TIME MACHINE ... June, 1879 (Part 4 of 5)

Please note: Due to its length the postings for this article which began on Sunday will continue during this week.

TK For PPE


(As published in the Warren Ledger, Warren, Pa.)

POCOMOKE'S TRAGEDY

Details of the most remarkable crime on record.


A Woman Who Wanted To Marry One Of Her Own Sex.


Baltimore, May 27.- The trial of Miss Lillie Duer on an indictment for fatally shooting her once intimate friend and associate, Miss Ella Hearn, is fixed for tomorrow, at Snow Hill, Worcester County, Md.

(PART 4)

The following statement of the circumstances comes from a lady well known here, and who attended Miss Hearn during her illness. During a long lucid interval Miss Hearn talked to the lady a good deal about the shooting, and related how it all came about.

As soon as the door to the sitting-room had been closed Miss Duer, turning about, looked at her intensely for a moment and said Ella, why will you not walk out with me? Do you not love me? "Oh, yes I love you" said Miss Hearn, "but I am afraid of you." Do you love Mr. ____? To this question she received no reply, when she became very much excited and spoke again quickly, "Do you love Miss Foster better than you do me?" The answer was "yes." This appeared to terribly excite Miss Duer, and she rushed wildly about in a terrible state of excitement. "Don't say that Ella; don't say that." she kept repeating, while Miss Hearn stood rooted to the spot, by the vehemence of her manner. Presently Miss Duer came close to her and said, "If you say that again I will shoot you," and took out her pistol and cocked it. Then she appeared to become more calm and seemed to want to make up with her now thoroughly frightened friend. She attempted to kiss her but was repulsed by Miss Hearn, who put out her arms to warn her off. This caused her to slip and fall upon her knees. "She was then furious and gave me a fearful look I should never forget to my dying day," said Miss Hearn in relating the circumstances. "She pointed the pistol right at my head. I held up my hand to ward it off," and cried out "oh, don't shoot me, please Lillie; don't shoot me, I will go with you, I will love you." But it was too late, and the next second the pistol was fired and the ball had done its deadly work. Miss Hearn lingered between life and death for a month, and at one time seemed in a fair way of recovery, when on December 6, she became rapidly worse, and died peacefully from nervous prostration caused by the shock to her system by the shooting. The Coroner's jury returned a verdict that Miss Hearn came to her death by "nervous depression caused by a shot from a pistol in the hands of Miss Lillie Duer." Miss Duer gave bail in $2,500 for trial.

(To be continued... the reporter's interview with Miss Duer, and the defense presents its case)