Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-10


conscious and groanng From each body
blood was flowing freely, but there were no
traces OF a struggle. The revolver with wnlcn
the shooting had been done was lying by Lewis
side. 1t was an American bulldog pattern, OF
IS caliber and quite new.
The house. No. Arthur street. is OF brick,
three stories in height, and has no entrance In
'front.' the alleyway at the side ending in pair
of Steps reaching the first story. The narrow
doorway, upon the sill of which the murderer
Law. opened into a small hallway. At the right
was pair of steep stairs, down which Mrs
Mosby's two children came at the sound of the
revolver. At the left of the hallway door
opened into a hall leading to the front stairs OF
the house. Opposite the outer door was an
other leading into the kitchen, the scene OF the
shooting. The hallway was covered with rag
carpet, and the low-ceiled kitchen, in which
Lewis found the women, was scrupulously
clean A bright ingram carpet covered the
floor, and a back window, level with the ground
a: the rear of the house, shed a half-light upon
the room. A heavy table stood at the entrance
of the room. By this table Mrs. Mosby was
lying. The cupboards, benches sink and stove
were ranged around the room, leaving the CEN
ter vacant and in this space lay the body of
sky-blue, and the CHASTITY light fell grew
somely on the PROSTATE bodies, while
THE POOL OF BLOOD SPREAD,
gradually staining the bright carpet a dull
crimson. 1t was horrible sight, and the first
spectators drew back hastily from contempla-
tion of it. Relatives came in, however, and
lifted the bodies up and separated the victims
from their slayer. DIR. w. S. Foster. who had
been called by the affrighted children of Mrs.
Mosby, arrived early upon the scene and pro-
nounced Lewis quite dead. Mrs. Mosby
b-eathed her last in few minutes. Emmeline
Morgan. however, was still living, and she
was borne to her bedroom upon the second
floor and received every possible attention.
After few moments it was decided to carry
Lewis remains to the home of his married
daughter, Mrs. Thornton. No. SO Arthur street.
Mrs. Mosby's children give the following
count of the affair. They are bright and well
educated: I'VE were in the third story and
heard no sound of a disturbance until the first
shot was fired, when we started to run down
stairs. We heard mother groan and then
another shot. We got down stairs and saw
mother lying by the table with the arm of her
dress afire. Aunt Emmeline had her hands
pressed to her heart and when we tried to lift
mother up Aunt Emmeline said sharply, 'Ohi
I'm shot. Run for doctor" We couldn't
see anyone else, and we ran out of the door into
the alleyway and out of the gate. Just then
we heard another shot fired. but We kept
and found DR.. Foster and also told a policeman.
We did not hear any fuss at all and could
have heard If any loud words had been spoken"
SHE WITNESSED THE SUICIDE.
The suicide of Lewis was witnessed by Mrs.
Mary Welcome lodger in the house, who was
the first person to reach the kitchen after the
tragedy. She said subsequently: II heard
Lewis go down stairs, and Immediately two
shots were fired, Miss Morgan screamed and
started down the front stairs. When 1 got
down into the hall saw Lewis running upstairs
holding the revolver. He turned around and
came toward me, and screamed, fearing he
would shoot me. He stopped short and
turned to the kitchen, and saw Miss Morgan
fall to the floor. and Lewis went up to Mrs.
Mosby and asked: Are you dead, Mrs. Mosby?'
The murdered woman moaned in reply, and
Lewis stepped back into the entry way, placed
the pistol TO his temple and fired again. He
dropped like a log, and never moved again"
The revolver had evidently been placed near
Mrs. Mosby. as the shot set the arm of her
dress on fire before burying itself in her heart.
1t was considered useless TO probe for it. The
shot fred at Miss Emmelne Morgan struck her
In the left breast just above the nipple and
passed through her. The bullet was found
lying on the kitchen floor, hattened out by it's
passage through her body. Although every
effort was made to save or prolong her life. she
breathed her last at a few minutes before 10
O'Clock last evening, the secondary cause of
death being internal hemorrEages. She did
not regain consciousness, and the expressions
of delirium uttered few hours after the in
Fiction of the wound did not furnish any ex-
PLANTATION of the terrible deed. The bullet
which ended Lewis life buried itself in his
brain, causing instant death.
CAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY.
markable that man of IS years. Lewis age,
could become so infamed with passion as to
commit three murders. He was plasterer,
and considered a peaceable man of settled hab-
its. For several years he had been urging Mrs.
Mosby to marry him, and she held back be-
cause she considered her first duty was to her
children. Her maiden sister, Miss Morgan. op-
posed the MARRIAGE fact communicated to
Lewis by Mrs. Mosby during a conversation
Lass Sunday night. He urged his suit with
great vehemence, and Mrs. Mosby admitted to
him that she might have married him but for
regard for her sister. No other motive can be
given for the killing of both the woman he
loved. the bar to his happiness. and lastly. him
self. but the despair of a more favorable turn
of his chances. Mrs. Mosbv and her sister En-
incline, together with a sister in Birmingham,
Ala, Mrs John Belts, owned the house and
collected rent from the tenants. 1t is limited
that Lewis owed rent and ha6 been dunned
therefor. The three sisters were related to
'Old Sol Krepps." well known half century
ago, and were of most excellent character and
reputation. and were well known to leading
families for whom they had at odd tunes done
work.
IN HIS RIGHT MIND?
Robert Brady, respectable coIored resident
of Arthur street, informed a DISPATCH re-
porter that Lewis had done some work at his
house recently, and his peculiar actions had
frightened Mrs. Brady so much that she had
made him discharge Lewis with the work half
done.
James Richards, bystander, said that he
had been with Lewis in the early part of the
day, and he seemed all right and in good
spirits. Mr.. Skees, who keeps a restaurant
where Lewis got his meals, met Lewis yester-
day morning, and lent him quarter. Later in
the day Lewis repaid the quarter, and also |
paid a bill of 81 SO due for meals.
Efforts were made to ascertain the place |
where the revolver was purchased, but it could |
not be located.
Mrs. MOsby was IL years of age and her SIS |
ter Emmeline, who died about 10 o'clock last |
night, 81 Lewis was in the 55th year of his |
age.