Evening journal., 1906-10-13
JILTED MAN SHOT
SCHOOL TEACHER
Takes Ills Own Life as Armed
Posse Surrounds Him
in a Barn

CLEVELAND, oct. 1s-Murder and
suicide proved the elimination Of the
lcng but unsuccessful wooing by Harry
Smith OF Miss Mary snepnerd. ,each>
er Ia the South Euclid school. In the
presence Of sixty Of her pupils the
man pressed a revolver against the
girls head. sent the first bullet crash
ing through her brain, and before her
lifeless limbs dropped her TO the floor
followed il with a second.
Unmolested by the panic-stricken
children. Smith walked out Of the
school house and boarded a car lie
told the conductor what he had done.
but his self-accusation passed for the
wild talk Of a man who was head over
ears in love. and Smith. at his leisure
returned to his own home. An armed
posse followed at his heels. From ono
Of the front windows OF his fathers
house he saw the avengers approaching
almost as soon as he had reached his
haven lie slipped out from rear
door, and as the men closed in on him
and demanded his surrender he drew
the same revolver with which he had
killed Miss Shepherd and sent the third
bullet through his own brain. lie was
dead before a man reached him.
! Miss Shepherd was % years old and
was a warm favorite both IN her school
and throughout a wide social circle.
/ Smith was three years her senior. He
was distantly related 10 the girl and
had known her from childhood. While
the girl stil was In short dresses
/ Harry Smith had grown up with her
as her accepted fiance but the wider
life that cane TO her when her hair
went up and her froclIs heightened
seemed to tell heavily against the suit
or Of her girlhood. and Smith little by
little found himself dropping into the
/ background Of her interests and affec-
tions. A few months ago he obtained
a good position IN Cleveland and began
90 press his suit with a more definite
ardor, urging an early marriage, but
Miss Shepherd. driven from evasions,
finally told him she did not care FOR
him enough 10 become his wife.
She had not seen him for several
days when the tragedy occurred. Smith
resigned his position with the Cleve-
land firm, though he assigned no rca-
son, and appeared at the school mousse
after the first lesson had begun. Miss
shepherd answered his knock. Befor,
she had fairly opened the door she
recognized the caller and. through IN,
crack, begged him to 90 away and MOI
make a scene before the children. Smiti
, stood fast, sullcnly pleading his suit
or az least the privilege ~ a few words
in private. but Miss Shepherd wat
about 20 close The doo~ in bis face whel
e one of the pupils Clne up and as'se
! fn nars o-t A7 tho child went D.!
Smith forced his way in. Miss Shephcr
/ still Offering no resistance IN he
d anxiety 90 avoid any disturbance. tn
man hardly had faced her before 90
drew revolver and thrustlng tn
b tmuzzie into her hair. drew the trigger
s As toe p-pi,s rose in frantic terro
? az the fret shot Smith bent over th
! sinking form ana fired another bulls
{ into HE victlia's hcad. The chllarei
= run screaming in every direction am
for few minutes Smith was left alof
with his dead until ne ran out. iIl
reached his home. and was telling hi
father OF what he had done when hii
pursuers came in sight.
"They win have 90 KIN me TO ge
me- said Harry Smith. as he r3I
from the house.
He passed a lioded shotgun as he no.
but he never paused TO take it. not ear
ing, APPARENTLY 20 make any fight fol
bis freedom. Yet he was crouchng %
the rear of the barn, as If seeking hid
: ing, when his pursuers came T. on him
The four policemen were IN iie vnn
and they called on him to surrender
The posse, with rifles and rvolvcs'
ieveled. stood ready to shoot him a
the first sign OF flight. But Smith an
ticipated them all. AS the officers o.
the law closed In on him he drew his
revolver three chambers cf which s.i'
remained unexploded, and a.ow out h..
brains.