New Salem, Ill., Oct. 27. — Howard Seymour, 21, of Franklin, Morgan county, a student at the Gem City Business College at Quincy, was shot and instantly killed about 1:40 a.m. today at the entrance to a room in the New Salem hotel here. John Fife, aged about 40, is being sought for the slaying.
Seymour had gone to Kindehook to get Hilda and Jacqueline Boyd, both of Browning, to bring them to New Salem to attend a dance and after the dance had taken them to the hotel, where they had a room. Donald Savage, New Salem, who also had attended the dance, had brought the girls and Seymour to the hotel.
When Seymour opened the door to the room, Fife was in the room and the latter is said to have fired one shot from a pistol, the bullet entering the youth’s heart. Seymour collapsed in the arms of Jacqueline Boyd, later falling to the floor in the doorway.
Keeping the remainder of the party covered with the pistol, Fife leaped over the body of Seymour and backed down the stairway. When he got to the main floor, Mrs. Elmer West, wife of the hotel proprietor, who was on duty as clerk, told him to put the gun down as he had caused enough trouble. His only reply was, “You knew about this all the time so shut up.” He then disappeared out the door.
No motive is known for the slaying except the possibility that Fife was jealous of Seymour’s attentions to the girls. The two girls had been to dances here a number of times with the youth.
Fife was a veteran of the World War and until recently had been a rural mail carrier. Recently he purchased a pistol and since that time is said to have terrorized a number of New Salem residents. It was said that he had been mentally deranged for some time.
Coroner W. B. Brown of Pike county, conducted an inquest this morning and a verdict that Seymour came to his death of bullet wounds fired from a gun at the hands of John Fife was returned. Fife was recommended to be arrested and held to the grand jury without bail.
The body of the youth was taken to Pittsfield to be prepared for burial. Funeral arrangements have not been completed but it is probable the body will be returned to Franklin for burial.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus