Connecticut western news., 1879-06-11
A Psychological Curiosity.
THE WOMAN WHO LOVED ANOTHER WOMAN
 AND BEING JEALOUS OF HER KILLED
 HER.

THE WOMAN WHO LOVED ANOTHER WOMAN AND BEING JEALOUS OF HER KILLED
 HER.
 The trial of Miss Lily Duer for killing Miss Ella Hearn is taking place at Snow Hill, in Maryland. It will be remem- bered that the tragedy in question took place last November. The two young women were schoolmates. At the time of her death Miss Hearn was about sev- enteen and Miss Duer twenty years of age. The murdered girl was very sweet and feminine, and her slayer is said to be conspicuously otherwise. Between the two strange and morbid attachment existed, which seems, however, to have been rather one-sided. In other words, the one loved, as the French say, and the other permitted herself to be loved. A suspicion to this effect seems to have grown up in the mind of Lily, whose devotion to Ella knew no bounds, and who was fearful not only that she was insuficiently esteemed but that the ob- ject of her affection cared for some one else. The .displeasure of Lily was ag- gravated by her belief that this some one else was not man, but another woman. One day she charged her com- panion with this unworthy weakness. She had wished Ella to walk with her and the other declined. "Why will you not walk with me ?" she asked. "Do you not love me ?" "Oh. yes," replied the girl, "I love you, but I am afraid of you." "Do you love MT. -" de- handed Lily. Ella made no reply. "Do you love Miss Foster, and better than me?" Ella said, "Yes." This seems to have stung Miss Duer to fury.
 "Don't say that" she cried "don't say that" and rushed wildly about the room. Then presently, eff you say that again will shoot youl" The threat was accompanied by the exhibition of a pistol. Ella screamed in terror. "Oh l don't shoot me, please, Lily" she en- treated "don't shoot me; I will go with you-I will love you" It was too late. The weapon was discharged, and Ella fell weltering in blood. She lin- gered fo- some time, but died on the 9th of December. Her story to her friends while she yet lived included the details we have recited. The sad tale naturally caused great excitement, and this has been revived by the approach of the trial.
 The case may be called one of psycho- logical curiosity. It certainly involves features which, whether or not they are more frequent than is commonly SUD- posed, and to whatever of evil they may have led, have yet. as rule, stopped short of murder. We are told by con- temporary journal that wonder was ex- cited that any girl could love woman so unsexed as Miss Duer appeared to be. She smoked, it seems, and even liked tobacco in other forms. Her dresses were worn very short, and she had a jacket like boys, which had pockets usually filled with tobacco or liquorice. D She wore boys hat, which she always tipped when acknowledging salute. " She never cared for the society of the sterner sex, "but would make. love like a Romeo to her female friends" A young lady who knew her we'll says that it was favorite theory of hers that two women could be quite as happy and gel along quite as we'll married asa woman and man. In outdoor sports "she ex. celled all her lady friends" and could jump, shout and play baseball as well as any young man in the town. She al. ways carried pistol and was an expert shot. All her dresses were made with { pocket for this weapon, and it is sait that on one occasion she even sought te provoke duel with one of the obnoxious opposite sex.
 How far these eccentricities and many others that we need not name may justif. or sustain plea of insanity in the iudg ment of the court rem aims to be seen Morbid manifestations of this kind hay, not been unheard of before, and thei occasional appearance in schools ant seminaries constitutes not the least o the difficulties with which the teacher and guardians of young women have a
 times to contend. If, however, there
 anything in the case of Miss Lily Due to warrant its being discriminated fron
 others, to warrant its being set apart that is to say, as one of mental aberra , tion, it must be not on account of fact so far made known, but because of cir cumstances that have not yet bee 5 brought before our attention.