Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-02
LILLE MADIsoxs MURDER.
4 New aud Plausible Theory in Regard
,oit-anw it Might Have Hhppeued

s.
toit-aow 1t Might Have Happened.
From me Baltimore i atericaa.
The verdict of the jury in the Cluverius
oass was reached speedily. After eonsid-
zinc together Tor but forty minutes they
fonpd him guilty Of murder in the first
aarree. The testimony for the defense
was chiefly to prove the previous good
oborecter OF the accused, and denials that
-, wore a moustache-wh which went to the
ouastion of Northumberland denial that
Wa watch KEY found IN the reservoir was
his Giving to these contradictions their
an value. they failed TO answer the
ayroro points Of the case made by the
prosecution ....,b,.
ll,se lillian Madison could not have
ooIt,"rad the fence at the reservoir. Her
on,,,os sack was thrown into the river a
SaIfy,ile from the reservoir. It she had
Luz u, IN the river to throw in her baggage,
so,'Id she have walked back and climbed
ttorca tO drown herself in the reser-
Wy Would she Veuttered the scream
~ ana of the witnesses heard! No.
81 aid not kill herself. She was killed
h., somebody-either CluVerlus or some
body else. ,s ......
II seems 10 be proven beyond reasona-
ME doubt that Cluverius bad held reia-
lions with the unfortunate girl Whlcn
placed her in helpless cohditlQh. sue
Us ON the eve of becoming a mother, yet
nod been able TO conceal this fact up to
+be time of her visit to Richmond. That
ebaond Cluyerius met in Richmond by
annointment is proven by many circum-
stances. The torn note alone is evidence
enough. What was the purpose OF thls
moatingin Richmond? To provide the
gjrI a secrpt place where she could pass
2 tow weeks in retirement and seclusiOn.
The letters written to account Tor her ao-
sence by pretended engagement at Ola
Point prove this. The humble dwellings,
of the Belle Isle irOn-workers onered d
promising place, and thlt1er Ihey went
to0ethpr on the morning of the fatal night.
They we're seen by many Ii murder had
baan i'm the heart OF Cluverlus at that time
he would not have been seen in public
with her. He would have decOyed her
ont at night on one of the high bridges
over the rushing river, and there hurled
her from the height to her death-and this
would, perhaps, have looked like suicide.
But the visit 10 Belle Isle was a failure.
The girl was not satisfied. They visited
another place with similar results. Then
the girl thought that she would go and
throw herself on the mercy of her friends,
the Dunstans, and entreat them TO con-
ceal her shame. They were seen to go
out late in the evening, enter a street car
and 20 10 Reservoir street, on which the
Dunstans lived. In the morning she was
found drowned in the reservoir, and her
red shawl was found hanging over the
Dunstans' gate. What do these facts
point to? They indicate that q scene
occurred at the gate. The poor girl when
she arrived there felt her heart fail her.
She could not enter and tell the story Of
her ruin. She turned upon her cCmpan-
ion and reprOached him keenly. She i'm
plOred him to marry her and save her
from disgrace. During her excitement
she threw her shawl over the gate. Her
gloves We're cast aside. Her agitation
was intense. Her voice rose. Her lover,
fearing that she would arouse the house,
drew her away. They forgot the shawl.
They walked together up the lonely road,
and the man who was engaged to be mar
ried to another woman realized that he
had an injured, desperate, unmanageable
woman on his hands. It was then that
t1e thought Of killing her entered his
mind. They walked on together. she
had ceased to reproach him, and was now
teartully entreating him. She would fol-
low MIN Wherever he asked. They reach
ed the end of the road. A dim light show
ed the gapin the fence. This promised
eoncealment. They entered, and were
alone in the lot. But the high, level bank
showed CluVerius that it was a reservoir,
whose deep waters would offer a better
eoncealment. She assembled the bank
with difficulty, for the hill was steep.
There he paused irres0lute for a moment.
lie dreaded to strike the blow. Their
conversation was renewed. Other plans
were proposed 10 her, but she saw safety
only in one, and that was for him 10 marry
ner. tie took her fiercely by the arm.
She uttered piercing scream that was
heard zoo yards away. Then he struck
ner, aud in her delicate condition she fell
hke one who is shot. Full of horror and
OF Tear he caught her up, lifted her to the
height OF the fence, and let her fall on the
slope Of the bank. She rolled down, not
quite dead, and clutched her hands full Of
lDe slime OF the bottom.
Ihen all was silent. Cluverius was alive
on the bank. There was the canvas bag
"hich mad been brought out in expecta-
uon OF her staying at the Dunstans. He
PICKED II up, hastened to the river and
taT9w u IN. 1t was found several miles
9cwn the stream. Then he returned to
ms MOTEL and left for home by the post
midnight train.
rerhaps 1t happened in this way.