HAPPENINGS.
It is not always best for two families to live in the same house, unless that house is very large. Two families by the name of Sibert and Phillips occupied one house some four miles west of Laclede, and it proved that they could not agree. Phillips got angry, January 24, 1868, and shot Sibert's dog. Mrs. S. went to the field and told her husband, who at once started for the house to settle the matter with Phillips, Mrs. Sibert following closely. Phillips knowing there would be a row, loaded his shot-gun and waited Sibert's coming. When Sibert got near enough Phillips fired, killing Sibert, and two stray shot struck the child, one in the head, in its mother's arms, killing it also, without injuring Mrs. S.; and not only that but a cow just on a line a few feet from Mr. Sibert was also struck and died of her wound. It proved a terribly fatal shot. Phillips jumped upon a mule and left at once for parts unknown, although Montana was supposed to have been the place of his refuge. He was tracked to the north part of the county, where he had traded his mule for a horse and then continued his flight. A few months afterwards his wife and family departed, presumably to join the erring husband and father, but nothing further has been heard
of him.
Source: The History of Linn County, Encyclopedia of Useful Information, and a Compendium of Actual Facts, published by Birdsall & Dean, 1882; Pg. 701
