The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-04-21
A Wps'''l-KlLLER.
Edward Chase Deliberately Shoots
Ida M. Stevens,
And Then Attempts to Take His own
Life.
The Murderer sau Alive at the HOS
pItai.

| learned by the PRESS reporters, are these
Ida M. Stevens W. the daughter Of ex-
Mayor j. Z. Ladd. w are, no,
Samuel Stevens. a 'jG M, p,
She was pretty womsssne ~
with blonde complexion No 'ssf
was said, by those who ais
of a refined nature, ard ,o,Oe
position. She was welf,,eus.
seven years ago was maj, the
For time all went weisA oc-
couple disagreed. and II NOlne
casions when the youn = sorne
and went to her fathers I'm pek
time back she has not INaa SisN.
husband. At times Mrs. ~ 40 ~
to her aunt, Mrs. 7. A. 40.
Congress street. in this Gil. NJ
she came to Portland to- n,Steresse
dist Conference, for she wa ,,es D.
in Methodism and was r .,,y pasoA
Ladd, now Of Auburn, bno'rurcn.ue
Of the Congress street Metz W. as
as usual, stopped at Mrs. JSp as won, ,,er
here she went to see other po1,s ~ - "a
attending the conference op Weot
aunt, and was not.at the JeeS sne "caz-
nesday night. Thursday aftLp'S tne =
/
ty returning about 8 D. m. While they were
gone. a gentleman called at the house and
left the following note for her;
CORNER DRUG STORE.
Dear Ida-I have sent to New York for money.
Won't you please stay over tonight, and give me
TINS eve, only this evening Is an ask Tor.
i win go to the train. and 4 you are not there
shall understand that you are TO meet me- viii
w NED.
When Mrs. Stevens returned, this NOT
was handed her. She opened 1t and read.
to herself without expressing any emotion
Of course the Josselyns DIDN'T know what it
contained-and then, rs Mrs. J0sseyn and
herself felt tired, they both took maps. When
they awoke. Mrs. Stevens expressed herself
much refreshed, and, as Mrs. Josselyn urged
her to have some tea before leaving for Gar
diner, Mrs. Stevens accepted the invitation.
She appeared as in no hurry 10 90 10 the
train, and when one Of Mrs. Jocelyn's daugh-
ters offered to 80 with her and cary her
satehel, she declined the prohered company.
remarking that some OF her friends were to
meet her at the station. AMI at $50 p. M, she
left the house. That was the last seen Of
her by the Josselyns. Mr. J0sselyn went to
the Portland Club in the evening, and while
there heard Of murder having been COM
mitted, but no names were given. Later,
when he returned home, he heard that Mrs.
Stevens had been shot by man, and the
body taken to Mr.. Rich's, the undertaker's.
ast Monday, a man who registered a.
Charles w. johnson, took room No. 66 at th
stss. TT. a Ia IN Qf ms nm al
80 to 80 years Of age evidently, some fee
inches in height, witf dark hair, dark mo
tache, and slight buiS " was evident
that johnson and Mrs. Stevens were ac-
quaintances. Thursday afternoon johnson
was noticed by the people who had gone TO
see the new Maine Central station on Con-
gress street, walking up and down on st.
John street, between Congress and Portland
streets, Just back Of the present Congress
street station. Later he was joined by
woman, who proved to be Mrs. Stevens. They
walked up and down together, and seemed
to be engaged In earnest conversation. All
at once, boy, who was near them, saw the
man draw a pistol and fire shot at the
woman. The woman fell to the ground. The
man then fired two shots rapidly into his
own head. He then walked away some dis
tance, the crowd-for a number Of people
had misunderstanding ''stop that man."
He then walked back little way. an"
again at his own head. This shootin
place in front of E. G. Greeley's stor <9
Marshal Morse, Of Augusta, was ~ 20
crowd, and, hearing the report Of the pistol,
he ran to johnson, seized him, and asked
him what he meant. He told the Marshal
his name, said he met the woman in Bruins
wick the day before, and they had quarrelled.
The man then dropped to the sidewalk,
asked for his handkerchief, and then sar'
into partial Inconsistencies.
Just at that time Officer Langmaid-wr
had been despatched to Deering on anoth
matter-came along in Mr.. JewelPs wagol
This was about 4.45 p. m. Langmaid thei
telephoned to the police station for the am
buIance, as a murder had been committed
and suicide attempted. but already mes
sage had been received for an ambulance to
go to Congress street station. Deputy Mar
shal Merrill Immediately took Officer Miles
and started for the scene Of the mardeFs7iFst
notifying Mr.. Rich that his ambulance was
wanted On the sway, the ambulance over
took them, and they got into it. When they
reached the spot, they found the woman ly-
ing by the side Of the plank sidewalk, dead,
and the man was in JewelPs wagon. DR..
Elwell had arrived from the Maine General
Hospital and had applied compress to stop
the bleeding from the murderer's head.
Capt. Merrill wished to have johnson re-
moved to the police station, but as DIR. FL
we'll said It would be far better to have him
at the hospital as the wounds were danger
Gus, Capt. Merrill allowed johnson TO be
taken there on condition that an officer
should be allowed TO keep guard over him.
This was assented to, and Officer Miles put
in charge Mr.. Jewell took his wagon and
went for Coroner Hall, and the ambulance
took johnson, with the doctor aad Officer
Miles, to the hospital. After Coroner Hall
had arrived and viewed the body Of the
murdered woman, it was taken in the ambu-
lance to Mr.. Rich's shop.
At the hospital, the contents Of J0hnsons
pockets were given TO the officers. There
were bunch Of keys, poeket-book wifi
S2.49, and diary. The surgeons examined
his wounds. One hall had entered just frop
of the right ear and passed out Of the cent?
Of the forehead, and the bullet was cut on,
Of the frontal bone. 1t weht through thu
terror lobs Of the brain. Considerably
n after escaped and the wound bled
the time of the shooting and subsef H
There was another wound, but that
wound, in the forehead. 1t was evide
the third ball did not enter the head.
bullet which entered the woman's
passed through the brain, killing her
ly. and leaving great pool Of blood
sidewalk where her head struck. Sh,
knew what hurt her.
JOhnson's diary bore the following IL
tion on the inside flags: Edward Oh -
Gardiner, Me-" and on the body Of the diary
this: Edward Chase, 2O2 f. 1lth St, New
York" A paper bore the following state
ment
81 am the son Of DR.. +. p. Chase, No. 2O2
E. nth ST., New York City. The lady is the
daughter Of Hon. j. f. Ladd Of Gardiner,
Me. My valise Is in room No. 66, City Hotel
where have been stopping for the last few
days under the assumed name Of Charles w.
johnson. This lady has an.aunt at No. SIT
Congress st. Mrs. I. A. Josselyn."