The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-12-21
A REM ARKABLE TRAGEDY.
a YOUNG WOMAN ACCUSED or MUIR
DERIN MARYLAND.

Her Bosom Friend the Victim e'trans
Story Of Love and Morbid Jeal ousy--
Verdict Of the Coroner's Jury.
BALTIMORE, Dec. IL, 1878. Sc Tho
official investigation into tho fatal
shooting of Miss Ella Hern by Miss
Lilly Duer at Pocomoke City, Md,
has just been concluded, and some
startling disclosures havo been
made, going to prove that the
shooting was intentional and not
accidental, as at first reported and
generally believed. The families of
both young ladies are among the
highest in point Of social standing
in that section of the State. The
girls were only about eighteen
years of age and beautiful and
attractive. They had only recently
graduated with hsnors, aud were
acknowledged bellies in society.
They had also been on very intimate
terms, although tho affection of
Miss Duer for Miss Hearn seems to
have been Of an extraordinary or
morbid nature, and if the state
ments made of her tragic act are
correct she became blindly jealous
at the love of Miss Duer for an
other lady friend, and in q moment
of passionate excitement fa tally
shot her.
THE FATHERS STATEMENT.
Mr.. Hearn, the father of the
murdered, girl, makes the following
stutement:--
In the winter Of 1876 my daugh-
ter Ell and Miss Duer first became
acauaintet!. did not object to the
girls associating together at first,
knowing, as I did, that Miss Duer
is we'll educated and intelligent. 1
Thought that such an association
irwoulu benefit both of them. Be-
sides, I ADMIRE and respect Miss
Ducl s father very much. Finally,
however, she began to frequent the
house almost too often, which
seemed to bother our child. From
. the fal, of 1876 Ella made II strong
effort to break off the association
altogether. This was, however, in
vain. Every effort met with the
same result There wore not SIX
days in the whole year during some
! time of which Miss Duer was not
present in my house, unless, in
deed, she happened to be out OF
town visiting some one in tho coun
try. She daily tried to get Ella to
walk with her in the woods or re-
main alone i'll the parlor with her.
Ella would, in the klndliest manner,
often toll her to go home and not
coli again. But this was all to no
purpose. Still she came, still
begged her to take walk or re-
main with her in the parlor or some
other room alone.
November 4 she (Ella) received
from Miss Duer q note asking her
to go to Miss Duer's house that
night, and stating that it was about
some important business. She, in
company with her younger sister,
Louise, called that evening at Miss
Duer's home. When they arrived
Miss Duer tried to ''pursuade Ella
to go into the woods the next day
for the purpose, as usual, Of taking
walk. Ella declined to 60, Miss
Duer then declAred before Almighty
God that if she did not 60 this time
she would never ask her to do
anything else as long as sho lived.
November s, TINT futal day, Miss
Duer came to our house and in
sisted that Ella SHOULD go into the
woods with her. Ella still declined.
She then asked Ella to say that she
loved her, Miss Duer, more than
any one elso. Ella REUSED to say
so. She then, in state Of great
excitement, walked from tho front
door to the gate several times, and
finally went into the passage and
shut the door. Walking hurriedly
toward Ella she quickly threw her
arms around her and tried to kiss
her" Ella pushed her away, and
while 30 doing Miss Duer slipped
and fell. 1t was but a few seconds
after this when the shooting occur .
red. Miss Duer drew her pistol,
cooked itand deliberately fred,