The Washington times., 1906-06-25
FRENZIED LOVER
COMMITS ARSON,
MURDER. SUICIDE
Triple Crime of a Re-
jected New Jersey
SuitOr.
FATHER FINANCIAL RUIN
Shot the Girl as She Escap-
ed From Burning Home
He Had Fired.
FATHER FINANCIAL RUIN

NETCONG, n. J., June 25.-En-
ragged at the rejection of his suit,
Cleveland Longcore, twenty-one
years old, a member of one of the
oldest and most prominent families
in Sussex county, shot and killed
Miss Rose May Cowley, nineteen
years old, daughter of Henry Cow
ley, a prosperous farmer near here,
and an hour afterward killed him
self.
Longcore first tried to burn Miss
Cowley and her parents in their
home. He set the farm house on
fire after spraying one side of it
with kerosene. When he saw the girl
rush out to safety from the flames
he fired a charge of birdshot into
her mouth at range of twenty
feet Her lower jaw was blown away
and she dropped dead.
Fired the Barn as a Lure.
Friday night the Cowley barn was
burned to the ground. and it was be
lieved tramps had fired it. Longcore
was seen near the place. but suspicion
did not fall on him His murder Of Miss
Cowley made it clear that he had meant
20 shoot her should she be drawn out
of the house by the burning of the barn.
That night. however. the girl was not
at home
Young Longcore and Miss CowIey were
sweethearts for year. 1t was the gen
eral belief they would wed. The youth
had good prospects and the girl sub
staptiSO fortune
BIT s. short time ago Henry CowIey
objected 20 LOngcore- She wrote 10
Longcore. tci1ing him their cOurtshiD
was at an end. He continued TO make
his regular calls at the Cowley home.
That led the girl to write a second let
ter, in more emphatic terms than in the
first.
Wanted~to Talk it Over.
Longcore replied that he could not be-
lieve his sweetheart was serious. and
that all he asked was to hear his fate
from her in person She replied that ii
was not necessary for him to call. as he
already knew her determination.
On last Saturday as she was driving
slowly along the main street Longcore
approached her.
You don't mean all you said in those
letters?' asked the youth.
I mean every word of il" replied
Miss COwley. nettled at his persistence.
SIe DIOuBLL heE Wild GOWN Sharply on
the horse, but Longcore gripped the
reins and held the animal
You're not going away like that?"
demanded Lorpcore-
Yes. 1 am said the girl. Il never
want 10 see you again
Then, II that's the case III kill my
Selt, ne retorted. You've made me
love you and now you throw me over.
! tell you III kill myself"
They met again on last Monday and
the youth repeated the threat. He
enad low al
tire week She told him she had no
love for him. that she never could re-
spect man who did not throw his
heart into efforts for himself but in
stead looked to what he was to inherit
Father Awakened by Smoke.
At 2l5 o'clock Cowley awoke to find
his bedroom fast filing with smoke he
reused his wife. and they escaped. awak-
ening their daughter as they passed her
room on the way 20 the stairs One end
of the house was ablaze, and it was
plain the whole structure was doomed.
Nc sooner had the parents and the girl
reached the lawn than they turned back
in the hope of saving some Of the house
hold articles.
Miss Cowley had her arms filed and
was crossing the lawn when I1ongcore
stepped from behind tree. The girl
If paralyzed by fright.
III give you one more chance. Rose
sald LongcOre. The voice seemed TO
bring the girl back 10 herself She walk
ed toward him, and said: I'm sorry,
Cleve. but 1t can't be helped"
Then die. damn you snarled Long
core, and, snatching a shotgun from be-
hind the tree. he shot the girl dead. Mrs
Cowley had stood on the dOorsteps lis
teninE to the conversation. and she fell
in n faint when the shot was fired. Cow
ley. springing over his wife. ran 10 his
daughter and dropped on his knees be-
side her. a look told him she was dead
He Is financially ruined.
Longcore went direct to his home and
shot himself at the back OF the barn
There he sent a revolver bullet into his
brain. He fel fiat on his back and
seemingly died without a struggle. His
bo0y was not found until o'clock. The
1armhOmse WAS hnrnel To the c--nllna