Individual Details
James Harvey Stephens
(19 Apr 1879 - 3 Sep 1922)
Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday, September 5, 1922, Page 2: Double Death by Suitor. Farmer Kills Woman, Then Turns Revolver on Self. James H. Stephens of Weston, Mo., Refuses to Give Weapon to His Mother, Who Attempts to Quiet Him When He Is Reloading. (By a staff correspondent). Weston, Mo.---Sept. 4---A refusal to marry him is said to have caused James H. Stephens, 35 years old, thresher and sawmill operator, to shoot fatally Mrs. Florence Knepper, 40 years old, of St. Joseph and then commit suicide on his farm about three miles northwest of here on the St. Joseph highway, about 9 o'clock last night.
The couple had kept company for about two years, according to Mrs. Mary Stephens, 72 years old, the mother of the dead man. She said she knew of no trouble between them. Mrs. Knepper had visited frequently at the Stephens home. The scene of the shooting was in the back yard of the farm home, a quarter of a mile back from the road and surrounded by hills. Stephens and Mrs. Knepper, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn Garrish of St. Joseph, motored to Bean Lake, seven miles northwest of the Stephens farm, about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon in the Garrish car. They returned to the farm about 6 o'clock and had supper with Mrs. Stephens and a grandson, Francis.
Mother Tries to Stop Son.
Later, the Garrishes, Mrs. Stephens and the grandson sat on the front porch. Stephens and Mrs. Knepper were in the back yard. The Garrishes prepared to return to St. Joseph about 9 o'clock. They started toward the back yard . Three shot were heard. Mrs. Stephens rushed through the house to the rear. She met her son entering the rear door carrying a revolver. She attempted to wrest it from him, but failed. He reloaded it from a trunk in his room. Ms. Stephens found Mrs. Knepper tying in the back yard near the door, shot three times through the chest, causing death a few minutes later.
Stephens stepped to the back yard and shot himself twice, one bullet grazing his forehead, the second shot entered his head behind the right ear, and causing death at once.
The Garrishes went in their car in search for neighbors. They failed to find anyone at two farm homes nearby and drove to DeKalb, returning with Mr. and Mrs. Jack McMillan. Mrs. McMillan is a sister of the dead woman. Relatives of Mrs. Knepper have said that Mrs. Knepper refused to marry Stephens and that may have caused the shooting. Mrs. Stephens said her son never had mentioned anything about marrying the woman. Stephens was divorced, as was Mrs. Knepper.
Her Picture In His Effects.
A picture postcard of Mrs. Knepper was found in Stephens's effects. On it was written: "I surely wish I was with you instead of this----. For you look awful good to me."
The bodies were sent to Weston to the J. H. Brill undertaking establishment. The body of the woman will be sent tomorrow to Moravia, Ia. Burial for Stephens will be tomorrow at Weston. Stephens is survived by his mother, a sister, Mrs. James Montague, Leavenworth; four brothers, W. A. Stephens, Weston, Louis Stephens, Gentryville, Mo., Dee Stephens, Skidmore, Mo., and Frank Stephens [unknown to this family], Herlington, Kas. Mrs. Knepper is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Mattie Lynch, Moravia and Mrs. Jack McMillan, DeKalb, Mo.
Gip Moore, Platte City, coroner of Platte County, said tonight he would hold an inquest next Monday. Terry Riley, prosecuting attorney, said he would withhold any investigation pending the outcome of the coroner's inquest.
Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday, September 5, 1922, Page 2: Believes Son No Slayer. Weston Affair Case of Double Suicide, Mother Believes. But Undertaker Says Nature of Woman's Wounds Indicates They Could Not Have Been Self-Inflicted. Weston, Mo. Sept. 5---Mrs. Mary Stephens, mother of James H. Stephens, who killed himself on his farm near here Sunday after he is believed to have slain Mrs. Florence Knepper of St. Joseph, said today she believed a double suicide, instead of a murder and suicide brought death to the man and woman, who had kept company for about two years. She said she believed Mrs. Knepper shot herself with a revolver taken from a cupboard in the dining room and that Stephens shot himself after finding her body.
