Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-10-20
FORA BURNS FATE.
The Lincoln, Illinois, Tragedy q
Mystery Still
Movements OF the Unfortunate Girl
Previous to Her Death -TheO-
ries as to the Murderer's
Identity.

LINCOLN, Ill, Oct. S.-The death of Ma
zura Burns still remains a mystery, and hel
murderer has not yet been arrested. All day
long the cornner's office has been besieged by
| crowds drawn there by morbid curiosity.
Mazura OF, as she was most commonly called,
Fora Burns was blessed with a fair share OF
good looks. She had dark hair, dark eye
lashes, bright eyes and regular features. She
dressed better than servant girls usually do.
She was somewhat above the rank of an
ordinary servant girl, having comfortable
home at st. Elmo, in Fayette county, to go
t" when she did not wish to work. 1t was
this attractiveness of face and form which in
all probability eventually led to her ruin and
death. So much was settled almost beyond
a doubt on the same day that the body was
discovered, and suspicion has already settled
upon prominent citizen of this place
Coroner Borden says: Fora Burns came to
Lincoln some time early this spring A mar
ried sister, Mrs. Dukes, was living here at
that time, and she went there. Shortly after
ward she obtained employment at the house
OF Orrln Carpenter, prominent grain dealer
living in fine house on Tenth street.
She remained there, doing servants
work, until about the middle of June
/.
who lived south mile distant, and remained
with her until about the middle of August.
1t is not known why she left Carpenters but
she did it of her own accord. It is not known
yet where she went after that, but it is sup
posed that she went to her home in Fayette
county. This part of the story is not yet
clear. Nothing was seen of her un-
til last Saturday morning, when
ho,sa o&
the Lincoln house. She got on a PEORIA De-
catur & Evansville train at Decatur, and
came through to this place. She remained
quietly IN her room until the middle of the
forenoon, when she went directly to Orrin
Carpenters office and had a private interview
with him, lasting half an hour. What the
nature OF that interview was only know
from what Mr.. Carpenter tells me- He says
Miss Burns simply inquired of him where her
sister, Mrs. Dukes, had gone Mrs. Dukes
not long after Fora left her had moved out to
Dakota. Carpenter, we have learned, assis-
ted her to move by giving her $50; why I
don't know. She then went back to the
Lincoln house, where she ate dinner, stayed
in her room until supper, and after that
meal again went to her room. Toward
o'clock she left for about an hour Then she
came back, settled her bill, and taking her
satchel, departed. After that we have been
unable to trace her movements. She disap-
peared completely. and nothing further was
heard of her until her mutilated body was
found in lane about mile and half north
of town.
There great many theories as to the iden
tity of the murderer prevailing. One man
said the deed must have been done by some
one who was perfectly familiar with the
city and its surroundings, or he would
not have been able to find so secluded
a spot as the lane in which to hide the BODY
The bonnet, gossamer, and satchel were prob
ably carried away to make people believe
that the girl was murdered by tramp who
afterward robbed her. 1t is pretty well es-
tablished that the man in the buggy was
driving his own rig.