The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-05
LOVE AND MURDER IN NAPLES
From the London Daily Telegraph

Some years ago an English lady of respectable
family and striking beauty accompanied friend on
q visit to Naples. She did not return with that
friend; for Italian, OF the name OF Schassi
ceeded in winning her affections Three daughters
inc their mothers beauty. Madame sc6assi, hav-
ing in course OF time become widow, married
again man OF the name OF Douglas, of doubtful
nationality, who lately deserted her. Madame
Schiassi- Douglas owned the house on the Riviera
di Chiaia, well known the Pension Anglaise, and
here. with her three daughters, she resided
Gordon, an Engishman born in India who had
lately held some position In the Indian civil SER
vice, came to Naples for his health. He was a
w4lOwer, with one son, who fortunately left for
India short time ago. Mr. Gordon, who was but
moderately endowed with this worlds goods took
up his quarters at the Pension Angaise and before
long he showed q decided Partially for the
society Of the Misses schassi. No doubt
the ,av wnsh between n. him
that at the season when he came to the Pen
sion there were but Jew strangers there except
quently driving and walking with the sisters, and
1t was not very long before he showed decided
preference for Ada beautiful blonde with
auburn hair, who was much admired by all the
frequenters Of the gardens in the Villa Reale. At
last Mr.. Gordon formally proposed for the hand OF
Ada but the mother refused him on the ground
that her daughter was already engaged to young
Italian gentleman in Naples. Directly the atten-
lions of Mr.. Gordon became marked, Ada seems to
to press his suit, after the distinct refusal
which he had received from both mother
and daughter, she endeayored as much as pos
sible to avoid his society. So persistent, however,
was Gordon In his attentions that Madame
Schiassi- Douglas had no choice but to ask him to
find some other apartments. This last rebuff
seems to have enraged him, and on the morning
OF Tuesday last-his final day in the Pension An
gaise-he was resolved to have one more inter-
view with Ada, and to endeavor to reverse the
sentence against him. On the previous day he ap-
pears to have raised what money he could, as Ii
with the view S,s an Is said that he
although it was known that OF late he had been
somewhat pressed for money, on this day he had
in his possession q considerable sum.
Ada was walking with one OF her sisters as was
their custom, in the gardens Of the villa Reale,
about quarter before eleven O'Clock in the morn
ing, when Mr.. Gordon came up to them. He made
q strong appeal to Ida 10 elOpe with him at once
and defy her mothers opposition. She gave him
clearly TO understand mat IL was not on account
of her mothers refusing her consent to their union
that she could not tolerate his addresses Her hand
and heart, she said, were both engaged TO another,
to force his Company on her. irritated pS
Ada's calm but firm rejection OF all his offers,
he turned sharply on her sister, and accused her
OF playing the spy In her home and of having set
her mother against him. without any bitterness
the sister denied this charge, while Ada assured
at all. Gordon, however, persisted in abusing the
sister; then suddenly, before any one OF the by
ISLANDERS could stop him. he drew a revolver from
his pocket and fired two shots, the first at the
sister, which fortunately missed her. just grazing
her right cheek the other at Ada with fatal erect
the ball passing completely through her body In a
back and coming out under the right breast;
Directly he saw his unhappy victim fall ne turned
his pistol on himself, first INJECTING severe wound
below the waist, after which he exclaimed, Il am
still alive" and, with desperate resolution hred
the fourth barrel into his mouth and fell dead IN,
stantly 1t seems incredible that this horrible and
deliberate tragedy could be perpetrated at such an
hour and in such place; but those VINO Witnessed
il assert that the four shots were fred In such
quick succession as to render 1t altogether impos-
sible for anybody TO interfere one OF the bystand-
ers was an Italian gentleman OF undouDted cour-
age and had 1t been possible to save the life either
OF the murdered girl or OF her assassin ne would
have done SO. The awful scene took place, be 1t
re nembered, before eleven O'Clock on a hne sun
shiny morning when the gardens, II not so full as
thew are in the afternoon, are still never empty.
This is not the first instance In which the very
audacity Of crime has secured its success. II Is
Main that Ada was endeavoring to escape when
the fatal ball struck her. The other sister had Just
time to move her head on one side, or she, too,
would have been killed.
No report OF the inquiry which corresponds to
our inquest has yet been published, but I have
been informed thas G0rdons head was cut OF by
order of the authorities, for the purpose OF
tanning the exact course OF the bullet. His body
was buried without any funeral ceremony, while
that OF his victim received the last rites OF the
Catholic Church, with every mark of profound SYM
patty from a large crowd. All the three Sis
tiers were well known by sight, as their
beauty was OF type somewhat rare
here; the unhappy girl who came to such
terrible end was the admiration OF all hab5tu6s OF
the one promenade OF Naples. IL Is impossible to
describe the CONSERVATION produced BY ibis ira