J. H. Britt, an undertaker, who examined the bodies said, however, that form the nature of the woman's wounds he did not believe they could have been self-inflicted. Three shots were fired in the left breast. They ranged downward .
Mrs. Stephens said that before her son went to St. Joseph Sunday he told her of the revolver, which was hidden in the cupboard. She believes Mrs. Knepper overheard and got the revolver after the party had returned from St. Joseph. Mrs. Stephens denied again her son had asked Mrs. Knepper to marry him. Mrs. Mattie Lynch, a sister of Mrs. Knepper, who came here yesterday from St. Joseph said three diamond rings belonging to the dead woman, valued at $500 each, were missing. A friend of Mrs. Knepper's who said she lived in the rooming house operated by her in St. Joseph, however, the rings had been left in St. Joseph.
Kansas City Times, Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday, September 12, 1922, Page 2, Col. 2: No Inquest Over Knepper Shooting. Weston, Mo. Sept. 11.---The inquest over the shooting of Mrs. Florence Knepper, 40 years old, St. Joseph, September 3, by James H. Stephens, 35 years old, thresher and sawmill operator here, who later committed suicide on his farm about three miles northwest of here on the St. Joseph highway, has been abandoned. Gip Moore of Platte City, coroner of Platte County, after consultation with Terry Riley, prosecuting attorney of Platte County, said that the facts were so self-evident as to warrant the discontinuance of the case, unless unforeseen evidence turns up.
The couple had kept company for about two years, according to Mrs. Mary Stephens, 72 years old, the mother of the dead man. She said she knew of no trouble between them. Mrs. Knepper had visited frequently at the Stephens home. The scene of the shooting was in the back yard of the farm home, a quarter of a mile back from the road and surrounded by hills. Stephens and Mrs. Knepper, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn Garrish of St. Joseph, motored to Bean Lake, seven miles northwest of the Stephens farm, about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon in the Garrish car. They returned to the farm about 6 o'clock and had supper with Mrs. Stephens and a grandson, Francis.
Mother Tries to Stop Son.
Later, the Garrishes, Mrs. Stephens and the grandson sat on the front porch. Stephens and Mrs. Knepper were in the back yard. The Garrishes prepared to return to St. Joseph about 9 o'clock. They started toward the back yard . Three shot were heard. Mrs. Stephens rushed through the house to the rear. She met her son entering the rear door carrying a revolver. She attempted to wrest it from him, but failed. He reloaded it from a trunk in his room. Ms. Stephens found Mrs. Knepper tying in the back yard near the door, shot three times through the chest, causing death a few minutes later.
Stephens stepped to the back yard and shot himself twice, one bullet grazing his forehead, the second shot entered his head behind the right ear, and causing death at once.
The Garrishes went in their car in search for neighbors. They failed to find anyone at two farm homes nearby and drove to DeKalb, returning with Mr. and Mrs. Jack McMillan. Mrs. McMillan is a sister of the dead woman. Relatives of Mrs. Knepper have said that Mrs. Knepper refused to marry Stephens and that may have caused the shooting. Mrs. Stephens said her son never had mentioned anything about marrying the woman. Stephens was divorced, as was Mrs. Knepper.
Her Picture In His Effects.
A picture postcard of Mrs. Knepper was found in Stephens's effects. On it was written: "I surely wish I was with you instead of this----. For you look awful good to me."
The bodies were sent to Weston to the J. H. Brill undertaking establishment. The body of the woman will be sent tomorrow to Moravia, Ia. Burial for Stephens will be tomorrow at Weston. Stephens is survived by his mother, a sister, Mrs. James Montague, Leavenworth; four brothers, W. A. Stephens, Weston, Louis Stephens, Gentryville, Mo., Dee Stephens, Skidmore, Mo., and Frank Stephens [unknown to this family], Herlington, Kas. Mrs. Knepper is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Mattie Lynch, Moravia and Mrs. Jack McMillan, DeKalb, Mo.
Gip Moore, Platte City, coroner of Platte County, said tonight he would hold an inquest next Monday. Terry Riley, prosecuting attorney, said he would withhold any investigation pending the outcome of the coroner's inquest.
Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday, September 5, 1922, Page 2: Believes Son No Slayer. Weston Affair Case of Double Suicide, Mother Believes. But Undertaker Says Nature of Woman's Wounds Indicates They Could Not Have Been Self-Inflicted. Weston, Mo. Sept. 5---Mrs. Mary Stephens, mother of James H. Stephens, who killed himself on his farm near here Sunday after he is believed to have slain Mrs. Florence Knepper of St. Joseph, said today she believed a double suicide, instead of a murder and suicide brought death to the man and woman, who had kept company for about two years. She said she believed Mrs. Knepper shot herself with a revolver taken from a cupboard in the dining room and that Stephens shot himself after finding her body.
J. H. Britt, an undertaker, who examined the bodies said, however, that form the nature of the woman's wounds he did not believe they could have been self-inflicted. Three shots were fired in the left breast. They ranged downward .
Mrs. Stephens said that before her son went to St. Joseph Sunday he told her of the revolver, which was hidden in the cupboard. She believes Mrs. Knepper overheard and got the revolver after the party had returned from St. Joseph. Mrs. Stephens denied again her son had asked Mrs. Knepper to marry him. Mrs. Mattie Lynch, a sister of Mrs. Knepper, who came here yesterday from St. Joseph said three diamond rings belonging to the dead woman, valued at $500 each, were missing. A friend of Mrs. Knepper's who said she lived in the rooming house operated by her in St. Joseph, however, the rings had been left in St. Joseph.
Kansas City Times, Kansas City, Missouri, Tuesday, September 12, 1922, Page 2, Col. 2: No Inquest Over Knepper Shooting. Weston, Mo. Sept. 11.---The inquest over the shooting of Mrs. Florence Knepper, 40 years old, St. Joseph, September 3, by James H. Stephens, 35 years old, thresher and sawmill operator here, who later committed suicide on his farm about three miles northwest of here on the St. Joseph highway, has been abandoned. Gip Moore of Platte City, coroner of Platte County, after consultation with Terry Riley, prosecuting attorney of Platte County, said that the facts were so self-evident as to warrant the discontinuance of the case, unless unforeseen evidence turns up.
Events
| Birth | 19 Apr 1879 | Platte Co., Missouri |  | ||
| Birth | 19 Apr 1879 | Weston, Platte Co., Missouri | | ||
| Residence | 1900 | Marshall, Platte Co., Missouri | | ||
| Marriage | 19 Mar 1908 | Callie Williams | | ||
| Residence | 1920 | Weston, Platte Co., Missouri | | ||
| Death | 3 Sep 1922 | Weston, Platte Co., Missouri | | ||
| Death | 3 Sep 1922 | Weston, Platte Co., Missouri | | ||
| Burial | Kirkpatrick Cemetery, Platte Co., Missouri | | |||
| Residence | Leavenworth, Kansas, USA | | |||
| Residence | Platte Co., Missouri | |
Families
| Spouse | Callie Williams (1890 - 1964) |
| Father | Louis Napoleon Stephens (1849 - 1913) |
| Mother | Mary Etta Kirkpatrick (1849 - 1927) |
| Sibling | William Alfred Stephens (1872 - 1938) |
| Sibling | Cora Elgie Stephens (1874 - 1940) |
| Sibling | Dee Emmett Stephens (1877 - 1952) |
| Sibling | Lucy May Stephens (1881 - 1918) |
| Sibling | Louis Theodore Stephens (1884 - 1953) |
| Sibling | Mahala Mabel Stephens (1886 - 1889) |
| Sibling | Matthew Stephens (1889 - ) |
Endnotes
1. Shirley I. Kimsey, Platte County Missouri Cemeteries West of I-29 North of 92 Hwy (n.p: January 1999, n.d), Page 42.
2. Shirley I. Kimsey, Graceland and Laurel Hill (City Cemetery) (n.p: January 1999, n.d), Page 74.
3. Missouri State Archives.
8. Shirley I. Kimsey, Platte County Missouri Cemeteries West of I-29 North of 92 Hwy (n.p: January 1999, n.d), Page 42.
9. Missouri State Archives.
11. Shirley I. Kimsey, Platte County Missouri Cemeteries West of I-29 North of 92 Hwy (n.p: January 1999, n.d), Page 42.