The New York herald., 1870-03-26
TRAGEDY Iy NEW BEDFORD, mass.

Young Man Who slowed not Wisely but
TOO Well" Shot Dead by His Paramour-
The Fair and Frail Marderess Then Conn
mits suicide by Shooting Herself.
NEW BEDFORD Mass, March 25, 1870.
A terrible tragedy, followed by suicide,
was committed aJ the boarding house Of Mrs.
Cornelius Webster, early last evening. The victim
was Theodore L. Parker, Of the firm OF q. 9.
T. l.. Parker, a young man aged but twenty.three
years. and the deed was committed by Mrs. Lizzie
W. Chapman, o daughter or william Duffy, aged
about forty years. The parties had been intimate
for some months past, and had been frequently to-
gether upon the streets, and although there Is no
direct testimony in regard any improper intimacy
between tnem yet IT ls reasonable under the exist
ing circumstances to suppose such to have been the
case Mr. Parker was regular boarder OF the
house, having lived there for the past eighteen
months and Mrs. Chapman was In the habit OF
taking ner meals there, but lived at No. 5S South
Second street. At six O'Clock yesterday afternoon
the couple were together on the street, and Mrs
Chapman was afterwards seen 10 enter ner resi-
dence, probably to procure the weapon with which
among whom we're Parker and Mrs. Chapman sat
down 10 supper az the usual time, and about half
through the sitting room and into the front entry Of
the house. Almost Immediately three distinct re-
ports OF a pistol were heard, and the landady
rushed into the entry just as Parker staggered
and fell. Mrs. Chapman was then Standing near
Parker with Colts revolver In her hand still
taken from the woman by male boarder, and sae
then reeed into the sitting room, and with the cry
n am shot" Tell upon lounge Parker was car
ried into an adjoining bedroom and almost instantly
expired without utterng word. DR.. II. r. Jonn.
son was called, and, upon examining Mrs Chap
her ABDOMEN tue ball going completely through her
body, the wound being evidently indicted by her own
hand. She was made as comfortable as possible,
but Immediately went INTO succession Of ialnting
dts.
The house at this time was scene of confusion.
form stark In death, OF him VINO brief hour be.
fore was Ia the full vgor OF manhood In the front
or h & ssnr WAS vas ,S ne un
had perpetrated, while IN the sitting room was the
surviving brother, already fatheress and motheress
completely stunned with gricI 1T his sudden and ir-
reparable loss. He had parted from hts brother at
six O'Clock, and was hastily summoned to the house
soa IN the embrace OF dea. s ms
used was an ordinary sized Colts revolver,
apparently new; and !. three shots were dis:
Parker passing through the upper portlon OF his
right arm into the chest and the other entering the
small OF the back Either was sunicient to cause
death. Mrs. Chapmans wound was pronounced to
be Of a serious nature, and medical assistance was
promptly gwen her. What passed In the entry prior
to the shooting Is known only to the womaE, and
she is very relicent on the subject Shortly after
nine O'Clock in the evening Mrs. Chapman was
son that latter she was shot' she had taken poison
consisting OF mixture OF arsenic and laudanum.
Emetics were administered, and at midnight, al.
though she was In intense agony, there thought
to be chance for her recovery. She fingered how
ever only until this morning when death put an
end to her eu1erings.
The body OF Mr. Parker was taken In charge by
Coronerl KimbaI and an inquest Immediately held
0rvie o Parker, brother Of tne deceased. testified
as follows
Last my brother alive at six P. NJ whenh left tho
called from the shortly before o'clock
and then him the bed dead knew nothing Of the CTR
oumsances Of mis- DEATH and never the pistol beore
had brother and Mrs. Chapman the street together
and had endeavored 70 induce him not to with
OF her reputation after they
OF walking Fifth street to Walnut and down Second
brother said be knew OF of her
walked with her far she his way;
any conversation with him in regard to any intimacy
with her trouble between them my brother
in good spirits all day and an calm usual.
Mrs. Cnapman's husband left this city some yeaEs
ago as an officer OF ship Rapid, ana has never re-
turned.