The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-29
A Melancholy Tragedy IN
Biddeford.
A YOUNG MAN SHOOTS HIS
AFFIANCED.
And then Takes His Own Life
THE AFFAIR sHRoUDED IN MYs
Terry.
special Dispatch to tho Press.)

was rumored that terrible murder and sui
eide had occurred on Jefferson street, which
was soon confirmed by the hurrying of doctors
to number 81 Jefferson street, and the gather
ing of a great crowd of curious and excited
citizens IN front of the house. The police had
already arrived and we're striving to keep back
the crowd, and the excitement was intensified
by the screams and shrieks of a woman who
proved to be the nearly crazed mother of one
of the victims. The house where the shooting
occurred stands next to the Baptist church and
is a two story wooden house with a French
roof and bay windows, and is occupied by
Thomas N. Goodwin, the step father OF the
murdered girl, he having married her mother
few years ago. The victims of this double
tragedy are Leon K. Moore, son of jeremiah
Moore, the latter being a foreman in the en-
ploy of the Water Power Company, and Miss
Belle Cushman, who is reported to have form
erly lived in Portland, remaining there
sometime with her grandmother, and attend
ing school, after her mother had married Mr..
Goodwin and moved to Biddeford. But for
some years she has lived in Biddeford, having
graduated at the Biddeford High school year
ago last July, and Immediately secured posi-
ton as teacher, and was at the present time a
teacher in the Bradbury street Primary school
where she ranked high in her grade, and was a
great favorite with the school children. She
was considered as an unusually intelligent and
capable young lady, and was esteemed very
highly by all who knew her, counting among
her friends many of the best people in this
city
The cause of this shocking affair is 'shrouded
in mystery land will probably never be explain
ed, as both parties to it died Immediately with
out uttering. word. 1t appears that young
Moore, WHO was about % years old, was en-
gagged to Miss Cushman, and about year and
half ago secured a position as clerk with
Bradford & Anthony ON Washington street,
Boston, with which firm he was employed at
the time of his death. and he had come home
to Biddeford to spend Christmas with shis
friends and especially with his afianced bride.
He had been with her great deal during his
stay, and this afternoon just previous to the
time for taking the train on his return to Bos-
ton he called at her house to bid the young lady
good bye. She however was not at home and
according to one report he went in and waited
for her to return, which she did soon after. Ac-
cording to another report he went down town
to jewelers. store where she had just stepped
in to speak 10 young man. a mutual friend
who is said to be engaged to young lady in
Saco, and of whom young Moore was said to
be jealous, but without cause. Finding her
there he is said to have walked home with her,
while others say she walked home with young
adu ho TINA ha yuac n fhn
street until the shooting occurred could not
have been more than fifteen or twenty minutes
Having reached home she went into the parior
with the young man, and for some minutes
everything seemed to be as usual, for both
were heard to laugh heartily by her young
brother and mother, who were in the next room.
But shortly afterwards the mother and son
were both startled by a pistol shot and rushed
toward the parlor On opening the door a fear
full sight met their eyes, for son the
floor lay Miss Cushman dead, with the blood
Just as they stepped into the room Moore turn
ed and placing the pistol to his own head fred
and fell. Miss Cushman gasped once and ex-
pred, while Moore died instantly. There were
two chairs. a large arm chair and smaller one
near the bay window, and it seems that after
sitting there Miss Cushman rose and stepped
into the bay window and stood looking out of
the left side window towards Main street with
her back towards him, and that Moore stepped
up close behind her and placed the pistol so
close TO her head that when he fired the pow
der burned the side of her head. The bulle
struck her about an inch back of the left ear
and must have crashed into her brain, as she
expired almost instantly, falling backwards and
sideways so that she lay in the bay window
with her feet against the mop board partially
doubled up, on her left side, with her hear to-
wards the middle of the room.
After killing her, Moore stepped back and
turned toward the door and placing the pistol
against his right temple fired, the bullet pass
ing back of the eye and up towards the top of
his head. blowing his right eye entirely out of
the socket and strange to say without decorating
the tissues, SO that the eye was whole. The
flash of the powder burned and blackened his
temple. He fell in front of the lounge and lay
there on his back upon mat, with the pistol
beside him. The revolver was murderous
looking weapon. being stained with blood and
of the Continental pattern of 80 calibre, of five
shot capacity, containing four cartridges, two
of which he had discharged with such deadly
effect. The city marshal has the weapon IN
his possession having taken charge of it on his
arrival. Drs. Francis G. Warren, Frank S
Warren and James Sawyer were Immediately
summoned and arrived within five minutes of
the shooting, but could do nothing as both
were dead. But their services were needed
for the mother of the girl who was nearly if
not quite crazed, and in fact was frantic with
grief, and was cursing Moore and screaming so
as plainly to be heard far into the street. 1t
was too horrible. An inquest being deemed
unnecessary the body of the young man was
removed to his fathers house on Elm street.
The cause of the tragedy or the motive that
led him to commit the act will probably re-
main mystery. The explanations now offer
ed are that jealousy was at the BOSTON. of it,
and that she must either have attempted to
break off their engagement or said something
to provoke his sudden wrath, for everything
yet discovered discredits the idea of premed-
itation, as when the act occurred he was in
reality on his way to the train having his over
coat on when he shot himself and all the time
usual not excited in the least. In fact but
few minutes before he went to her house he
was with his most intimate friend and appear
ed happy and good natured as ever, and made
arrangements for him to call and see him
when he went through Boston next Friday
and he is at an utter loss to explain the con-
duct of Moore.
Both families are eminently respectable and
as it happens belong to the same church. The
expressions of sympathy for all the hereaved
parents is universal and this sad and mex
plicable affair occasions horror mingled with
grief throughout the community. Although
the immediate cause is unknown it undoubted-
ly would not have happened but for the per-
nicous and well nigh universal practice of
carrying concealed weapons. 1t was said i'm
mediately after the occurrence "if most any
one else had done it might be said rum did it,
When young man of kindly disposition
and of exemplary habits as this young man
was said to be, suddenly and without any
more provocation than arl ears in this case
kills his intended bride there is no knowing
who will be the next victim, and we may well
fear lest the disease becomes epidemic, and
call upon the authorities to enforce the law