Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-21
HORRIBLE.
A Woman Shot Dead in the
Street.
Her Murderer Sends a Bullet
Through His Own Brain.
he Deserts a Wife and Three Children
as a Step to the Crime.
The Full Particulars of the Last Awful
Tragedy on Names List.
Especial to the kennebec Journal.

tragedy was enacted within sight and hearing
of the passengers there waiting. mar
giving his name as Z. A. Chase of New
York shot and instantly killed Mrs. Ida
| Stevens of Gardiner within two hundred
feet or SO of the station, on the sidewalk OF
St. Johns street. Two elderly gentlemen
were distant but few rods on the opposite
side of the street and witne ssed the shooting.
Five shots in all were fired, three apparently
at the woman and two by the man into his
own head. The fatal shot probably struck
the woman on the left side of the neck,
severing the jugular vein and passing upward
into the head The shot that may probably
cause the mans death was the one which
took effect at the right temple. The man
was of medium height, weight about 10 lbs ,
had dark mustache, skin dark and eyes
black winter overcoat and black soft felt hat.
Had gold watch and chain and appeared
like a commercial man or one whose bust
ness required some travel
rather light complexion, hair light and eyes
blue. She wore a hat ornamented with L
large brown feather evidently a winter hat ;
also long black silk and satin circular
cloak. She was covered with blood both from
her own W ounds and that of the man.
II. T. Morse, an Augusta officer, who had
taken boy to the Reform School, was the
first man on the scene after the deed. He
tells the following story l was walking on
the station platform and partly behind the
station when heard two pistol shots in quick
succession. Thinking something was wrong
turned quickly, and started around the end
of the station when l heard another pistol
shot and before l had advanced many steps,
two more shots. | saw the woman had fall
len and the man falling over her PROSTATE
body. | ran as quickly rs possible to the
spot and lifted his body from hers. She
gasped and was dead. When had lifted
the man and by the aid of another gentleman
had turned him over to a sitting position he
said, Look at that" motioning toward the
woman. | said, "What does this mean,' and
he said, Il don't know" l asked him their
names. He said her name was Ida Chase of
Gardiner and that his name was K. A. Chase
of New York. l asked him, What made
you do this" but he was not inclined to reply.
| pressed him again for an explanation, tel
ling him that he had but few minutes to
live and he finally answered, II don't know,
cannot tell you" All this time the gentle
man who assisted me was holding the mans
head, and Twas endeavoring to staunch his
wound, to hich he himself held his hand
kerchief SO long as his strength allowed him.
| noticed that there was bunch about half
an inch above his right temple, where the
bullet entered, that stuck out a bunch about
as large as walnut. He seemed to have
his mind and concluded that the bullet had
not entered his brain. Other help arriving
and the Portland officers being summoned,
left the place to attend to my own business.
should Judge that the man was about thirty
years old and the woman about the same or
few years older. The lady had on an ele-
giant gold ring. Both were well dressed and
evidently well to do people"
Another account is that of +. c. Greeley,
who has billiard hall opposite to the scene
of the shooting. He saw the murder and
started to cross the street, shouting at the
same time to a man named Doe to stop that
man." But before any interference could
be made he had not only shot the woman but
himself Mr.. Greeley thinks four shots
were fired.
Hospital in an unconscious condition. The
body of Mrs. Stevens was taken to the rooms
of S. S. Rich & Sons, undertakers, who
called Coroner Hall. Under his direction a
post mortem examination was conducted by
DIR. c. II. Smith.
The following letters were found on the
person of the murderer, indicating that Mrs
Stevens consented to die with him. The
first was addressed tie DR.. f. 7, Chase, POP
East Eleventh street, New York city, and
was as follows:
PORTLAND, April Is.
NV dear father and mother-I know that
YOU will be heartbroken at the awful news
that YOU will hear about me. but | cannot
oh. cannot live in this way longer. The
woman W no dies with me is the only woman
| ever loved on this earth. | had planned
to come here and see her, and then leave her
forever. But could not; my will is not
strong enough. We prefer death to life of
separation. Goodby. Try and forget that
ever lived. NED.
The second letter, addressed to his wife,
Mrs. Lora E. Chase of South Livermore,
Me was as follows;
PORTLAND, April Is.
| Ny wife-I say goodby TO you forever. l
cannot live any longer. l am discouraged
and heartbroken, and before this reaches you
| shall be dead Goodby, Lora. Try and
forget me and my awful end. You and the
children-heaven pity them-wiil get along
better without me than if was alive. Kiss
them all for me aud teach them to forget
even my name. NED.
| Chase came here several days ago. He
went to the City Hotel and registered under
| the name of Charles W. johnson" Chase
has three children with his wife at South
Liyermore On the person of Mrs. Stevens
was found q letter from Chase appointing
the fatal interview. When she left the
house of her friends she said she was going
home" Chase will die before morning.
A significant passage in the diary found on
the persou of Chase throws some light on
the act He wrote this morning, I'VE are all
discouraged and worried; what is the COM
fort of living in this way. Goodby ALL Try
to forget US.
Ellsworth Bay Open to Navigation.