Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-17
ELVIRA IVEY CONVICTED.
. YEARS IMPRISONMENT THE
SENTENCE OF THE COURT.

Hundreds of People in Attendance on
the Trial-A Motion for New Trial
Already Filed-The Story of the
Woman's Indiscreet Amours and the
Fatal Shot.
LOUISVILLE, GA, Nav 16.-In the case
of the State against ElYira Ivey, charged
with the murder of A. j. McCauley on
Dec. y, 1854, the defendant was to.
day convicted of voluntary manslaughter
and sentenced to five years Imprisonment
in the penitentitary. The counsel for the
defendant have filed a motion Tor a new
trial. The court room has been crowded
since last Thursday. 1t was estimated
that 500 persons were present last night
in the court room. The counsel for the
prosecution took up great deal of time
trying to get some letters admitted in evil
dence said to have been written by the de-
fendant to McCauley. The letters were
admitted.
THE FATAL SHOT.
Miss Elvira Ivey was at one time
leader in Jefferson society but an indis-
creton closed the doors of many people
against her. A suit was pending against
Solomon Jones, the object of which was to
compel him to restore Miss lvey's good
name by marriage. This suit was to be
called in court on Monday morning. On
the Sunday morning preceding, howVer,
the community was thrown into intense
excitement by the news that the dead
body Of Mr.. John McCauley, one of the
wealthiest farmers of Warren, had been
found under the window of Miss lvey's
room. A bullet had pierced his temple.
In his left hand was clutched bunch OF
bank bills amounting to $1,000.
When Miss lYey told the story of the
dead mans presence there excitement
was greatly increased. She alleged that
McCauley was friend of Jones, and that
the object of his visit was to induce her
to withdraw her claims against his friend.
AS means to accomplish this he pro-
tested his own love for her, showed her
the roll of bills, and urged her to fly to
Texas with him. As McCauley had
living wife and seven small children Miss
IveY reminded him of his duty toward
them. With an oath the desperate man
declared that he intended that Miss lveY
should either elOpe with him or suffer
death, at the same time making motion
to enter the window. Instantly the bull
let from Miss Ivey's pistol caused him to
release his hold from the window, and he
fell back dead. To her father and brother.
who were brought to the spot by the pis-
tOFs report, she told the story, and declar-
ed that the whole movement was plot to
save Jones in the approaching trial.
DAMAGING LOVE LETTERS.
The discovery of package of letters,
however, in the possession OF McCauley
did not accord with the girls statements.
In these letters, covering over year pre-
ceding the killing, and cOntemporaneous
with her intimacy with Jones, she writes
! in the most endearlng manner to McCau-
| ley. All the terms in use among lovers
/ are used, and coming from a single girl to
+ man whom she knew to be married, they
were very damaging. In one of these let
ters, supposed to be the last, though not
dated, assent is given to the prOpo-
/ sitiOn to elope to Texas, and
the night upon which the killing
took place is designated as the time.
Why, then, did Miss lvey kill MIN instead
of flying with him? This is the mystery.
Her letters establish her intimacy with
| him. That he was not on speaking terms
with Jones, owing to their rivalry, was
well known. The only explanation which
has been given. and one which has been
widely published through the State, is
that McCauley was an expected caller at
the window that night; that the noise of
the couple in removing articles through
the window awakened a third party, who,
seeing a man in an improper place, fired,
killing him; and that seeing the mischief
done Miss Iyey assumed the crime as a
shield for this third party.