upstairs to hunt his wife. He set fire to the furniture as he went. Mrs. Coleman succeeded in extinguishing the flames. Mrs. Williams returned with John Oliver, a farmer living nearby. Williams opened fire at once on Oliver, who retreated to get more help. Mrs. Coleman burned her hands severely while trying to save the house from burning. When Oliver returned with some neighbors, he found everything quiet and they went in search of Williams and found him in a pantry, shot through the head, his right hand still clutching the revolver.