Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-02-09
The Homicido at washington.

with the case OF the young woman VINO !
lately shot a clerk in Washington by the |
name of Burroughs. From her own |
statement as reported in tAe New York |
Times, it appears that she has spent |
most of her life in Burlington, Iowa, is
of Irish parentage, and, as some times |
happens with young susceptible girl
of that persuasion, especially one who
has been born and bred in "Ameriky,"
she had conceived strong preference
! for the manners, customs aud worship
of this country over the could"
Mr.. Burroughs Is a religious man, and
appears TO be one of that class whose
souls take fire at the idea Of making a
convert from the catholic to the prOtes-
tant faith-especially if the individual
in question meets with opposition from
parents and priests. He became deeply
interested in her case. While she was
little girl in her fathers house he used
to call and see her, and hold her in his
lap. As she grew older his attentions
became more of the Character Of q suit
or, and before he left Burlington, as she
says, he asked her to marry him. She
refused, because she felt that she was
too young (at that time about seven
teen) to disobey her parents in such
matter. He sent letters to her from
Washington, which she answered. She
states that he always protested his af-
fiction, and his determination to make
her his wife A year ago last Septem-
ber she received an anonymous letter
requesting her to meet the writer at
disreputabe house. She went there
with female friend, Miss Devlin, but
the writer was not there. She believes
this to have been Mr., Burroughs. The
probabilities are that she was mistaken.
/ Meanwhile, she had learned Of his mar
riage, and determined to prosecute him
for breach of promise. She went to see
] his brother, Dr. Burroughs, who is
) president of the Douglas college in Chi
e cago. who had solemnized the rite OF
? marriage. While walking in the streets
: or olal~~s4 shv happuucd to see some
pistols ir shop window, and without
having any definite purpose in view she
7 took a fancy to buy one, and by examin-
ing the printed directions she succeeded
f in loading it, When she stSrted FOL
Washington she took her loaded pistol
| although she had no thought of using ii
H.. VIXEN she got there. She hoped, by a
n prosecution, or by some means, to clear
up her character which she AYERS has
been most unjustly assailed She went
0 to the Treasury building, to the door of
- Mr.. Burroughs room, opened it few
j inches. and, the moment she looked at
= him, the cause Of all her sutferings, sit
! ting there comfortably, she became en-
= ragged, and involuntarily pulled back the
hammer of the pistol in her pocket. She
waited till the men began to come out
placed herself near, and when he ap.
peared she felt suddenly lifted up;
I her arm was extended as stiff as iron
: and she saw him fall She knew moth
r ing more uutil she was taken away
+ Whatever anxiety she felt was on &C
, count of her poor father and mother
! She repeatedly declared that there never
e had been any thing improper between
$ herself and Mr. Burroughs.
r His friends claim that he has evel
been a gentleman of unblemished NOR
q ais, and of the highest order He at
r tended the Baptist church in Washing
e ton with his wife, every Sunday. He
E always spoke in terms of strong COM
mendation of Miss Harris, and ever ex-
, pressed the most friendly interest in heI
q behalf He said that upon one OCCASION
when the subject Of his own marriage
was mentioned TO Miss Harris, she told
him she was engaged to MIR. Devlin, q
brother of the ladies with whom she had
\ her home in Chicago.
Our own opinion is that we have seer
> several such cases before, which how
: ever did not have so tragical an end
A Young gentleman of unblemished
morals, of the highest order" ooneeives
{ "most friendly interest" in a suscep
q tible, fascinating, prosecuted" Catho
:, lie girl, and he allows himself to pursue
: course Of conduct which he ought tc
e know was improper and ruinous unless
Il he had honest and unalterable intentions
of marriage.
= 1t seems rather too bad to indulge II
d pleasantly about so melancholy an al
+. fair. but as the Irishmau said, when ont
, of his fellow eonntrymen got his heaC
It knocked off by putting it ont Of cal
j. window, we guess {" It viii be a warn
= ing to him next time"
II THp StssIss OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL,