Bob Ewell stabbed himself to death, trying to kill the Finches children

My Tra Dang
The Maycomb Journal Staff writer
September 16th, 1935.

Yesterday evening, at about 10 o’clock, a homicide happened, resulting in the death of a grown man and a serious injury of a child. Bob Ewell tried to kill Jem and Scout Finch in the schoolhouse after the “Maycomb County Ad Astra Per Aspera” performance ended, this year’s Halloween pageant, directed by Mrs. Merriweather, held in the school’s auditorium. Scout was a ham and had to wear a ham costume. Scout and Jem were in the schoolyard when they heard someone following them. According to them, it was so dark that they could scarcely see anything but Scout’s costume fat streaks was painted with shiny stuff that everyone could see her in the darkness. “I heard someone shuffle and drag his feet.” Scout said. She told us that things happened too fast that she didn’t even clearly know what happened. But, still, she recounted that someone grabbed her, mashed her costume and she fell to the ground. She heard fighting, kicking sounds, they sounded like they were bamming against the trunk. Next thing she knew was that Jem was up, found her and started pulling her toward the road. Scout said: “Then someone, I reckon it was Bob, pulled him backwards. There was more fighting and I heard Jem scream.” According to her, she ran into someone, who was probably Bob, who tried to strangle her and squeeze her to death. She couldn’t move but then, suddenly, someone yanked him down. Next thing she knew was that someone was coughing, panting fit to die. “Then I saw someone I don’t know was carrying Jem toward our house.” Scout recalled.

Atticus said: “I have never conceived that someone could be cruel enough to do such terrible things.” Mr. Heck Tate, our town’s sheriff, went to the scene and found Bob lying there under tree with a knife under his ribs. He was dead. Jem Finch, who had bravely protected his little sister, was badly injured with a broken arm and a bump in the head. He is now still unconscious. Dr. Reynolds said: “We have to feel relieved that the situation didn’t get worse. Jem could have been killed, but he is alive.” The mysterious man who had carried him to the house had protected the children. His name is Arthur Radley. He had never come out of his house for 30 years. There are a lot of rumors about him and everyone seemed to be scared of him, especially the children. “When I was smaller, I always thought he was some kind of a ghost. He was said to have eaten rats, killed his father and a lot more terrible things. But the truth is not like that. It was very brave of him to save Jem like that.” Scout said.

Everyone knows the motivation of this assassination. After the trial in summer, Bob seemed to have grudge against everyone connected with that case. He had guts enough to bother and chunk at poor Helen Robinson, Tom Robinson’s wife. If Mr. Link Deas, Helen’s new employer, hadn’t talked to him and dares him to bother Helen again, Bob would have done something terrible to the poor girl. He burgled Judge Taylor house on a Sunday evening and cut his screen door. He seemed to have paid off his grudges by furtive and dissolute actions. A month ago, Bob approached Atticus, cursed him and threatened to kill him if it took the rest of his life. So everyone knew Bob was definitely after Atticus, but it never occurred to anyone that he could do such dreadful things to retaliate Atticus, lawyer of Tom Robinson in the case, by trying to kill the Finches children. Mr. Heck Tate said: “That evil man never had enough courage to face Atticus in daylight. With enough liquor, that skunk had enough bravery to kill children surreptitiously. Atticus said: “I have to say that I am very shocked about the way thing turned out. I couldn’t imagine of such a coward trying to kill children stealthily. I never thought that my children could be his main targets.”

When Atticus got news about Bob’s death under the tree, he assumed Jem had killed him according to Scout’s story. So he said Jem had to come before county court. But Mr. Heck Tate persisted in Bob killing himself. He said that Bob stabbed himself by driving his whole weight in the knife.

The assassination ended without the results Bon would like it to be. He ended up being the one who is killed, not the children. It was very fortunate, indeed, that Arthur Radley saw this and ran to help the children. Just let’s hope Jem will get better.