The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-02
ALOVER'SAWRULCRIME
Ralph C. Smith Kills Efne Clark
and Himself at Chicago.
THEY WE'RE BOTH OF SPOKANE.
She Had Broken Brief Engagement
Of Her Own Volition.
THEY WE'RE BOTH OF SPOKANE.
when the girl 8efasoa - Listen q the
Suit Of Her Admirer He Deliberately
Planned the Double Traxedy-His
Attentions Always Unwslcoms.

CHICAGO, April miss Enc Clark. OF
Spokane, member of the Freshman class
OF Northwestern university. at Evanston,
was tonight shot and instantly killed by
Ralph c. Smith, aged % years, until lately
also resident of Spokane. Smith, after
shooting Miss Clark, shot himself in the
head. inficting 4 fatal wound. The cause
Of the murder Was the refusal Of the young
lady to entertain Smiths proposal of mar
riage. Smith has been an ardent suitor
for the hand of Miss Clark, but his atten.
tions were rejected by her parents and her
SELF Smith was 80 persistent that in .
final effort to escape his attentions Miss
Clark, who is II years old, was sent to the
Northwestern university. Shortly after
her arrival in Evanston Smith put in an
appearance and had been tireless in his at
tempt to win the young woman for q wife.
This evening he called on Miss Clark and
persuaded her to take . walk with him.
She was accompanied by her roommate,
Miss Abernathy. who was the only witness
to the tragedy. Smith urged his suit again,
but without success and tried to get the
young lady away from her companion.
She refused to 60 till Smith said he had
something to tell her in confidence.
They stepped off short distance and
Smith at once drew q revolver and fred
five shots at her. one bullet entering her
left ear and another passing through her
left side. Smith then turned the weapon
against himself and sent bullet through
his head. Miss Clark was removed to a
neighboring mouse. but expired in few
minutes. Smith was then taken to the
police station, where, before lapsing into
inconsistencies, he said: II shot her.
She would not marry me, 50 I shot her." /"
The doctors pronounced the young MUIR
derer's case hopeless, though he may live
a few hours.
SPOKANE. April Especial ]EOf the two
actors in the Chicago tragedy, Miss Efiie I.
Clark is the daughter of Rev. Nelson
Clark, retired Methodist minister, who
is worth over $25O,OOO. The assassin,
Ralph Clark Smith. was at one time en-.
gagged in the plumbing business here under
the firm name of Foot & Smith. He is
the son of the senior member of the ship
building firm of Smith & Pacquet. Port
land. Or. Young Smith first met Miss
Clark at the Spokane university. He was
Il and she was Is years old. They be.
came engaged after a courtship of
several months ghey kept company reg.
ulariy until Miss Clark left last
September to attend the university at
Evanston. In December young Smith
went to Chicago, partly to be near her and
partly to study medicine. :.
They had never quarreled, so tho father
says, but about six weeks ago she told him
their engagement must end, as she had
planned life that led them apart. Young
Smith always bore an excellent reputation
here, and Miss Clark was a belle in Young
society. She was an elocutionist of ability.