The daily gazette., 1878-12-13
FIFTH EDITION.
REMARKABLE TRAGEDY.

OPINIONS REGARDING THE CASE.
! BALTIMORE, Dec. IL.
The official Investigation into the fatal
shooting of Miss Ella Hearn by Miss Lily
Duer at Pocomoke City, Md, has just
been concluded, aud some startling dis
closures have been made, going TO prove
that the shooting was intentional and not
accidental, as at first reported and gene
rally 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 wears of age and beautiful and
attractive. They had only recently gradu-
ated with honors, and were acknowledged
bellies in society. They had also been on
very intimate terms, although the afi'ec-
ton of Miss Duer for Miss Hearn seems
to have been Of an extraordinary or NOR
bid nature, and ifthe statements made of
her tragic act are correct she became
blindly jealous at the love bf Miss Duer
for another lady friend, and In a moment
of passionate excitement fatally shot her.
THE FATHERS STATEMENT.
girl, makes the following statement:
In The winter of 1875 my daughter Ella
and NJ nSs Duer first became acquainted.
| did not object to the girls associating
together at first, knowing, as did, that
Miss Duer is well educated and intelli-
gent. In October, 1873, they left the
house together to take a walk in the
woods called "winter Quarter" not far
from the town. They stayed in the woods
same time gatht ring teaberries / think.
When stating home Ella went first, while
Miss Duer loitered behind. Sudde My
Miss Duer called out, asking Ella to stop.
Ella did not heed her, but continued on
( her way homeward. Miss Duer then
r raised her pistol, which she usually car
4 ried with her, and deliberately fired three
, times, narrowly missing her. Miss Duer
= then ran up behind her with the pistol
still in her hand laturned, and as she
did so, knocked the pistol from her hand
saying:
"Do you intend to shoot me ?"
y Miss Duer repled-"I only intended tc
n frighten you and make You stop"
= Then and there Ella told her she woult
= never go into the woods with her again
!. This was virtually the end oftheir friend
II ship.
3 APRMALE RIVAL.
J, The young lady of whom Miss Duer Il
said to have become Jealous, and who, 1
i , is alleged ,supplanted her in Miss Hearn'
L. affections, is Miss Ella Foster, of POGO
u moke, lady of intelligence and highl.
esteemed.
MISS HEARN's DEATH.
. Hiss Hearn's sickness was long and ex
y ceedingly painful. Her death on Frida.
!, last was quiet and peaceful. On Satur
:, day a post-mortem examination wa
I. made, and the jury of inquest, with th
s, Rev. William Dale as foreman, llstene
p, TO the following evidence
e THE TESTIMONY.
II. DIR. Quinn testified that the woun
T. would not necessarily produce death
re but would depend upou the nervous cor
ii dition of the person thought the ba
was the exciting cause in this case.
DR.. Truitt testified that the girls sys
y TEN had sustained such sheck from tn
injury that 10 was impossible 10 prob
for the ball the ball did not necessaril
produce death, but was the excitin
cause. Miss Hearn stated to me ID
he Trutt that she followed Miss Lilly Due
. To the door; Miss Duer asked her If sh
rk loved her Miss Hearn replied playful,
ed ono !" Miss Duer then drew pistol anC
pointing IL at her face near the eyes, sal
that If she repea ed that she woul
n. shoot her Miss Duer then drew bac
-, two PAGES and fired.
Mrs. Julia Dennis testified that Mi
n 7, Hearn made statments TO her during h,
10 illness substantially the same as to ID
is Truitt she had said the shooting Wi
ch not accidental but int entional on Il
lie part of Miss Duer thai sue was going
die and wanted the circumstances to
known.
THE VERDICT.
The jury rendered a verdict that Mi
.ic Hearn came to her death from nervo
49, depression. caused by a ball shot from
pistol, in the hands of Miss Lilly Due
,st on the 9th doy OF Nov 1873.
THE FUNERAL.
On Sunday last the funeral of the dei
gitl took place. The services were pc
/. formed by the Rev. Mr.. Hilard, at Il
. Episcopal Church, whence the funer
LS cortege proceeded to the burial gro ouI
near by.
nv MISS DUERs STATEMENT.
Mrs. Duer was called upon by the I
. porter, and while conveTsing with h
,c the door opened and Miss Lilly Duer e
tered In response to a question of Il
nd reporter she replied, without hesitate o
that she wauld gladly tell him all 81
/. knew. Miss Duer appears to be abo
owl. seventeen. She is about the mediu
height, of slender and graceful figul
with large brilliant black eyes and ia
4 brown hair. The haIr was cut short al
worn in boys style, having been part
I, on the lett side and brushed away fro
u ~ the forehead. Her features are deC
APPS tely chiseled, the eyebrows well curv
/. and the lips thin and held firmly togetl
SA- Miss Duers face is very striking one, {
of expression, overcast with sadness a
and melancholy
aud After stating that the shooting v
purely accidental, Miss Duer said -
RE / called to see Ella for the purpose
/. taking walk. She did not wish to
. l begged her. She refused. ] tried
- kiss her. j had the pistol in my ha
after giving up the attempt to kiss
and was looking at the cartridges, cot
ing them, when tho pistol accidents
went off.
al am not murderess, sir. Do |,
~ like one?
mi AS Miss Duer said these words
~ looked up as If inviting scrutiny.
The reporter then suggeted to her
there was another accusation of shoot
against her.
Reporter-lt is alleged that this is
As. the first time that you fired three ii
at Miss Hearn in the woods near
town.
re Miss Duer-There is not wor,
IN truth in II, sir. ! frequently pracuce