Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-02
SERVANT KILLS MISTRESS
Murders Mother and Child and Fatally
Injuries Third Victim.
COMMITS CRIME TO COMPLETE THEFTs
NeErO Admits the Deed, Processes
His Sorrow and says Poverty
Prompted the Dep
relation.

PHILADELPHIA. April 1.-Fearins that
be would be arrested for theft. William II.
Lane. q colored butler. shot and killed
his employer, Mrs. Ella ]. Furbush. her
12-year-old daughter, Madeline. and prob
ably mortally wounded another daughter
Eloise, 7 years Of age. at their home, No.
6b2 North Fifteenth street, shortly before
noon today. Lane, who is rs years OF age,
escaped from the house and four hours
later was captured by Philadelphia detec-
tives while waiting in Camden, N. j., to
board a train for Bridgeton. N. j.. He
was Immediately brought to this city. was
Identified by little Eloise and confessed his
crime.
The murder was one OF the most cold
blooded that has been committed in this
city for some time. Mrs. Furbush lived
with her two daughters in a fine four
story house, which was furnished with all
the comforts that an ample purse could
provide. Lane had been her butler since
Christmas and besides him she had an
other colored servant. a woman named
Agnes.
Suspect Negro of Theft.
Recently Mrs. Furbush had been missing
small amounts OF money and finally she
nv hNN INV POAiNCg ~ bNBau hh luNtbNl-
cation, which was still in progress when
today's tragedy was enacted. Suspicion fell
on Lane and a warrant was sworn out for
bis arrest.
According to Lanes confession, he saw
Mrs. Furbush on Monday night counting a
large roll OF bills. Knowing where she
kept the money. he bided his time and at
an opportune moment late in the evening,
he stole $40. This morning Mrs. Furbush
missed the money and questioned the COL
ored man, but he denied all knowledge OF
having seen It.
Expecting that the theft would be placed
on him and that Mrs. Furbuah would have
him arrested. Lane planned to murder the
mother and her children. rob the house
and disappear. At II o'clock he went to
the third floor and found Mrs. Furbush in
one of the middle rooms. He instantly shot
her twice. once in the breast and then
through the heart. She died instantly.
Eloise, who was In another room, hearing
the noise, ran In to see what was the mat
ter and Is she entered Lane shot her in
the abdomen. She fell and he thought he
had killed her.
Without even attracting the attention Of
the other servant, who was ironing in the
outkitchen, LAM went to the front door
and called in Madeline, who was skating
on roller skates on the sidewalk. He told
her that her mother wanted her on the
third floor, and without the slightest sus-
picion Of the tragedy hat was being en-
acted and that she was going to her death
Madeline climbed the stairs without re-
moving her skates. She went into a room
Adjoining that In which her mother lay
dead. Lane followed her and as she cheerily
called her mother, the negro shot her
through the heart, killing her instantly.
Lane In his confession says he then pro-
ceeded TO rob the house. He only found
siSo. two watches and a pocketbook. and
while he was searching for the jewelry he
was interrupted by the arrival Of two spe-
cisl policemen who had a warrant for his
arrest on the charge Of larceny. They asked
to see Mrs. Furbush and Lane showed them
to the reception room on the second floor
and said he would call his mistress.