Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-03
SHOT BY A WOMAN.
A Little Girl Killed While Walking on
the Street.
PhilqdelDbin PreeS

fSeeAtct(ftcC
Maggie Curlett, the 12-year-Old daughter
of John Q. Curlett, plasterer, living at
No. 1917 Mount Holly street, was yester-
day afternoon, about O'Clock, shot in the
head with pistol, by Catharine Burne-
son, aged "A, a niece of Richard J. Burne-
son, a carpenter, of No. 1909 Tasker
street. She died in less than two hours,
from the effects of her injuries. Miss
Burneson was arrested and locked up at
the First District Police Station, to await
hearing. The circumstances attending
the affair are of a most peculiar nature.
A few minutes before 5 O'Clock
Mrs. Curlett sent her daughter
Maggie to empty q scuttle
of coal ashes on an empty lot at
Eighteenth and Tasker streets, which has
been used for this purpose by the neigh
borhood for long time. The little girl
did as directed, and went with the scuttIe
down Mount Holly street to Tasker, which
is only half square away. At the corner
she met Alice Hawkins and Maggie
Moore, of 1928 Tasker street. Lizzie McIn-
tire and Annie Roe, school companions.
Lizzie set down the scuttle and began to
talk to her friends about school eXami-
nation which came off yesterday after
noon. The girls were then on the opposite
side of the street from Burneson's house.
which is two doors below the corner of
Mount Holly street. Two of the girls had
jumping-ropes, but the party crossed over
to the other side of the street.
GLOW did you get your first question in
definitiOnW asked one of the girls. Mag
gle and her companions were then in front
of Burneson's house, and she was about
to answer the question, which had refer
ence to the examination, when suddenly
Catherine Rurneson threw up the parlor
window, and leaning out with pistol i'll
her hand, she said:
''DO you see this? If YOU don't get off
my pavement Pm going to shootr'
Suiting the action to the word, she fired.
and Maggie Curlett threw her hands nm
to her forehead, uttering q loud scream.
and, staggering a few feet, fell to the pave
ment senseless, The ball entered lust
above the right eye, penetrating deep into
the brain. She was picked up by one of
her companions and carried to her home
where she fingered until 7 O'Clock. diving.
having been unconscious from the time
she was shot. DIR. A. S. Erney. a phvsi-
clan at Eighteenth and Reed streets, was
called in, but could gender no assistance.
The report of the shot and the cries of
the girls quickly attracted large crowd
who surrounded BurnesOn's house, and
before the officers arrived became excited
making threats against Miss HurnesOn,
Policemen MOCane and Gallagher wentto
the house ia carriage and removed her
to the station house., Previous to getting
in the carriage she gave one of the officers
directions to close up and lock the house.
there being no one but herself home at the
time. Her uncle, for whom she acts as a
hOusekeeper, is employed in a carpenter
shop on Broad street. She cried bitterly
on her way to the station house, but other
wise appeared cool 9Rd collected. She
was asked why she had committed the
deed, and replied that she did not know
the pistol was loaded, but only meant 10
frighten the children
Mr.. BurnesOn was se0n by a Press re-
porter last evening. He said his niece is
delicate, and has been sick the greater
part Of the time for six months past.
During this period she has, he states. been
several times out of her mind, He de-
scrlbed the pistol used by his niece. 1t is
now at the station house, 1t is a Smith
& Wesson, rusty, and of small calibre.
When taken by the officers 1t contained
two unused cartridges. The cap of
third remained. Mr.. BurnesOp gbo
moved TO Philadelphia frop. the West
about two years ago, soTs he loaded the
pistol before moving, in Kansas, and does
not reooliect whether or not he reloaded
IL In Iowa or Illinois, in both of which
states they stopped ON their way East.
lie aaYs the mischievOus children in the
lie out OF him and set him crazy by
slamming the shutters of his house.
throwing snow-balls at the door and
windows, putting dirt on the pavement
and shouting nieknames derisiVely at his
niece. That they have been unusually
annoyed in this way by Small children. is
corroborated by like statements from sew
eral of the neighbors. Further than this
regarding the shooting BurHeson refuses
Some n 70 iorhl
Burnesop IL Cross, OYerbearing and capti-
GUS, and incites the children to plague
her by her threats.
DR.. Erney, of Eighteenth and Reed who
has been her physician for two wears
stated that she has been out of he'd NOT
over two weeks, and at the time of the
shooting was far from heing well. He re-
fused to say whether he considered her
weak mentally, or in such a manner as to
render her not responsible for what she
has done. Mrs. Maggie DreXler. OF No. |
1l14 Tasker street, said last evening that
Burneson came to her house night before
last and warned her 10 keep her children
from playing ON his pavement and MIA orI1-
ing them, He said to her that his niece |
had loaded pistol in the house. and |
she would shoot the girls if they annoyed
her any more. "It's wonder" sai2' he. |
''she has not done SC aTeady.'' Burneson
went to at least ave families in tho imme-
diate nefghborhood and repeated his |
threats.
The unfortunate victim, Maggie Curlett. |
has the reputation from all who know her |
OF being a quiet, modest girl. and they are |
OF the opinion that she herself never took |
any part in any annOyances which have |
been offered BurnesOn and his niece. so |
that, they say, there could have been mo |
personal animus. 1t is thought that Miss |
BuFneson, while yet quite i'll and exas. |
perated at the annoyances thrust unon |
her by the children, shot the little girl not |
intentionally, Her statement thai she |
was angry and did not know the pistol was |
loaded is generally believed by the police.
Lost Faith In Physicians.
Rosadalfs, the Great Southern Remedy.
cures all diseases of the hInaf- II ia nna