FATAL DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

CHAS. SALISBURY KILLS WIFE AND SUICIDES

On Wednesday, at 1:15 p.m., occurred the culmination of domestic trouble between Charles Saulsbury and his wife when the husband shot his wife to death and turning the weapon, a thirty-two Smith & Wesson revolver, on himself committed suicide. The Salsburys had not been living amicably together, it is reported, for some years and the wife left her husband a few weeks ago and went to make her home with her daughter and husband, Charles Barger, nearby. Saulsbury, who has been working in Paul Rasmussen’s barn for sometime went to his daughter’s home at the time named and committed the bloody deed, shooting his wife twice through the body and then shot himself through the right temple, the bullet passing through his head and coming out of the left ear. The murderer and suicide was 49 years old and had lived in Blair some 10 years, working as a laborer. The couple had a family of eight children, the older ones being married, the youngest an 11 year old daughter. The bodies were taken to the Pierce undertaking rooms awaiting burial arrangements.

#2-Published in the Blair Democrat April 20, 1916

Burial Of The Victims Of a Madman’s Deed

A number of people called at the Charles Barger home on State Street Friday to view the remains of Charles Salisbury and his murdered wife. The little house, over which hangs the gloom of an awful tragedy, was filled with friends and neighbors of the dead couple. Amid the softened heart breaking sobs of the afflicted family, Rev. Lewis, of the Methodist Church, read a few passages from Scripture and delivered a brief address to the mourners. Misses Ethel and Gertrude Mead sang “Rock of Ages.” The double funeral was attended by a number of automobiles containing friends and relatives of the unfortunate couple. The casket containing the remains of Mrs. Salisbury was covered with beautiful floral tributes while a single wreath rested upon the casket of the husband who has left behind him memories that will never be effaced from the minds of the unfortunate children.

#3-Published in the Blair Democrat April 13, 1916

Charles Salisbury Kills Wife and Blow Out His Brains

Charles Salisbury shot and killed his wife and afterwards blew out his brains at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. The little white painted cottage on east State Street north of the Northwestern depot was the scene of the double tragedy that left several small children, father and motherless. Oliver Huddleson sat sunning himself outside of his office, one hundred feet from the cottage when he heard the reports of revolver shots, intermingled with the screams of women. He hurried over to the Barger place and on entering found Mrs. Charles Barger holding the form of her mother and on the floor lay the body of Charles Salisbury with a revolver at his side. Blood oozing from the head of the man, who had shot himself through the right temple the bullet coming out near the left ear.

The kitchen of the little house looked like a shambles. Sheriff Compton, Deputy K. A. Peterson and Dr. Langstaff found a bullet had entered the left side of Mrs. Salisbury’s abdomen. No other bullet wounds were found on the body which leaves the belief that one of the shots fired at his wife missed the mark and it was afterwards found lodged in a cupboard.

The weapon with which the deed was committed was an old fashioned 32 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver which the suicide had carried on his person for several weeks. It had a defective spring and Salisbury had it repaired by a local mechanic.

There is no question but the rash act was the result of constant brooding over family affairs and Salisbury was known to have threatened to kill his wife on several occasions. He jokingly remarked to Sheriff Compton Monday that he would “furnished him with some excitement over at the house someday.” He fulfilled his threat. The bodies of the unfortunate victims of the double tragedy were (the rest of the newspaper article is missing.)

The Find a Grave Memorial #110639641 has the spelling Salsbury

Note: The surname of the family is spelled in different ways. Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public Library.