The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-23
A MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
TWO WOMEN KILLED WHILE OUT
RIDING WITH A YOUNG MAN.
The Horses Rush Back to the Livery
Stable With the Lifeless Bodies in the
Vehicle The Companion. Severely
Wounded, Follows Them on Foot, Later
He Charges the Husband of One of the
Women With the Murders-The Hus.
band Protests His Innocense.

Women With the hurders-1he Huss
band Protests His Innoeense.
Watertown, y. Y, April ia spe-
cial to The Standard from Sackets Har-
Dor, ten miles from this city. says:
One of the most horrible crimes ever
committed in this village was perpe-
trated in the early hours this morning
but by whom is not known. Mrs. VIII
Der Crouch and Miss May Daily lost
their lives, and George Allen is close
to deaths door. Last evening Allen
engaged a rig from a liveryman here.
He then went to the barracks of the
Ninth Infantry and got Mrs. WILDER
Crouch and Miss May DAILY, two domes-
tics employed by Lieutenant Anderson.
They drove about the village and sur
rounding country near the city. Be-
tween 3 and 5 o'clock this morning they
were coming along the road leading
from this village to B~rownville. when
according to Aliens story, Crouch leap
ed from the roadside and began firing
at the three occupants of the carriage.
All three were hit by the bullets. The
horses became frightened and ran back
to the stable in the rear Of the Ever
leigh house. One of the women was
between the dash board and the wheel
with her head hanging nearly on the
ground, the other was lying on her
side. The clothing of both was badly
torn. The dress Of one of the women
was burned along the arm as also was
her flesh, which makes it conclusive
that the firing was done at short range,
causing the clothing to become ignited.
In the rig was found a six chamber
revolver with four oaded cartridges
and two empty chambers. The reVOl-
1-nr i- fhn nrnpartu Of Anan
According to Aliens story. he was
thrown out of the buggy near the iron
bridge which spans Mill creek and fell
into the water, but soon extricated him
self M shot n stabbed as he was,
managed to crawl to the kitchen door
of the quarters, but on his arrival there
was unable to speak.
Crouch was arrested and placed I'M
der close surveillance. A knife was
found in his pocket but no blood stains
were on it, nor was there anything
about his action, to point toward his
guilt. Crouch and his wife had not
lived together for a long time.
The cOrOner's jury brought in a YER
dict to the effect hat Crouch killed the
women n Crouch was brought to the
jefferson county Jail in this city for
safe-keeping. When he arrived here
this evening he appeared cool and col
lected and said, laughing: well, sher-
iff, they a brought me to you but l
guess 1 won't be with o long" He
appears to be confident his innocence
will soon be established. Allen. the
man who was with the women, reach
ed the mess hall at 4:30 o'clock in the
morning, when he tainted, but not be-
fore saying: Get the women out of
the creek" He was taken to the hos
pital, wet from head to foot and show.
ing signs of having been in the water.
any statement from him. Stimulants
aroused the following statment was
given, but only in answer to questions,
he saying that it hurt his throat:
Crouch did it. It was done by the
creek. Crouch grasped the reins of the
right horse and I leaned out of the rig.
1t was a one seated top buggy. l was
struck by a lash and then shot. I tried
to get out my revolver. but before /
could do so / was shot again. In get
ting out my revolver 1 accidentally shot
myself in the throat. The women were
shot and fell on top of me-"
Allen was asked how many times he
was shot and would hold up his hand
with fingers outstretched, meaning that
five bullets had pierced his body. At
ter the shooting occurred Allen avs
he was driven a long distance by
Crouch and afterwards fell out. He
partly recovered but grave fears are
now entertained for his Allen
has been in charge of the officers club.
He has been keeping company with
Miss DAILY and it is said they were to
be married tomorrow.