The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-08
A Pretty Young Girls Tragic End.
She Becomes infatuated With q
Young Man of Bad Character,
Steals Away From Home in the
Darkness of the Night.
After Walking Over Corn fields and
Railroad Bridges She Is Killed
By Her Abductor, But Not Until His
Evil Purpose Is Carried out-The
FierA Suicides After Numbering
His Pretty Victim.

CHICAGO, Ill.,, March Tho Erning
Journals special from Paw Paw, H., says;
The elopement which throw this COM
munity into excitement last Monday
morning has ended in q tragedy as horri-
bic and shocking rs any that the place can
rememh, for years. II was regarded ~
I'm abduction rather than an olopement,
owing TO the extremely tender years OF the
girl and the uncnviablo reputation OF tho
man with whom she fed. Last Sunday night
Cora Carnahan, the sixteen year old daugh-
ter Of the landlord OF the Detainoe House,
disappeared from her home and II became
nolsed about that she had fed with a
young fellow named Mclaughlin, who
was notorious for his evil conduct among
women. Today the abduc,or and his
child-victim are corpscs, the suspicion be-
ing that Mclaughlin first took the girls
life and then with the same weapon, a
heavy revolver, his own. Just at dark sun.
day night the girls mother saw her
go out the back door Of the house and
disappear IN the darkness. The haste she
made caused suspicion, and an alarm was
given, and several parties started in search
OF her, but, owing 10 the intense darkness
OF the night, she made her escape. In tho
morning the discovery was made 10y the
tracks In the mud that the child and her alb
duclor had gone out OF town. lie had led
her through acornHold for some distance, in
which the mud and water was about knee
deep. AAcr crossing the corniicld they
turned To the east until lhoy reached tho
railroad track which they followed. going
south TO Earlvillc. The "Trip this far made
AN ugly walk over slippery aud muddy
track, full OF bridges and piles on u dark
and ioggy night. The only protection for
the girls feet was a pair of fine shoes with
high hccls,a and these footprints were easily
traced ~ FAR as EarlyillU. At the end
OF the journey the tracks indicated that
the girl WIS much iatigucd. The little
traveller had stumbled aud staggered from
side TO side.
IL now seems that the Young couple
| reached the farmhouse ui Albert fhillips,
about six miles south OF farlyille, Tuesday
night, and applied Tor shelter. The place
Is now occupied by Elmer Davis, Young
married man. lie Is well acquainted with
Mclaughlin, and having been 10 Earl
Vile .he same day the couple came To- his
| place, aud II IN tie belief that hc know Of
| the clopcmcnt. Davis claims ,1Wovcr.
! that Mclaughlin said they wOU married.
The couple stayed ut the place Tuesday
night aud occupied the same room. 1hcy
remained closely confined IN the house all
day Wednesday They refined early
"Wednesday evening, shortly after supper,
claiming they were very tined. Ihoy no
tired at about O'Clock, aud shortly alter
wand the report OF n revolver was heard
l
room up stains occupied 10y the young
couple. Before lao reached Il another re-
port was heard, aud upon reaching tho
room "a horrible sight was presented 10
view. Mclaughlin aud the little girl wcfo
both dead. They had undrcsscd aud got
| into bed. The young man had evidently
! put the weapon back VI the girls ear and
sent q bullet into her head. Not satisfied
with onr shot, lac agiin placed the weapon
| Ia her temple aud discharged Il. lie then
shot himself in the crown ui the head, tho
bullet coming out under the chin. The
handsome litilo girl had evidently died
without q struggle. Tho expression ON
her lace was calm and cheerful.
Tho couples death h In accordance
with the note the young girl LETT IA her
trunk bclorc leaving home. The note was
~ lows
'1car Mtnma by the time you read
this ! will be- -. my grave"
short time previous a. the ol0pcment.
the parents discovered that Cora was
dcppIy infatuated with Mclaughlin, and
they strcnuou-ly opposed ai Intercourse,
bat by the assistance Of Gilbert SUI, a
regular correspondence WIS secretly car
ricd ON and clandcstInc meetings held.
Young Stll IL now under arrest The cor
oncr will hold an inquest over the bodies
today, and some startling facts will proba-
bly be revealed.
II was thought that Mclaughlin had
brought the girl TO Chicago, and Mr. Car
nahan came here aud secured the services
OF detectives 10 lind his missing daughter.
lie iirst heard OF her fate this morning,
aud ut once left for the scene VI the tray
cdy.