The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-06
: TRAGEDY IN WASHINGTON.

2 TSE5 TRAGEDY Nv WASHLHGION.
Ia Washington city, on Thursday evening last Miss
Mary Harris, Of Chicago, killed Mr.. Burroughs, a
clerk n the Treasury Department, by shooting him
through the heart. The tragedy has created a
good deal of sensation in the United States. The
young lady's statement, made after her arrest 10
reporter, says that Burroughs had promised 10
marry her, and sha killed him Tor not keeping his
promise. The dead man il exonerated in this state
insnt from any charge Of seduction. She had loved
him, she said, since she child, and though he
had at one time urged her to marry him, which vas
opposed by her parents. he had since married
another. She irs. determined to prosecute him for
breach Of promise, and sought him out for that pur.
pose. Tie statement says:
A few day1 before starting from Chicago two
weeks ago., was walking al1sS, the street and saw
some pistols iii shop window. Having learned
that many Of the ladies IN Chicago carried pistol,
especially when travelling, determined to buy one
and at once bought The one. did not know how ~
toad -. The morning OF the day that 1 left Chi
cago 1 examined the printed directions upon the
wrapper accompanying the Pss.of and Cartridges,
and by following thenl succeeded in loading it.
va, tncn cllet, to breakfast, and, putting the re-
yoiver with nay things, forgot to unload it. After
started Concluded to keep 1t loaded, but had then
jntcrti0Ii ct using Is wien got here. After my
arrival here became almost frantic with desire
to isl;ti, and put on nubit" (which WAS not
wont to wear and veil, and, disguised went 10
tie Treasury. When / went into the Treasury
building yesterday morning inquired for the room
il win, II e. Blrou W.S, ard having learned that,
walked up and down me 'lsii TOR time. Once
| went TO the door ii the room, opened 1t a few
lnche,,sal saw hun at Ills deak. The moment /
looked at hl1u, sitting there 50 comfortably, the
thought Of all had slsiieted, and Of his beng the
pulled h.ek ile trigger D the pistol in ,nyroeEet
closed the door. aad, stepping away. moved about
again, know not TOW or where, except that kept
nay eye ON his room until the began to
out OF THEN rooms. Then placed myself where l
knew he Wo!lld have to come near me III goirs to
the ltaiGCase. When he appeared, II felt suddenly
lifted up my ANN extended stiff iron, and
[ saw Inn TALL. l knew nothing until /
called back 81 WIS leaving the building. Pray.
sir, hat Will they do with 1t IL not Iur
my POOR father and mother would not care"
Size repeatedly reiterated Mor assevel alton tn 4.
theTe had been nothing improper between her a.d
Mi. Burroughs.
Accepting the above to Be true, the reader will
ably decide upon the measure OF justification cor
tanned therein. After hearing it, decmea it our
duty to the public to Wit Of the friends Of The
deceased, and to obtain from them acu information
1t, they might he wiling to give.
From them We learned that Mr.. Burroughs WIS
TIE brother Of Or Burroughs, President OF the
Douglas College, Il Baptist scuuary, at Chicago,
dat ,ii,i reside Tor considerable time at Bur
HEgten, iowa, vl.sJe he became acquainted wit,s
and mS!i interested III Miss Mary Harris, be-
tlended her iii various ways, especially against
hsious persecution hy SOME ot her relatives, who
We're Cnth0liCs; subsequently aided her by his
soo.s influence and otherwise in Chicago ana that
She attend j his brothers seminary at Chicago.
they also state that Ar. burroughs frequently
tod Miss Ua!Ii, that he could not reciprogtc b.
asta ,:net, and could hot marry her; notified h.y
VI his intended marriage to the lady nov left
widow by bis sad deceased short time before the
WcGInS, called upon hex with his bIido soon AFTER
and was well received.
We also informed that when Mr. Burro,lgh,
started to 80 to thlcago to be married, in August
1853, he told d gentleman here, who had been hts
watnl friend, that ho had had great struggle Le-
tween inC1natoH ARISING trom the affection al early
years and DUTY; but had decided to marry the lady
VINO soon after became his wife.
HIS friends claim that he has been gentle
II IN OF unbiemshed morals and Of the hio ..eet
Ao:lor. lie attended the Baptist church tins cy
With las wife every Suniay. lio always spoke IN
Terms u slong coInmendation Of Miss Hams, and
ever expressed the most friendly interest IN hen
welfare. lie sad that upon one occasion, when the
saDcCc ot Ills own nlaril. &c mentioned ~ Miss
Harris, she told MN that she was engaged 10 Mr.
'eyll, brotncf Ct the ladies with wnJI, she had
her nome III Chicago.
Mas. burroughs yesterday stated that about
Twelve months ago Mr.. Burroughs ceived through
the Ilal, strange newspaper, In which WAS HAL
Iii5c iotice marked, ana that Mr.. Burroughs ie-
qnes..d her 10 cat II cut and preserve It, which she
dit. lhe notice which she Produced and showed To
some tiieuds read somewhat as follows: Married!
by Bishop. Dugan, Mr. Charles Deylin, of Bal-
more, To Miss Mary G. Harris, vi burlington,
Iowa. Mr.. Burroughs, upon reading it, said "hc
waf glad to learn OF the marriage; hoped she lid
nariied well. tor she was good glrl and had seen
some hard timcs
Miss Harris appeared to be u few yoirs older than
she Is said 20 be; Is OF good figure rather slight.
h0s a wpii-iol med head dark nazcl eyes, tire iar
which seemed, III 4he light which we saw It, to b..
b.ch, cut short and worii III cIrls is graceful IL
her manners naturally Intelligent with = highly
sensitive organization, and appeared, Il, shs sIi,
to Lave bat few educational ADVANTAGES. She,
however, employed good language, ana was hot
superb uoIS II, the usc OF words.
Among thoao who visited her in prison Were s5id
to nave been Senator Uaic, Mr.. Wilson and f,ty
other Representatives from Iowa, Mrs. Co.i,.luS
We:oiI and i Hi,inDer If other ladies.