Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-03-13
WHOLE NO, 1876
A Wedding and a Murder,

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KD THE MAHRlAGG or \ NORTH
CAROLINA BELLE I lHH bHDHORooh
SHOOTS TiiK BEIHAfsH OF his
YOUNG BRIDE
(ehsrlotts, n, o., Despatch (MsTch ~ TO the
CInelnnali EnqulreT'l
Information was received here this
evening Of scandal which led toa
tragedy in Clay couoty, The location
| IA Ia the chain Of tho Blue Ridge, in
the western pant Of this State, Miss
Ada McClay II the daughter OF the
late lion, Richard MeClay, who was
u wealthy aud esteemed farmer aud
politician Of the county just named
She Ia 22 years OF age, beautiful, re-
fined ard accomplished. sho was
educated At u seminary In Lexington,
Ky, having graduated there with the
usual honors, about four years ago.
Just after leaving her ALMA Mater
she made her debut at the White
Sulphur Springs West Virginia, aud
has visited that place OF fashionable
summer resort every summer since
1t seems that year ago last summer
she met there Mr.. William =. Shel.
burne, q handsome and polished gen
teman Of 20, The couple fell in loves
eourtship followed, aud they were
betrothed. lie lived in New Orleans,
aud had visited Miss McClay only
three or tour times ut her home Ia
Clay county, but hadkCpt up a areguar
correspondence, lie had not seen her
in ten months until last Monday,
when he came TO fulfil his plIghted
,roth. The day set was the lst inst,
yesterday. They were duly married.
the nuptial ceremony taking place at
noon. The company in attendance
was not large, but it was elegant aud
aristocratic,
TIE afternoon and evening were
spent in wedding festivities, and it
yas q late hour when the bride and
groom retired. Then Shelburne dis.
covered that his fair BRIDE was enceinte.
lie threatened to kill her in his frenzy,
and only desistcd on the condition
that she would reveal the name OF her
ssducer. This she refused to do at
first, but finally told him that Simp'
son Forester was the man. He lived
adjoining the McClay mansion, and
recently graduated at one of the col
leges in Virginia. lie was only %
years Of age, but had the reputation
of being gallant, and at the White
Sulphur last summer was iavorltc
with the bellies. Shelburne's bride de-
clared that this gay Lothario had ac-
complished her ruin five months ago.
and that she had sworn never to be.
tray hlm. lie visited the house like
an intimate friend, and last night he
was one of the gayest OF the gay at
the festal board.
About 6 o'clock this morning Shell
burne armed himself with double
barreled shotgun and went to For
resters house. The young bride fol-
lowed screaming and beseenching
him not to shoot her destroyer, that
she had forgiven him. But ShelbIrne
was determined. He aroused the
Forester family, consisting of two E
three sisters and the mother, and call.
ed for the guilty man. Forester
teigned surprise when he faced Shell
burne, and denied knowing anything
about the ladys shame. Only few
words eusued, when Shelburne dis
charged load of buckshot into the
shoulder OF his enemy, who had no
weapon of defence. The wounded
man exclaimed ~ am killed, and
have deserved all !" The second bar
rel was not fired, for Shelburne, think
ing the man dead, turned and saw his
wife, who witnessed the affair, had
tainted. The murderer took horse
from the stable Of Mrs Clay, and fled
the country, going in the direction OF
Tennessee. The news of the tragedy
soon spread. Special Constable Dol
ley gathered a party of men and went
in pursuit. The excitement in the
was intense. Dr.. Heath
er was summoned to attend the dying
man. His wounds were dressed, but
little hopes are entertained of his re-
covery. To add to the scandal, the
bride gave birth in a few hours after
the tragedy TO a premature child.
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