The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-07
TRAGEDY.
An Enraged Lover Shoots and
Wounds His Supposed Ri.
val and then Blows Out
His Own Brains.
HE Loved Not Wisely But Too
Well"
The Shooting at Mrs. DunlaP's
Boarding House on John Street
on Saturday Last.


Bureau at Cincinnati, Was the chief actor
In a tragedy which took place on John
street, next 10 SilVey's drug store, In the
boarding house Of Mary Dunlap, on Sat-
urdsy last . few minutes before eleven
O'Clock. That our readers may under
stand the case, we will give the story oil
the tragedy as the facts were elected by
our reporter both before the coroners
jury and elsewhere.
Evans, was apparently Is or 30 years
old, OF rather small stature, always dress
cd genteelly AID neatly and was
Withal a very nice looking young man.
1t is said that while q resident Of this city
he was never known to drink to excess
While boarding at Mrs. PArker's he be-
came acquainted with Mrs Dunlap, W1d.
ow Of Henry Dunlap, and daughter Of
Ms. Parker. With Mrs. Dunlap, Evans
fell desperately in love. His love
knew no bounds, and finally grew
into . passion which obtained COM
plete mastery ove him. he en-
deavored to induce Mra Dunlap TO mar.
~ him within three months after her late
husbands death. Shortly after this he
left Wheeling and went 70 Cincinnati, al.
leging that he had obnined Mrs. Dunlap's
consent 10 q marriage II he would pro
vide a suitable home Tor her. While In
Cincinnati frequent letters passed between
them, which letters show that Evans
love was, in a manner, returned. The
home was prepared and Evans came TO
Wheeling for his bride, but she would not
consent TO the union. Evans, however,
concluded that he had q rival N the AZ
tectiOns Of his lady love, and this rival he
conceived to be Capt. Mike Flanagan OF
the B. & 0. r. R, q boarder at the house
Of Mrs Dunlap. Evans returned again to
Cincinnati, but hiss since made frequent
visits TO this city, all the time by CORES
pondence and in person, trying TO induce
Mrs. Dunlap 10 marry him. While in the
city he would write from three to fifteen
letters day to her, which he would send
in different ways. Mrs. Dunlap would
sometimes read one, but usually threw
them unread in the fire. These letters
brestEed forth spirit Of love and hatred
which it is fearful to contemplate. In
one sentence he would call God 10 wit
ness his love for her, and in the next he
would call her some indecent name and
threaten TO kill her.
Evans arrived in the city on his last
visit about 8 week since. His letters were
showered upon Mrs Dunlap more ire:
Quently than ever; they breathei q spirit
Of hate deeper than beiore-a hate that
knew no reason, and a love that amount
to nothing short Of frenzy. BIS threats,
which had once been treated lightly, were
no longer TO he thus regarded for 1t
was quite sure that their author was ter.
ribly in earnest BE selected the Fourth
as the day to end the comedy and bring
IN the tragedy. he purchased q little
&c. sharp" four shooter and package Of
poison. The former was to deal death 70
Ms. Dunlap and Capt Flanagan, and the
potion was ior himself To work himself
up to the proper degree Of desperation,
on that day he did something altogether
unusual for him-he got quite drunk
Seeking Mrs Dunlap, he found the door
locked against him. She had concluded
it would be safer 70 keep herSeIl in and
Evans out, so she remained Aclose prs
one! al dSy. Towards the evening Of
the Fourth one OF Evans friends took the
revolver sway from him and shot the
charges out and kept the weapon until the
following morning, when finding Evans
quite sober, he gave It back 10 him.
EVans loaded it, and remarked. that "HeI
would have use for it before roon."
Within short time after this we hear
Of Evans running excitedly into Mrs
Dunlsps and bounding hur1iedly up stairs
Arriving at the door Of the first nom he
lo.ks quickly in, and seeing q man on the
bed and little girl on the floor, be shoots
AT whom he shoots Is only conjecture, but
jus. in the opposite corner Of the room in
the closet door is bullet hole, the course
Of which shows Gtthe pistol from which
it came must have been in the direction Of
the door, and elevated about the height Of
an ordinary mans shoulders This, then,
Is undoubtedly the frst ball fred, and it
is presumed TO be fred at the person on
the floor whom he mistook for Mrs. Dun
lisp, but which proved 70 be her daughter,
8 girl OILS or IS years old. Cspt. Fans
gan was on the bed, and jumping up
clinched Evans. when q short but terrible
struggle ensued. 1t was surely short, and
judging from the way IN which the furni.
;urc was scattered around, il WAS deSper-
a'c. During this struggle Capt Flanagan
got the better OF it and threw Evans Mrs.
Dunlap and her two sisters came in, but
al were unable 10 prevent Evans from
shooting once or twice more. One Of
these shots took effect in Capt Flanagan's
right hand, the other in Evans hand.
Oae OF them passed ETAnsTchin. making
slight abrasion. From this point the par.
ties being under high state Of excitement,
the testimony is not clear, but the next,
0. iourth shot was probably fired after
all had left the room but Evans, and was
the shot which took effect in his left tenn.
pie aud killed him. Persons who rushed
into the room found Evans on the floor
near the centre OF the room with the piS-
toi lying near him. The wound in his
temple was bleeding p:ofusely and he was
insenSible. BE breathed for nearly an
hour but Was inscnSible al the time
Capt Flanagan being accused OF muir.