Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-09-27
Fatal Fascination.
STORY or A DEPLORABLE TRAG.
EDy WHICH HAPPENED RE-
GENTLY AT PARIS, NO.
While Rose Houser Was CaressiEg Her
Husband Ed. Murray Shot Him
Murray Could Not See the
Waman He Loved An
others.

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killed Clap Houser because Of his
attachment for HOuser's wife, |
was given n preliminary hearing
and remanded to Jail.
The story of the tragedy is one re-
plete with interest. Rose Engle, who
married Houser, and who is still but
a girl in years, has possessed a fas-
cination over the men in her circle
which has driven one to the commits
sion of an unprovoked murder and
several others to the melancholy
state of mind which follows bitter
disappointment. 1t is simple justice
to her to state that her charms were
exercised innocently; but their in
fuence was none the less for that.
She had suitors by the score. She
could not be called beautiful, though
all her worsbipers thought her so.
There was that in her manner and in
the CLEAN Of her great brown eyes
which threw a spell around all the
young men she met. She could
have had her pick of any n OF a
dozen, and when she finally chose
Houser there were many honest fell
lows who were much cast down.
COULD NOT GIVE HER UP.
Among those who courted the
charming Rose were two brothers,
Ed. and John Murray. Both were
passionately fond of her and both
expected to win her. When she
married IIouser, John is said to
have been quite detected for awhile.
but he became resigned to his fate,
and as she could be nothing to him,
wisely decided to put her out of his
life. But not so with Edward. The
spell was too strong upon him; he
could not give her up altogether even
if she was the wife Of another. He
was Il friend of Houser before the
marriage, and though in the first
moments of his anger at his failure
to win Roses hand he had vowed
vengeance on his successful rival, he
later made up his mind to resume
his friendship with Houser in order
that he might have the poor privilege
of being occasionally near the woman
he loved. Houser had every conf
dence in his wife and he made Muir
ray welcome. If the truth were
known, he probably reflected what
his feelings would have been had he
lost the loved one, and a feeling of
manly sympathy for the disappoint-
ed young miner prompted his cordi-
atty. Murray came to the house
often. Mrs. Houser was pleasant to
him; no more. Probably she never
suspected the depth of Murray's
passion; she loved her husband and
was happy and it is not likely that
she INDUCED in much speculation
about the feelings of the unhappy
man who had loved and lost.
1T WAS TOO MUCH FOR HIM.
On the day of the murder Murray
came to the house in apparently
good spirits. 1t was Sunday and
the three passed the time pleas
antly in chatting. Houser and his
wife had been indulging in little
evidences of affection and finally
she, in her impulsive way, went
over to him and sat on his lap,
putting her arm around his neck.
The pent up passion In Murray was
no longer 10 be controlled. The
sight maddened him, and drawing
his revolver he fired point blank
at Houser. t1ouser fell into the
arms of his wife, ard N a few
moments was dead.
Without a word Murray left the
house andtook to the forest. One pur-
pose alone guided him; to get as far
from the scene of the crime as pos
sible. A terrific storm came up;
the display of lightning was one of
the most terrific ever seen in this
section of the country. But the
murderer Sought no shelter; he
pressed on and on through the
darkness. BY morning he had
reached Huntsville, thirty two miles
away. He had not proceeded far
int the town, when Sheriff Dam
eron, OF randolph County, who had
been notified of the murder, came
up to him and put him under ar.
rest. He did not appear to be sur
prised and said nothing. Probably
after a night of such terrors as he had
passed through he was incapable
of m~anitesting surprise at any
thing. He was taken back to the
Jail at Paris. The tragedy has ex.
cited great interest in Paris and the
surrounding country, and the court
room al crowded at Murray's
hearing.
e. Smith left for st. Louis Mon
day night where he will attend the