Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-05
TEXAN BARBARISM
Developed in a New and Extra.
ordinary Direction.
YOUNG oMANMURDERs HER LOVER

EAtn0f-A083 =
His Love. Which Ho IL Foolish Enough
to Give. and Hangs Him In the Woods
Bold Escape at New York OF Three Post
once ltobbers-The Criminal Record.
UOGAITO, Tex, July Son the witness
stand. after most rigid examination by
the coroner, Miss Bessie Harris, the pretty
daughter Of n wealthy farmer, broke down
and confessed that she hanged Albert
Blackman, a suitor, Of whom she was in
sanely jealous. Blackman's body was
found hanging to q tree in o lonely spot
short distance from the town, and the
general impression was that he had COM
Initted suicide, but there were several who
did not accept this theory, and they sug.
gested to the coroner that he subject Miss
Harris to q severe examination, as 1t was
known that the dead man was last seen
In her company. She was accordingly
put upon the stand and requested to tell
all she knew about the case. Sho said
that Blackman, who was u we'll do
young farmer, had been courting her for
some time in opposition to the wishes of
her parents.
Gave Her the Poison Of Jealousy.
Her father and mother did not object to
the young man on account of any Of his
habits, for he was industrious, sober and
abundantly able to provide comfortable
home for their daughter. They main.
tained that she was too young, being
scarcely IL years Of age and they had
hoped that she would take fancy to q re-
lative living in another state whose
name she steadfastly refused to di.
vulge. Finding that they could Lot
change her affection for Black man by
threats, they adopted q moro certain
method and commenced a systematic at
tack upon her jealous nature. They told
her Blackman was simply making her
ridiculous and that he was engaged to
another girl. Thepoison thus planted
spread and took possession Of the young
woman, until she determined to kill
Blackman.
Gave Him No Chance to Explain.
She gave him no chance to explain
away the reports her parents had fur.
nished Of him and did not even mention
that she suspected him of flckleness. At
her fathers suggestion she requested Of
Blackman that he give her a test OF his
love by letting her hang him. promising
20 cut him down IN time TO save MS l1Io
Blackman was so desperately in love with
the girl that he readily submitted to the
test. On the night of the murder she
took long walk with him and lured him
20 lonely spot where her father was in
hiding with u rope. Excusing herself for
q moment she procured the rope, and re-
turning placed 1t about Blackman's neck.
She says he expressed little fear Of the ~.
suits, rs he felt sure she did not have
strength enough to pull him from the
ground.
And Felt No Remorse for the Deed.
After the rope had been placed over the
limb and drawn taut her father appeared,
and he and the girl pulled Blackman from
the ground and tied tho rope. The poor
fellow struggled terribly, and she would
have cut him down, but tho father men.
toned the mythical other young woman,
and her heart hardened toward the lover
who was slowly strangling to death.
After the body became rigid she united
the rope and Lowered the form to the
ground. Even then she felt no pangs of
remorse, but with tho assistance of her
father arranged the body and rope so that
1t would appear to have been n case Of
suicide.