Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-02-16
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1884.


Peoria, ILL.,, Feb. 4.-The particulars of
o strange story leaked out here to-day
in regard to the connection Of a young
woman ofthis city with the Fora Burns
tragedy. The statement purports to
have been made to a lawyer of this city
by a young man, and is substantially as
follows: A young lady Of his acquaint-
ance, who was also acquainted with o.
&. Carpenter Of Lincoln, and Fora Burns
had gone to Lincoln upon receiving a
letter from the latter requesting her
presence there. She went on the Sat-
urday preceding the Sunday night when
Fora Burns met with her terrible fate.
The letter which she had received from
Fora informed her that a young man
who was then in the employ of Carpen-
ter, and in whom he reposed great con
fidence, was anxious to see her, and
when she arrived in Lincoln she sent a
note to this young man, and he answer
ed 1t in person, meeting her at the point
where she said she would be waiting for
him. He sent her to a hotel, stating
that he would call for her i'm the even
ing, and they, with Carpenter and Fora
Burns, would take q ride. Evening
came. and with it the young man. Driv-
ing a short distance, they met Carpenter
and Fora, who were II another buggy.
Carpenter followed, and the two couple
drove into the country. They heard
Carpenter and Fora quarreling all the
time, and finally when they came to the
lane, in which the body Of Fora was
afterward found, Carpenter turned into
it and left them. When Carpenter ar
rived at the hotel ut which they were
stopping, they noticed that he was very
nervous, and after u few moments asked
him where Fora was. After telling con
Trajectory stories, he made the startling
admission that he had killed her. He
was pressed with questions, and said
that their numerous qnarrels during the
evening had made him very mad, and
he turned up the lane so that their con-
versation could not be overheard.
When they had proceeded a short dis
lance, after turning off, the girl began
upbraiding him for various things he
had done, and got him SO angry that he
was almost crazy, and he killed her and
threw her body to n side Of the road.
He then said: ct is useless to make
any denials TO you. for you know that /
was the last person with her. l killed
her. You have my life in your hands,
aud you can hang me il you wish, but ]
wil! pay you well if you will keep quiet.
I'll give each of you s 1000 now if you
will agree to say nothing, and when the
matter is all oyer will pay you more"
lie then took from his pocket book all
the money he had, $S7, and drew his
check for the balance OF the $1,000. He
.old them to 60 away from the town and
then left them. On the following morn
ing they took a pass eng r train for Chi
cago. Carpenter, the girl says, also gave
them Fora burs satchei To destroy. The
girl says she al mention every article
It contained and, more, cin describe
the articles. She gave the name of the
railway and the point to which they
went after their arrival at Chicago, and
tells more things which coroborate her
story, and which, IL trae, will Es:s.er the
crime clearly on the accused. This
young man, w. A. Clark, after they had
arrived at Chicago. refused to give her
the money-$l ,00O-to which she was
entitled, ard she left and returned to
Peoria, where her family reside, and
she has been with them ever since.
Such is the story. Its truth is yet to ap-
pear.