The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1893-04-03
LIVED IN The DALLES
Terrible Crime in Chicago Of a Former
Resident Of This City.
SHOT HIS LADY LOVE AND HIMSELF
The Young Girl Died Instantly and the
Doctors Say His Condition is
Critical

CHICAGO, April 1.-Miss Ehie Clark,
of Spokane, Wash, member of the
freshman class of the Northwestern uni
versity, was tonight shot and instantly
killed by E. Ross Smith, aged %. Un
til recently Smith was also resident of
Spokane. Smith, after shooting Miss
Clark, shot himself in the head, inh1ct-
ing a fatal wound. The cause of
the murder was the refusal of the
young lady to entertain Smiths pro-
posal of marriage. Smith had been an
ardent suitor for the hand of Miss Clark,
but his attentions was repulsed by her
parents and herself. He was so persist
ent that, in final effort to escape his at
tentions, Miss Clark, who was 10 years
old, was sent to the Northwestern uni
yersity. Shortly after her arrival in
Evanston, Smith put in an appear
ance, and had been tireless in
his attempt to win the young
woman for his wife. This evening he
called upon Miss Clark and persuaded
her to take walk with him. She was
accompanied by her roommate, Miss
Alternately, 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 go till Smith said he had
something to tell her in confidence.
They stepped off a short distance, and
Smith at once drew a revolver and fired
five shots at her. One bullet. .entered.her
left ear and another passed through her
left side. Smith then turned the weapon
against himself and sent bullet through
his head. Miss Clark was removed to a
neighboring house, but expired in few
minutes Smith was taken to the police
station, where, before lapsing into un-
consciousness, he said:
''I shot her. She wouldn't marry me,
so shot her."
The doctors pronounced the young
murderer's condition as hopeless, though
he may live few hours.
SPOKANE, April IA dispatch from
Illinois, received tonight, reports the
murder of Miss Effie Clark by rejected
suitor. Miss Clark, who was attending
school at the university at Evanston, is
a daughter of the Rev. Nelson E. Clark,
a wealthy and retired minister of this
city. A Review reporter who called at
the home of Rev. Mr.. Clark found the
family in possession of the news of the
tragedy. They were so grief-stricken
that it was difficult to obtain information
from them. It was learned that the
young man who killed Miss Clark was
E. Ross Smith, formerly of Portland and
the son of Shipbuilder Smith, of the
firm of Smith & Paquet. He is study
ing medicine in Chicago. The couple
had been engaged until six weeks ago,
when Miss Clark broke the engagement.
SMITHS FATHER INTERVIEWED.
The father of the young man referred
in the above dispatch is Benjamin
F. Smith, resident of Sellwood and a
member of the ship building firm of
Pacquet & Smith, of this city. He was
on his way home about IL o'clock, when
his son, G. S. Smith, a conductor on the
Sellwood motor line, handed him dis
patch, which read: "Your son, E. Ross
Smith, dangerously shot. Can possibly
live three or four hours" 1t was signed
| by the chief of police of Chicago.
ST went home and told my wife and
then came down town with my son
Charlie" said the almost heart broken
father, when seen little later at the
st. Charles hotel. ''I at once tele-
graphed to Chicago for particulars" he
continued after slight pause, ''and am
now waiting for an answer"
He was at once acquainted with the
full particulars of the affair. When he
learned that his son had shot Miss Clark
he leaned against the wall for suppor
and murmured:
"My Godl My God and he shot th'
girl! How can ever tell his mother?'
After the shock of the awful news hat
left him little calmer he gave the fol
lowing facts in regard to his SON:
"He was born at Milwaukee and ha'
just entered his 26th year. He has al
ways been model hoy and the pride c
the family. He would never touc
liquor or tobacco, and had not singl
bad habit. For the greater part of th
past fourteen years he has been attent
ing school. He was our Oldest and nj
very strong, SO we let him do just whi
pleased him. He was greatly trouble
with the asthma. and thought that ii
climate of Spokane would give him r