Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-03

| THE PARTIES-PUBLIC SYMPATHY WITH TIE
| GIRLS.
New Orleans Special to the New York World, Nov soth
The tragedy on Canal street last evening at
| which two sisters simultaneously shot two
prominent young men of this city for alleged
betrayal, is without parallel in the criminal
annals OF this city. The causes leading to the
shooting as given by the brother Of the girls are
about as follows.
John D. Lagan and Joseph A. Devonshre
| made the acquaintance of Georgiana and
Josephine Conway some months ago. and soon
became intimate with the family. They escorted
the sisters to several places OF amusement
Young Conway always going with them. One
| night when the brother absent the two
young men called and persuaded Mrs Conway
to let them take the girls to West End to see a
| pyrotechnic display. When young Conway was
| informed of this he told his mother that no ex-
hibition was given on the night in question and
| that the two men must discontinue their visits
| Lagan and Devonshire called when young Con-
way was absent and succeeded in making the
mother believe that her son was standing in the
way of her daughters happiness. and induced
| her to move into house on Dumaine street. In
a few days the son succeeded in getting his
mother returned to his house, but the girls re-
fused to follow. and went to live with the young
men. The mother tells substantially the same
story.
|
| them by the two men they led miserable lives.
| suffering for the simplest necessities. Their
! love received O. fatal blow when. alter hours Of
pleading, the men refused to marry them, and
when their brother and younger sister came and
| asked them to return to their mother. they will
ingly complied. Such was the course of events
| up to last night
Lagan and Devonshire were walking on Canal
street. near Baronne Behind them trpped the
two girls, dressed in circulars to all appearances
| fo Hr on inr nnctit ,,sip al Tho,
We're perfectly calm and collected and gave no
| indication Of their terrible purpose. When the
men were opposite Jayne's confectionery the
girls quickened their steps and, coming close
| behind the men, simultaneously drew bulldog
reyolvers from their cloaks and fired. Georgiana,
the elder sister, shot at Lagan, and Josephine
| selected DeyOnsbire as her target. Josephine'S
bullet grazed Devonshire's back. Just turning
the skin He Immediately fed, but was quickly
| followed By another outlet, which abrased the
skin ON his neck. The last shot caused him to
| fall. but he was quickly on his feet and sought
refuge in store. Josephine was caught by some
one in the crowd, and after desperate struggle
was disarmed.
Lagan was not as fortunate Georgiana's
bullet struck him in the small of the back,
passed through his kidneys. and inflicted in
juries that will probably cause his DEATH AS
the bullet entered his body. he turned quickly,
wheeled, caught the wOman's pistol arm and at
tempted to wrench the weapon from her grasp.
His wound had weakened him, however, and
Georgiana was his match in strength. In their
struggle they staggered against the contec-
tonery door, forced it open and fell on q center
table in the saloon. While lying across this
table the girl fired second time, the ball en-
tering Lagan's cheek and SCATTERING the jaw
bone. Lagan then released the girl. and walk
Ing into an adjoining store rejOined DeVOnshire
and was conveyed to the hospital.
Georgiana was approached by the proprietor
of the confectionery and asked if she was in-
jured.
No, am not" she replied. 81 fired twice. 1
did it to protect my honor" Josephine, when
arrested said:
Il shot Joseph Devonshire He is the father
or my child. He will not ruin another girl"
The sisters were conveyed to the central sta
ton and made as comfortable as possible. They
were visited in their cell by World correspond
ent to-day, and said they had passed comfort
able night. Georgiana. however, looked some
what fatigued. Both were perfectly cool and
inquired as to the condition of the wounded
men. When told that Devonshire was not hurt.
Josephine expressed regret, saying she was will
ing to suffer forty years ifshe had only killed him.
GeOrgiana expressed similar wish in regard to
Lagan. Both said they were enciente and
added
I'VE have no statement to make nor aught to
explain. What is done could not be helped
Georgiana Conway is twenty-five years old and
Josephine twenty. Both are pretty brunettes
OF average height. Georgiana being trifie the
that the girls are of mixed blood and that for
this reason the young men refused to marry
them. John Lagan Is son OF ex-Aldcrman
Mat Lagan, prominent politician and foundry
man, and had an interest in his fathers busl-
ness. He was resting easy this evening, but
the surgeon expressed little hope. Joseph
Devonshire is United States deputy marshal.
James Conway is peaceable, quiet young man
OF studious and Iaborious habits He clerked
during the day and taught school at night, thus
supporting his widowed mother and three sis
tiers. He is charged by Devonshire with being
accessory to the shooting, and is now in prison.
One OF JOsephine's tullets struck gentleman
one hundred yards from the scene of the shoot
ing. grazing the temoral artery The wound
was dressed and causes little inconvenience
Public sympathy is entirely with the young
women, and it is probable the only suffering
they will undergo will be in lying in prison until
their trial.
The Misses Conway were arraigDed Monday
before Recorder Davey, on charge OF shooting
with intent to kill Joseph Devonshre and John
Lagan. They pleaded not guilty, and were
released on $500 bail each, to appear Deem
Der 9. Lagan is now reported TO be out o.
immediate danger from his wounds.