The Philipsburg mail., 1899-04-28
MYSTERIOUS CRIME.
MRS. IDA MAE EWING FACES
COURT FOR MURDER.
She Shot Her observation-disclosures
the Crime Was Committed In Self
Defense, but the People Are 10th
to Believe.

Mrs. Ida Mae Ewing, wife of Mr..
George Ewing, has been on trial at
Marysville, Nodaway county, Mo-, for
the killing of Mrs. Lizzie Ewing, in
youth her dearest friend, in young
womanhood her constant companion,
and the wife of Frank Ewing, her hus-
bands brother.
The Ewings are a we'll and widely
connected family in northwest Missou-
ri. Frank and George Ewing have al
ways been considered among the fin
est young men of the community, and
the girls they married were bellies.
They were much together, the brothers,
and their young wives, and were re-
garded as among the happiest Of the
married folk of Hopkins, Mo.
1t is contended by the prosecution
that Ida was envious of Lizzie, but if
that was the case not even her hus-
band knew it. Early on the day of
the tragedy, which occurred last Sep
tember, he told Ida he was going to
Maryville to a political meeting, and
that, as Frank was in Kansas City, he
would stop and ask Lizzie to come
over with her little boy, Harold, and
spend the day and night with Ida. Liz
zie assented readily to Georges re-
quest that she take Harold and go over
and stay with Ida, and that afternoon
the young woman, seemingly as happy
as happy can be, called upon some of
their friends in Hopkins and laughed
and chatted Of little things. In the
evening they went to Ida's house. 1t
had been a hot day, and Ida's house
was open. The young housewives
went about the evening meal, and the
neighbors could hear their merry
laughter and gossip as they cooked.
The children played in the yard with
many a childish peal of joy, and, when
supper was over Ida and Lizzie went
to the piano and played and sang with
skill for which they were famed in
Hopkins. Ida was finished musician.
Her parents had INDUCED her many
luxuries, and among other things, they
had educated her thoroughly in music.
And fast as she learned she taught
Lizzie, her friend, until now Lizzie
was so skillful that she and Ida played
the prettiest duets the people of Hop
kins had ever heard.
AT last the music ceased, and then
the light In the parlor disappeared and
was soon seen in a chamber upstairs.
Soon after, the neighbors heard shot,
and a moment later Jeweler Luses
wife saw white-clad figure speed
across the lawns and up to the Luse
porch. 1t was Ida Ewing. She was
shivering with terror and frantic with
anguish, and as she cried out her con-
fession she clung to Mrs Luse with
the helplessness of a child, insisting
that she had shot Lizzie twice. The
latter was yet alive when Mrs. Luse
and Mr.. Sloan Wiebel. found her, but
she soon breathed her last Either of
the bullets was fatally placed. The
children were all asleep. Harold lay
upon the floor near his mother, his
curly head upon pillow The Ewing
boys came home the next day. They
doCoPleu lAe SiludlloH With IHdC StCl-
cism which is the strength of men,
Frank Ewing went to Lizzie, kissed the
cold face, and cried as if his heart
would break, and George Ewing went
to Ida, prisoner under surveillance in
her home, and held her in his arms
while she repeated to him the awful
story. When they met the brothers
shook hands and said nothing.
The court is endeavoring to learn
just why Ida Ewing shot her sister,
in-law. The people of Hopkins long
ago gave it up. They studied a score
of theories upon as many hypothesis,
and after it all declared they could not
reasonably explain the mystery of the