Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-03-08
COLERAIN'S TRAGEDY.
TIE FUGITIVE MURDERER SHAW.


AG EUuAA4Vu MUNUUOUN Qua w .
THE DETAILS OF HIS BLOODY DEED,
a Wife and Mother Shot Dead by Her nus
band In Presence OF Her Children.
The following dispatch from Quarry
vile, giving further particulars of the
killing Of Susanna Shaw, near Bartville,
by her husband was received by the
weekly 1NTELLIeENcER yesterday, just
after the daily edition had gone to press:
QUARRrvILLE, March flames Shaw
resided about one and a half miles south
west Of Bartville, in Colerain township.
His farm-of which the title is in his wife's
name-contains % acres, with a frame, un-
whitewashed house and an old stable on it..
He raises some tobacco iu the summer.
He aud his wife have been quarreling over
the property, which she refused to ro- con. =.
vey to him.
Between 8 and 10 o'clock this morning
Shaw was taking away some Of his per-
sonal property, with a view of leaving
home. Among it was double barreled
gun, loaded, belonging, his wife said, to
their son, and she objected to his taking
it and followed him out to the barn.
He insisted on taking it and she
tried to take it from him. The little chill
dren saw their alteration, and the thir-
teen-year-old girl says her father stepped
back q few steps, took aim and fired at her
mother. The load took effect in the left
side, just below the shoulder-blade, inflict
ing an awful wound, and tho woman fell
dead in pool of blood.
The Benners heard the report aud ran
over to tho house of the Shaws. The
ten-year-Old son started on horseback to
Kirkwood for DR.. Wentz. On the way his
horse stumbled and fell, attracting the
attention of Albert Worth, who was trav-
cling to Quarryville. He inquired of the lad,
who he saw was greatly excited, what was
the matter and the boy told him flames
Shaw has shot his Wife" As Worth did
not know Shaw he fastened up to
Marion Harrar's and they went together
to the scene of tho horror. Dr.. Wentz
soon came and other neighbors collected.
Four young men started in pursuit of
the murderer. He had dropped the gun
26 yards from the spot soon after he fired
at his wife. The children feared he was
coming after them, but he ran in another
direction. The marks Of his fleeing feet
were followed for mile on the by road,
to Jackson's mill !; pair Of drawers that
he had thrown away were found then a
bat, and further on nearly new Overcoat
that had encumbered his flight. All
this time he had been running and he is
supposed to have taken to the fastness Of
the Black Rock hills and woods.
Squire Simeon Swisher impanelcd y
jury consisting Of Pennington Moore,
James Scott. John Coulter. Buckley John
son, Charles Reiner and Henry Stafford,
and they proceeded to hold an inquest.
The children's testimony was taken, elicit
ing the foregoing facts.
John Warden, of Dry Wells, Eden town.
ship, who is the coroner's deputy for that
vicinity, questions the right Of the justice
to hold the inquest, and tho conflict of
jurisdiction is not yet settled.
The murdered woman was a niece OF
Jos. Robinson, wellknown citizen OF
Colerain, and daughter of the late James
Robinson, deceased. She was about SO
years Of age, and of sandy complexion.
DETAILS or THE TRAGEDY. :
As Gathered by an Intellisenccr Reporter.
Last night a representative Of the INTEL
LIeESCER was dispatched to the scene OF
the tragedy, about 20 miles from this city.
He investigated all the circumstances Of
heard the testimony given before it, and
gathered many interesting details concern.
ing the family all of which are given in
the following narrative
The Shaw Family Troubles.
James Shaw, aged about so was born in
Ireland and has been in this country over
80 years. His wife Susanna, aged 4S, was a
daughter of the late James Robinson,
and member OF a very respectable family
in Chester county. She is spoken Of uni
versally as having been a deserving and
exemplary woman, long suffering wife
and kind and affestionate mother, who
has raised family of upright children.
She must have married Shaw soon after
he came to this country and their seven
children are as follows Joseph, aged %
Elizabeth, aged "a; Annie, aged 81 Will
liam, aged 18; Ulysses, aged Is; Matilda.
aged 13; George, aged 10 and Mamie,
years old. Joseph for years has been in
Philadelphia, where he is foreman in the
employ of the KnickerbOcker ice company.
1t is a good position and he is said to be a
very fine young man and has many friends.
He was telegraphed for at once upon the
death of his mother. Elizabeth, the old
est daughter, is married to man named
Mahon and resides at Elm. in Little Brit
ain township. All the chi!dreh who are
large enough work to support the family.
William is bright boy, IL years of age.
1t was a very pitiable sight last evening to
see that family gathered in tho house to
gether and was awful to think that their
mother had SO lately been killed and their
father was then fugitive on account Of
having murdered her. While our reporter
was there the eldest daughter arrived home
to take charge of the house and the little
children whose grief was intense.
Some years ago Shaw bought the place
on which he resided, but being somewhat
shiftless and careless in money matters, It
became necessary or expedicnt to deed the
place to his wife. OF late he has been
anxious to get it back, but her friends
have been solicitous that il she recon-
veyed it he would squander it away or en-
cumber it and leave her and their children
penniless and she has refused to make
the title over to him.
A member of tho Lancaster bar, upon
whom Shaw called moro than q year ago,
to get him to advise him in his effort to Sc
cure 4 conveyance of his property from
his wife, says that Shaw then Represented
to him that he feared his wife intended
to sell the property or let it be forced to
sale Oh lien against it; that she bad
never had the deed recorded, which he
made to her; that they had formerly kept
it in the garret, but he had lately gone
there to look for it aud it was gone; he
thought she had sewed it up in chaff
bag. He spoke of making a new deed to
his son in Philadelphia or to ANYBODY who