St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-13
KILLED BY A COWARD,
F. w. Dawson, Editor Of the
Charleston News and Cou-
Pier, Murdered.
The Assassin a Young Doctor
Of Most Unsavory Repu-
tation.
There Is Talk Of Lynching,
and Circumstances War
rant 1t.
Capt. DaWson's Brilliant Ca
reer as Soldier and Jour-
nalist.

CHARLESTON, .. u. Marcn 12.-Capt.
f. w. Dawson. editor of the News and
Courier, and agent of the Associated
Press in this city, was murdered this
afternoon at about $3.50 o'clock by L. B.
Mellow, physician of this city. 1t
seems that Mellow, who is a
married man and father of a fam
lily, had been too familiar with
a Swiss maid in Capt. Dawson's
family, and that Capt. Dawson had
visited Mellow at his office to remon-
strate with him. Wo dS and blows fol-
lowed. and the encounter ended in Nc
DOw's shooting Capt. Dawson through
the heart. The murderer then locked
up his Office and went out. Three hours
later he surrendered himself to the
police authorities, and the body of the
murdered man was found lying in Nc
DOW'S office. The murder causes in
tense excitement. and
THERE Is TALK OF I.YNCHING.
The murderer is married and has
several children. The murder. it is
said, was committed about 3:45 o. M,
but was not discovered for three hours
afterwards. when the murderer sur
rendered himself. The BODY of the
murdered man had, in the meantime,
lain in the Office of the murderer, not
one hundred yards from his own resi-
dence. Capt. Dawson left the News
and Courier Office about $50 D. m. and
was never seen alive again. 1t appears
that he had suspicious that his maid
servant, who had charge Of his children,
was
NOT BEHAVING HERSELF PROPERLY.
Last week he asked the chief of police
to detail detective to shadow the girl,
stating that he aid not desire his chill
dren to be entrusted to girl who was
not strictly honest. The detective ac-
cordingly shadowed the young woman.
On Monday morning he saw her get on
Rutledge street car, where she was
soon after joined by Dr.. Mellow, the
murderer. The detective followed the
pair for several hours, and submitted
report in writing to the chief
of police, who communicated its details
to Capt. Dawson this morning. AS
stated above, Capt. Dawson left his
office at $3.50 p. m. to-day and was found
murdered about $3.50 p. IN. il the office
of Mellow. His face was badly beaten
and pistol bullet was found in his
heart. 1t is supposed that he went to
DIR. McDoW'S to demonstrate with him.
married man and the father of several
children, against seducing his maid
servant, and that
DIR. M'DOW SHOT HIM
after the two had been engaged i'm a
controversy. After the murder Mellow
disappeared till $50 p. M. when he ap-
peared at the police station and sur
rendered himself. Mellow is said to he
the only doctor in the city who is not
member of the State Medical society,
and has an unsavory reputation. He
married. some time ago, the daughter of
Z. Z. AhernS, a rich, retired grocer, and
1t is known that the police have been
asked to shadow him several times. sThe
city is in terrible state of excitement.
All the evidence adduced TINS far
shows that the murder was one of the
most diabOlical in the annals of crime.
Capt. Dawson was shot while sitting
down. The shot was fatal one. After
numbering his victim, it is said DR.. Nc
Dow left him lying on the floor, locked
his Office door and went out to corner
grocery store. There is evidence that
he tried to bury the corpse of his vic
tim, but that in the meantime suspi-
cionS had got out, and finally, three
hours after he had killed Capt. Dawson,
he surrendered himself to the police
authorities.
THE MURDERER
has the reputation OF being rake, and
it is said that he is known in almost
every house of prostitution in the city.
Tonight the city is wrapped in mourn
ing, and the murder is the subject of
discussion in every quarter of the to VII.
The body of the murdered man has
been taken to his residence, and the
coroner, after impaneling a jury, has
adjourned the inquest until tO-mor-
row. The murderer was hurried to
the Jail as soon as he had surrendered
himself, and for the present is safe from
lynchfng, as the Jail is well nigh i'm
pregnable. The entire community is
incensed. The city council had jast
net tonight when the news of the MUIR
der was teiephoned, upon which the
council at once adjourned.