The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-06-14
THe Poeonsokc City saHd.) Tragedy.
STATEMENT OF Mss LILLE DUER, TIE &C

STATEMENT 0P MISS LILLE DUER, TIE &C
| cUsED. 81 s.Elss
SHow Hill. Mn, June B.-.At fhe open.
ing OF the Unfr trial this morning Drs
Jones and Tingle were called for the de
fence and described the properties and eff
fects OF choral. They, conceded IN the
opinion that the pistol-shot wound WIS moi
the cause of Miss, Hearn's death. I
Miss Lille Duer, the prisoner, then tool
The stand and testified substantially. as fol-
lows ~ /. y, s.. 3 ssa.. 49, -. TT
She is tYenty-ons years OF age, and has
resided nearly all her life in Pocomoke City.
has known aCd5rheen intimate with Ella
Hearn four years. and walked with her fire.
aueDtiy ia the woods and sn al parts OF
the city Recognized the pistol with W hich
Afss Heafn was shot as hers. Said she had
bad ii since a year ago last, Christmas, and
had bought it. at Miss Hearn's sugges-
ton. They were in the habit OF using it
together IN shooting at q mar K. !, Did not
have it for two. months before the shoot
ing. Had lent it to Mr.. Corbip. On
the afternoon when the, shooting oc-
CURED witness had recovered her pistol,
| and called on Hiss, Aearn to get her TO go
for a walk and shoot at mark. The mu-
tual feeling was amicabIe and friendly.
Witness related in detail the circumstances
OF this visit and the. whole conversation
which occurred. Both were laughing and
joking all the time. Miss Hearn could not
| go to walk, but accompanied witness to the
door when she left. Witness told Ella she
had got Der pistol; then took it out and
said she had intended TO shoot at mark
! that afternoon if they had gone out to-
sether. Ella was leaning against the door,
and witness was leaning over the banisters
ut the foot OF the steps with the pistol in
her right hand. holding it at half.cock with
her thumb, and turning the chambers with
| her left band. looking to see which were
| charged, as she knew some were not. That
moment the hammer slipped and the pistol
was discharged. She had not the least
intent TO fire the pistol. Did not
know it went off. It was purely upinten.
tional. Heard the report, looked up, and
saw Elias mouth bleeding. Ella went into
the sitting-reom, witness opening the door
for her. Her mother ran as near as the
table. and exclaimed, "My God, she is
shot," and then ran out Of the door. Had
some recollection Of calling Mrs. Hearp. and
sitting her down. Dir. Clark and neighbors
then came III. After that she does not re.
member sufficiently to tell what took place.
Was so much surprised that she was utterly
confounded. There was no hostility be.
Tween her and Ella; they were never bet.
ter friends than they were then; never had
4 serious quarrel, and only Il few spats-the
last having been six or eight months before
She never bad any jealousy or unkind feel
ings OF any sort towards Ella. Never hao
shot at her in her life. Ella had never
taken a pistol from her nor knocked ont
from her hand. 4 ..... .
Witness then said she called ut Mrs
Heara's the next morning and offered AS
sistance. On Thursday she was sent for
and had an interview with Dir. Hearn abou
the shooting, and also with Ella. Ella pu
her arms around witnesses neck and asked
her to kiss her. Ella then said: g You dix
not intend to do it, did you? They toll
me you intended to kill me dead, and wouI(
do it again; would you2". Witness toit
her ono" She asked il witness did no
love her, and witness told her she loved he
too well to shoot her. The following Sat
urday witness was again sent for. EllaeX
pressed gladness to see her, and asked whi
she did not come before. She had begget
her papa to let witness come. Ella put be-
arms around witnesses neck and hugget
her closely. Witness remained there an hou
or more. Mrs. Hearn seemed DESTROYS tina
witness should leave, and said somethin:
about being afraid Of Mr.. Hearn seeing be
there Louisa told witness to go; that sh
had tried to kill Fila. Ella said, Louisa
YOU ought 10 be ashamed OF YOURSELF
Witness left the house, and did not 90 Their
again. ",.'
The State did not cross-examine the &C
cuSed