On July 1, 1898, 19-year-old John Headrick went to James Lail's home in Cape Girardeau County about 3 miles out of Jackson, Missouri. He had been recently fired as a farmhand by James for stealing a buggy.
James's wife Vernie and daughter Jessie were inside their home as he was in the barn curried the horses. They watched as John entered the barn and then heard gunshots. James had been shot four times he managed to get out of the barn and his wife threw herself over him.
John then shot her once and the gun was out of ammo so he began to beat her. Jessie screamed at John that he killed her Papa and was going to kill her Mother. Vernie then got free and started running in which John pursued and stabbed her then slit her throat.
He marched Jessie around with the threat of being shot. He tried to make her promise to not tell anyone he had done it. She wouldn't do it. He also made her clean his clothes. When they got by the area Vernie's body should have been she wasn't there. This was because she ran to her mothers-in-law's home. He soon left. Vernie survived the attack, but unfortunately, James did not.
He claimed that he just came to the residence to get the money he was owed. He said when he got into the barn James threatened to beat him with the curry comb he was using. He said he was scared for his life so he shot James and attacked Vernie from the excitement.
John was hung on June 15, 1889 outside of Cape Girardeau's courthouse.
SOURCES:
Executed Today
The Record-Union
The Democrat-Argus
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