Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-21
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN TEXAS
How Albert SOmerviIIe of Ala
bama, Crazed With Whisky,
MURDERED HIS FAIR COUSIN
Sweet Innocent Girl Killed Because She Re-
fused the Dssipated Youth, Who Was
From Tuscaloosa.

Richmond. Tex. April 20-(SpeciaL)-
The particulars of the shocking murder
by Albert Somervi1le of Tuscaloosa of
his pretty and innocent cousin, Miss Ella
Somerville. on Saturday morning last are
about as follows:
Last summer Albert Somerville came
to Richmond to visit his uncle here,
Judge II. L. Somerville, who for six years
has been postmaster and who is one of
Rlchmond's most highly honored and re-
spected citizens. The young man had
been leading wild and dissolute life
and his father had sent him out to Texas
in the hope that he might mend his ways.
The change wrought no benefit, and
young Somerville's career here SO
shocked his relatives that they placed
him in business college at Waco. Here
he remained until about ten days ago
when he was attacked with chills and fe-
Yer and came here for a change of air.
lie soon returned to his former haunts
and drank considerably, causing his I'M
cle's family no little trouble and anxiety
So bad did his conduct become that last
week the suggestion was made that he be
locked up and kept under restraint. This
enraged him to such an extent that he
told his cousin, Miss Ella. she must be-
come his wife. The young lady expostu-
lated with him and fatty refused to lis
ten to any of his entreaties. Realizing
that his suit was hopeless, he informed
her that he would kill the young man to
whom she was engaged. The threat was
not taken, however, very seriously, and
none dreamed that he intended to COM
nit such a diabollcal crime
This morning Miss Ella came down
town to the postoffice to assist her father
In the discharge of his duties, as has
been her custom, she being his assistant.
On her way home Albert Joined her
What conversation took place is not
known, but when they reached appoint
about fifty yards from her fathers gate
young Somerville pulled pistol placed
the muzzle at her temple and pulled the
trigger. Without even uttering a scream
the girl fell to the ground dead. Not
satisfied with this. he stood across her
PROSTATE form, placed the pistol to her
head and sent second bullet into her
brain.
Henry Somerville, a brother of the
murdered girl, hearing the shooting
grabbed his shotgun and ran to the place
where his sister lay dead. The heart
broken mother followed and, seeing AL
bert lying across the PROSTATE body APP
parently dead. thought he had committed
suicide after perpetrating the heinous
murder and prevented the outraged
brother from melting out swift and sum-
mary justice. ~.
with his pistol still in his hand. Albert
rose and deliberately walked back to
town, stopping to take a drink on the
way. He was arrested and promptly
placed in jail ,s.
Your correspondent called at the
prison, where he found the murderer ly-
ing face down on cot, apparently suffer
ing from nervousness. When questioned
he would say but little, as he claimed to
be in great mental agony. He said he
had not the slightest recollection of the
circumstances of the killing and denied
remembering anything he had said or
done. He, however, expressed the great
est contrition for his crime, which he at
tribu es solely to drink. When the repor-
ter left he asked that his father, at Tus-
kaloosa, Ala, be notified by wire.
The murderer Is youth of about 20, 5
feet inches in height, with a clean
shaven face and boyish expression, and
not the character of man that would be
taken for a demon or murderer.
The victim, Miss Ella Somerville, his
cousin, was a lovable and accomplished
young lady of 49, All who knew her
loved and admired her In a little while
she was to have been led to the altar as a
bride, and she now lies shrouded in her
bridal gown,