The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-04

hAo ~ III Iittie etEA he NtaAts y
Full Confesxion.
Philadelphia, April Fearing that
he would be arrested for theft, william
H. Lane, a colored butler. shot and
killed his employer, Mrs. Ella J. Fur
bush, her 12-year old daughter NADIA
line and mortaily wounded another
daughter, Eloisc, aged I years, at their
home, No. 652 north Fifteenth street,
shortly before noon today. Lane, who
is % years of age, escaped from the
house and four hours later was cap
tured by Philadelphia detectives Will.
waiting in Camden. n. j.. TO board .
train for Bridgeton. n. j. lie was i'm
mediately brought to this city, Was
identified by little Eloise. and confessed
his crime.
The murder vas one Of the most cold
blooded that has been committed in
this city for some time. Mrs. Furbush
lived with her W daughters in a fine
four story house. Lane had been her
butler since Christmas, and besides
him she had another colored servant,
a woman namad Agnes. Recently Mrs.
FurbuSh had been missing small
amounts of money and, finally, she in
formed the police, who began an in
vestigation which was still in progress
when today's tragedy was enacted.
Suspicion fell on Lane and a warrant
was sworn out Tor his arrest.
According to Lanes confession. he
saw Mrs. Lane on Monday night count
ing a large roll of bills. Knowing
where she kent the money, he bided his
time and at an opportune momen late
in the evening he stole $40. This morn
ing Mrs. Kurdish missed the money
and questioned the colored man, but
he denied all knowledge of having
seen it.
Expecting that the theft would be
placed on him and that Mrs. Furbush
would have him arrested, Lane planned
to murder the mother and her children,
rob the house ard disappear.
At IL 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 II
then through the heart. She died in
stantly. Eloise, who was in another
Lane shot her in the abdomen. She
fell and he thought he had also killed
her.
Without even attracting the atten-
ton of the other servant who was
ironing in the nut-kitchen, Lane went
to the front door and called in Made
line, who was skating on roller skates
on the sidewalk. He told her that her
mother wanted her m the third floor,
and without the slightest suspicion of
the tragedy that was being enacted
and that she was going to her death,
Madeline climbe the stairs withou 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 Their
proceeded to rob the house. He quick
ly found $3.50, two watches n a peck
ct book, and while he was searching
for the iewelry he was INTERRUPTED by
the arrival Of two special 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 sitting room or the second
floor and said he would call his mis-
treSS. Recognizing one Of the men as
an officer, Lane donned his overcoat
and escaped by the rear of the house.
All was quiet in the house and the
policemen hearing a moa started ar
investigation and on the third foo,
'i O. tlNlC y'b'NN IL ne w.
licemen she said: william shot my
mother and my sister and tried to Kill
me-"
She was Immediately sent to a hos
pital. Lane was traced to the Penn
sylvania railroad station at Camden
where he was recognized by one OF the
policemen he had admitted to the
house. The officers hustled him on a
ferry boat and cut Of the Jurisdiction
of the state of New Jersey and took
him to the city hall.
At the police station Lane said he
was sorry for what he had done. He
was surprised 10 hear that Eloise was
alive and said he always liked her and
hesitated to kill her but "it was nee
esSary to do So"
Now that I have been caught" Re
added, Il hope she will recover. I az
also sorry for Mrs. Furbush and NADIA
line. but poverty tempted me to do It
and I must now suffer-"
Later Lane was taken to the hospital
where Eloise identified him. sayinc:
HE is William Lane. the man WHO
killed my mother and sister, and tried
to kill me. You know you did, Will
liam!" In his presence her statemert
was taken. and Lane put the seal a
accuracy to 1t by saying Everything
the child has said is true"
Lane is the son Of a preacher who
lives in Bridgeton. and has served 4
term in the Mount Holly IN. j. Jail fol
larceny md has been confined in the
Huntington (Pa.) reformatory.