(Published in Borger Daily Herald, November 8, 1929)
Mrs. Virgie Farthing, 26, died before 6 a.m. today from four gunshot wounds inflicted yesterday at Phillips by Jim Farthing, 29, her estranged husband who ended hie life with the same gun which fatally wounded her.
The tragedy occurred in the rear of a barber shop in Phillips about 4:30. It followed attempts of Farthing to effect a reconciliation of his wife who had not been living with him for some time.
Farthing, according to Mrs. J.A. Swinnea, mother of the dead woman, returned yesterday morning two or three weeks after he had failed to get his wife to return to him. He had lunch with her at the Swinnea home, not far from where the shooting occurred. Mr. Swinnea is caretaker of the Phillips school.
Mrs. Farthing, her mother, and the dead man returned to the barbershop where Mrs. Farthing had a room. Mrs. Swinnea was in an adjacent room and also was Mrs. M.L. Carter, wife of the establishment proprietor.
The two women tell of hearing Farthing tell his wife he would leave and bother her no more. He then kissed their six year old son Edfred goodbye. The two women said they heard no argument. A second later several shots rang out. Mrs. Farthing had fallen over on a bed, four wounds in her body.
Farthing ran out the back door, followed by the little boy. He dashed around some buildings and nearby a water tower, fired a fifth shot from a .32-calibre pistol between his eyes. The crying child, witnessing the double tragedy, snatched the gun from his dying father's hand and threw it into some weeds.
Mrs. Farthing was taken to Pantex hospital, not far from the scene and Dr. W.W. Brooks and attendants worked vainly all night to save her life. She was shot through the shoulder, through the side of the abdomen, and a third time where the bullet struck a rib, deflected and entered the left arm.
Both families came originally from Edgewood, in Van Zandt county. The body of Farthing will be buried by the county at Highland cemetery. That of Mrs. Farthing is being held at Wilson-Buntin funeral home pending final arrangements.
Mrs. Virgie Farthing, 26, died before 6 a.m. today from four gunshot wounds inflicted yesterday at Phillips by Jim Farthing, 29, her estranged husband who ended hie life with the same gun which fatally wounded her.
The tragedy occurred in the rear of a barber shop in Phillips about 4:30. It followed attempts of Farthing to effect a reconciliation of his wife who had not been living with him for some time.
Farthing, according to Mrs. J.A. Swinnea, mother of the dead woman, returned yesterday morning two or three weeks after he had failed to get his wife to return to him. He had lunch with her at the Swinnea home, not far from where the shooting occurred. Mr. Swinnea is caretaker of the Phillips school.
Mrs. Farthing, her mother, and the dead man returned to the barbershop where Mrs. Farthing had a room. Mrs. Swinnea was in an adjacent room and also was Mrs. M.L. Carter, wife of the establishment proprietor.
The two women tell of hearing Farthing tell his wife he would leave and bother her no more. He then kissed their six year old son Edfred goodbye. The two women said they heard no argument. A second later several shots rang out. Mrs. Farthing had fallen over on a bed, four wounds in her body.
Farthing ran out the back door, followed by the little boy. He dashed around some buildings and nearby a water tower, fired a fifth shot from a .32-calibre pistol between his eyes. The crying child, witnessing the double tragedy, snatched the gun from his dying father's hand and threw it into some weeds.
Mrs. Farthing was taken to Pantex hospital, not far from the scene and Dr. W.W. Brooks and attendants worked vainly all night to save her life. She was shot through the shoulder, through the side of the abdomen, and a third time where the bullet struck a rib, deflected and entered the left arm.
Both families came originally from Edgewood, in Van Zandt county. The body of Farthing will be buried by the county at Highland cemetery. That of Mrs. Farthing is being held at Wilson-Buntin funeral home pending final arrangements.
(Published in Borger Daily Herald, November 8, 1929)
Mrs. Virgie Farthing, 26, died before 6 a.m. today from four gunshot wounds inflicted yesterday at Phillips by Jim Farthing, 29, her estranged husband who ended hie life with the same gun which fatally wounded her.
The tragedy occurred in the rear of a barber shop in Phillips about 4:30. It followed attempts of Farthing to effect a reconciliation of his wife who had not been living with him for some time.
Farthing, according to Mrs. J.A. Swinnea, mother of the dead woman, returned yesterday morning two or three weeks after he had failed to get his wife to return to him. He had lunch with her at the Swinnea home, not far from where the shooting occurred. Mr. Swinnea is caretaker of the Phillips school.
Mrs. Farthing, her mother, and the dead man returned to the barbershop where Mrs. Farthing had a room. Mrs. Swinnea was in an adjacent room and also was Mrs. M.L. Carter, wife of the establishment proprietor.
The two women tell of hearing Farthing tell his wife he would leave and bother her no more. He then kissed their six year old son Edfred goodbye. The two women said they heard no argument. A second later several shots rang out. Mrs. Farthing had fallen over on a bed, four wounds in her body.
Farthing ran out the back door, followed by the little boy. He dashed around some buildings and nearby a water tower, fired a fifth shot from a .32-calibre pistol between his eyes. The crying child, witnessing the double tragedy, snatched the gun from his dying father's hand and threw it into some weeds.
Mrs. Farthing was taken to Pantex hospital, not far from the scene and Dr. W.W. Brooks and attendants worked vainly all night to save her life. She was shot through the shoulder, through the side of the abdomen, and a third time where the bullet struck a rib, deflected and entered the left arm.
Both families came originally from Edgewood, in Van Zandt county. The body of Farthing will be buried by the county at Highland cemetery. That of Mrs. Farthing is being held at Wilson-Buntin funeral home pending final arrangements.
Mrs. Virgie Farthing, 26, died before 6 a.m. today from four gunshot wounds inflicted yesterday at Phillips by Jim Farthing, 29, her estranged husband who ended hie life with the same gun which fatally wounded her.
The tragedy occurred in the rear of a barber shop in Phillips about 4:30. It followed attempts of Farthing to effect a reconciliation of his wife who had not been living with him for some time.
Farthing, according to Mrs. J.A. Swinnea, mother of the dead woman, returned yesterday morning two or three weeks after he had failed to get his wife to return to him. He had lunch with her at the Swinnea home, not far from where the shooting occurred. Mr. Swinnea is caretaker of the Phillips school.
Mrs. Farthing, her mother, and the dead man returned to the barbershop where Mrs. Farthing had a room. Mrs. Swinnea was in an adjacent room and also was Mrs. M.L. Carter, wife of the establishment proprietor.
The two women tell of hearing Farthing tell his wife he would leave and bother her no more. He then kissed their six year old son Edfred goodbye. The two women said they heard no argument. A second later several shots rang out. Mrs. Farthing had fallen over on a bed, four wounds in her body.
Farthing ran out the back door, followed by the little boy. He dashed around some buildings and nearby a water tower, fired a fifth shot from a .32-calibre pistol between his eyes. The crying child, witnessing the double tragedy, snatched the gun from his dying father's hand and threw it into some weeds.
Mrs. Farthing was taken to Pantex hospital, not far from the scene and Dr. W.W. Brooks and attendants worked vainly all night to save her life. She was shot through the shoulder, through the side of the abdomen, and a third time where the bullet struck a rib, deflected and entered the left arm.
Both families came originally from Edgewood, in Van Zandt county. The body of Farthing will be buried by the county at Highland cemetery. That of Mrs. Farthing is being held at Wilson-Buntin funeral home pending final arrangements.
Inscription
There is no marker, and cemetery records do not have the burial location recorded so no photo can even be made of the spot without a marker. The photos show the general area where county burials were usually made. See the captions for more explanation.
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