The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-04-09
SHOCKING CRIME.
A Negro Murders His Employer and
Her Daughter
AND WOUNDS ANOTHER CHILD
The Negro Thinking All Were Dead,
He Robs the House and
Flecs, but is Captured
and Confesses.

rearing that he would be arrested
for theft, William III. Lane, colored
butler, shot and killed his employer.
Mrs. Ella j. Furbush, her years old
daughter Madeline, and probably NOR
tally wounded another daughter.
ElolSe, aged seven years, at their home,
052 north Fifteenth street, Philadel-
phia shortly before noon Wednesday.
Lane, who is % 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 carried to Phila-
delphia 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. Fur
bush lived with her two daughters i'm
a fine four-StOry house. Lane had
been butler since Christmas, and be-
sides him she had another colored SER
want, woman named Agnes. Re-
Gently Mrs. FurbuSh had been missing
small amount OF money and finally
she informed the police, who began
progress when Wednesdays tragedy
was enacted. Suspicion fell on Lane
and warrant was sworn out for his
arrest
According to Lanes confession, he
saw Mrs. Furbush on Monday night
counting 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. Tues
day morning Mrs. FurbuSh missed the
money and questioned the colored
man, but he denied all knowledge Of
having seen it. Expecting that the
thett would be placed on him and that
Mrs. FurbuSh would have him arrest
ed, Lane planned to murder the
mother and her children, rob the
house and disappear Att 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, Eioise,
who was in another room, hearing
the noise, entered, and Lane shot her
, in the abdomen. She fell and he
thought he had also killed her. With-s
! out even, attracting the attention of
the other servant : pxln .lsa.s irf.sl; ;n,.
, the out-kitcfsn, Lane went TO the
front door and called Madeline, who
was skating on roller skates on the
sidewalk. He told her that her mother
r wanted her on the the third floor, and
J without the slightest suspicion of the
7 tragedy that was being enacted, and
L that she was going to her death, Made
l line Climbed the stairs without remov-
, ing her skates. She went into room
= adjoining that in which her mother
: lay dead. Lane followed her and as
7 she cheerily called her mother, the
, negro shot her through the heart,
u. killing her instantly.
r Lane, in his confusion, says he then
S proceeded TO rob the house. He quick
ly found Sl30, two watches and Il
n pocketbook, and while he was search
: ing for the jewelry he was interrupted
e by the arrival of two special police
! men who had a warrant for his arrest
+ on the charge of larceny. They asked
to see Mrs. FurbuSh and Lane showed
them to the dining room on the sec
z ond floor and said he would call his
| mistress. Recognizing one of the
men as an officer, Lane hastily put
4 his overcoat on and escaped by the
: rear Of the house. All was quiet in
: the house and the policemen hearing
r a moan, statrted an investigation and
n on the third floor hallway found little
: EloiSe. To the policemen she said:
4 William shot my mother and my
( sister, and tried to kill me-"
She was Immediately sent to 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
!, ferryboat and out of the jurisdiction
1 of the State of New Jersey and took
him to city hall. He wore new clothes,
and his old suit of clothes he sent to his
sisters home in Burlington, n. j. At
the Camden station he telegraphed
another sister at Bridegton that he
was coming to see her.
At the police station Lane said he
!, was sorry for what he had done He
i was surprised to hear that Eloise was
alive and said he always liked her and
D heSitated to kill her, but it was
: necessary to do So"
I Now that | have been caught" he
added, Il hope she will live. am also
sorry for Mrs. Furbush and Madeline,
but poverty tempted me to do it,"
Later Lane was taken TO the hos
y pital, where Eloise identified him.
Lane corroborated everything the
y child said.
Lane is the son of preacher who
o lives in Bridgeton, and has served Il
+ term in the Mount Holly, n. j., Jail
: for larceny and has been confined i'm
= the Huntingdon, Pa, reformatory.