The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-12-30
LOVE--LORN.
Sad Romance and a Terrible
Reality.
A Desperate Lover Kills His Affinity
and then Shuts or His
Own Wind.

ST. LOUIS, December 2S,-Wm. Walton
murdered his sweetheart, Jane Millburn
to day, and as she fell dead before him
he turned his pistol arm, and, placing
the mouth of the weapon to his left
temple, he blew out his own brains.
The murder and suicide occurred at
BelleVille, the most thriving town in
Southern Illinois, and located ten miles
from st. Louis.
A romance as sad as ever was told
was connected with the tragedy. Wal
ton was a strapping, handsome young
fellow of twenty-five, who left his home
in the north of England to come to
America just six months ago. He was
coal miner, and he came to Belleyille
to take charge of lot of men working
in coal mines at that point. Soon after
his arrival there he met Jane Millburn,
young widow just turned twenty-One,
and as pretty and neat a woman as was
to be found in the neighbOrhOOd. She
set her cap for the handsome young
Englishman, who was a trifle better off
than his companions. Jane worked for
widOweT mined s. Stephenson, and
Walton boarded with the latter. The
two were thus often thrown together,
and James efforts at love making were
therefore soon crowned with success.
Young Walton was deeply smitten,
and few weeks ago, and after an ac-
quaintance dating over but six months,
he offered the young woman his hand
and heart, and was accepted. The mar
riage day was not set, but was under
stood that they were to be married in
the spring. Scarcely had the news of
their engagement been made knOWn
when Stephenson began to exhibit a
sudden change of demeanOr. He seemed
to think that the young Englishman
was about to deprive him of a treasure
of a housekeepeT, and he had no way of
preventing the steal but to win her for
himself. So he commenced paying at
tentiOn to the widow. She, with an eye
to the main chance, and knowing that
Stephenson was better off in this WOr Ids
goods than Walton, fell before his ad
vance as wheat before the sickle, never
thinking of the cut she was about to
administer to her honest lover. The
latter was perhaps the first to notice the
change in her, and fearing that Stephen
son was about to rob him of his supposed
treasure, he asked her that she name
the wedding day. She said, wait lit
tie WHILE" ns she told o friend after
ward, and he answered, "Pd be willing
to wait all winter, but I'm afraid you're
experiencing change of heart, and are
going to give me up for Stephenson"
She told him he was mistaken about
that, but he was still worried and fret
full.
On Christmas day he and the girl had
another talk about marriage, and then,
for the first time he accused her of low
ing Stephenson better than she did him.
She told him he was mistaken, but he
did not believe her, and getting angry,
he said: Love him, if you like, but if
you marry any man but me I'll kill
you" She laughed at him, and this
made him more angry. He told her that
he would give her just fOrty-eight hours
to make up her mind as to whether she
preferred marrying him or dying.
This morning the fOrty-eight hours
were up, and after breakfast Walton
called on the girl. She had anticipated
trouble and had left the house, going to
that of neighbOr named Cooper. Wal
ton followed her there, and upon arrival
said: Jennie, come out into the back
yard with me for few moments; 1
want to speak to you" The girl per-
haps noted the wild look in the mans
eyes, for, after turning to go with him,
she wheeled about and said to Mrs.
Cooper: 81 won't go with him while he
has that wild look in his eyes," Then
again turning she told Walton that if
he had anything to say to her, he could
say 1T right there. He stepped into the
house, and taking the girl by the
shoulder, he said, in tone of voice she
could not refuse to obey, "Step into this
room with me"
The door was closed upon Mrs. Cooper,
but she could hear young Walton urg
ing his suit, reminding the girl of the
promise she had made to him, of the
heart she would break by marrying an
other. The poor fellow cried, and the
girl was heard to laugh and say: Baby
tears are easily dried" These words
enraged Walton, and he said: cts come
to this: you've got to give up Stephenson
and marry me or dieP' As he spoke he
drew revolver, and Mrs. Cooper, hear
ing the girl cry out: will, Will, don't
shoot meP' burst open the door, but it
was too late. The young miner had shot
the girl through the heart, and she had
fallen back on the sofa, dead. As she
fell Walton ran out into the back yard.
Mrs. Cooper, paralyZed with fear, threw
a quilt over the dead girl, and then ran
out into the yard, intending to alarm
the neighbOrs. Arriving there, she saw
Walton lying upon his back in the mud
dead, with bullet hole in his left eye,
and still holding the pistol in his rapid
ly Stiffening hand.