The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-01
Yarmouth, Me-, tho Scene Of a Ter
rible Tragedy.
AGED WIDOW LADY FATALLY SHOT
standing In Her Room Is Wounded In
=. tho Face Bullet Does Frightfui Exc
cution-was Fired from Outside the
House.

lage Of Yarmouth, Is In a state of con-
fusion. A most mysterious crime has been
committed and there seems no doubt that
it will result in the death OF Mrs. Meyer,
a woman of 40. She was shot Tuesday
night about $780, The crime was commit
'ed at lonely house about two miles from
Yarmouth village, at a point where the
Grand Trunk railroad comes within about
100 yards of the house. although IL is about
a mile to the crossing.
Woods are in all directions, and 1t is a
great game country. No notice would be
taken Of any one who might be passing
with gun. Mrs. Meyer lives with her
daughter Annie, who is the wife OF q Ger
man named Augustus Martis Prawda.
who Is employed. as a section hand on the
Grand Trunk. She has a daughter, Mrs.
Thomas Caroy. and son, Joh n j. Meyer,
who lives la Yarmouth village.
Mrs. Meyer is a widow, aud formerly
lived in Cambridge, Mass, where she is
said TO still own property. Tuesday even
ing Size was In her room, standing between
the bed and the stand, when
A Shot Was Fired From the Outside
piercing her face. DR.. III. G. Hanson was
called. and at his suggestion DR. Burbank
was sent for The bullet entered the face
on the left side, having previously struck
her arm. IL followed the jswbone, cutting
out two tech and fracturing the jaw. The
entire side Of the face was lacerated, and
it required 25 stitches to close the wound.
DIR. Hanson said last evening: 1.-The
wound was made by bullet from a
smooth gun Of No. 12 gage. Two-thirds
of the upper jaw was fractured" DIR.
Hanson aud DIR. Burbank, in the absence
of an officer, gathered what evidence they
could. They found the bullet which had
fiattened against the opposite wall. They
also found that the gun owned by Mr..
Prawda was 10 bore, and the bullet would
not fit 1t.
In such a community every man is moro
or less of a hunter; each gun and foxdog
for miles around is known to every other
man. Some weeks ago gun owned by
Clarence Moxey was stolen from his team,
and although he has tried hard to ind it
ne has not succeeded. 1t was twelve
bore. and is believed to have been the wea-
pom used by the man who, within the next
twenty-four hours, will probably be MUIR
derer, as there Is
No Hope That Mrs. Meyer Will Live.
There is the usual amount of gossip
about the case, and the stories started will
give the officers some trouble. So far no
arrests have been made, bnt Mr. and Mrs.
Prawda are aware that they are subjects
of much and TO some degree direct talk,
and certainly OF suspicion, on the part of
their townsmen.
Last evening a reporter visited the lonely
house. and asked to see Mr.. Prawda. He
said he was willing to talk, and that no
other newspaper man had called to see
him. "Arc you willing to tell your storys"
was asked. yes. Last night got home
from work and split up some wood and put
it in the shed Then went 10, sat down
in the chair. filled my pipe and had a
smoke. My wife was washing the dishes
ana making pies at the time.
About 10 minutes to 81 told my wife I
was tired and would 60 TO bed. Before 60
ing my wife asked me to get pail of
water. My wife closed the door and 1
heard a report l opened the door and
asked her if the stove had exploded. She
said
We listened and heard heavy breath
lug upSthlrs. went uIStulrS. MY llnnJ
went out aud could see nothing.
Then / said: Annie, bring r another
light She brought the lisht and that
also went out. had matches, but was
too excited to find them. and my wife
brought me some. struck match, and
before / lighted the lamp caught mother
said What has happenedf and the old
lady said: The new lamp has exploded in
my face We were inclined to bslieve this
at first, and hastily went for DOCTOR"
Mrs. Annie Prawda repeated in SUBJ
stance what her husband had said and
added, "Whoever fired that shot thought
it was Matt, my husband. and not poor in
nocent old mother" John J. Meyer, son
OF Mrs. Meyer and brother of Mrs. Praw-
da, said that the relations between the
Prawdas and his mother were pleasant.
The motive of the crime is to him a
mystery His mother has some money in
vested In bank stocks and bonds. He did
not believe that she had much with her.
The Yarmouth authorities have the mat
ter nnder consideration, but will probably
make no arrests or make an investigation
until the death OF Mrs. Meyer, which is
now likely to occur at any time.