The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-05-03
AWFUL TRAGEDY. ! !.
Young Man Who Was About to
Marry Shot by
AN OLD SWEETHEART.

After killing the. Young Man the
Young Woman, Who Had Just Az
rived in the City, Put the Weapon
to Her Body and Sent Ball
Through Her Own Heart, Which
Killed Her Instantly.
An awful tragedy was enacted in
Oil City, Pa, on Wednesday night of
last week, when II. e. Ross, thirty
five years of age, a clerk in the post
office, was shot and killed by Miss
Isabel Stroup, 28 years old, a former
sweetheart, who Immediately shot
herself through the heart. Both vic
tins OF the tragedy were OF promi-
nent families. The shooting occurred
In the office Of DR.. George w. Magee.
where Miss otroup had called Ross
by telephone while he was dining at
his home
Dr.. Magee knew nothing OF the
tragedy until he returned and the two
bodies partly prevented the office
door being opened. Miss Stroup was
employed In hospital in Bradford.
Pa, and arrived here at noon. She
went directly to the physician's Of
nee from which place she called Ross
Three shots were fired at Ross. Two
lodged in the forehead and one in
the heart. Ross was TO have mar
ried Wednesday night Miss Drusilla
Sampsel Of Oil City, Pa.
There were no witnesses to the
shooting. Ross was dining at home
with his family, discussing the com
ing marriage ceremony, when the
telephone rang. His father answered
the call and woman's voice made
inquiry for 'Thad." Mr.. Ross called
his son, and the young man, after
answering, picked up his hat and in
formed the family he had to go to
the doctors Office for few minutes,
but would return as soon as he could.
This was the last time his parents
saw him alive. What took place In
the Office no one will ever know.
When Dr.. Magee returned from
lunch and opened the door he found
the dead bodies. In chair in the
corner. of the Office sat Ross, his head
lying back on the chair and blood
streaming from o bullet wound In his
neck. His forehead was burned with
powder, where bullet entered his
brain. Another ball had pierced his
heart. Miss Stroup was lying few
leeJ away, lace downward. WnGre her
body partly blocked the Office door.
Blood was flowing from a wound In
her left side. ,.,.,,
Ross had seated himself in large
chair, and apparently while talking
to the girl, had placed both nands in
his trowsers' pockets. The girl wore
long black kid gloves, but before do
ing the shooting had slipped both
her hands from the gloves and they
hung loose from her wrists. 1t Is
thought she walked over to the chair
in which Ross was seated, and,
shielding the 32-calibre revolver
with her dress, fired the first shot at
his heart. Wishing to make sure of
her work the girl then fired two more
shots.
Standing over her victim she then
shot herself. The revolver dropped
from her hands and was found near
her body Miss Stroup was born In
this country 2S years ago. Both her
parents are dead. and she is survived
by one sister and two brothers, who
live at Coalhill. Ross was thirty
five years old. He was employed in
the postofce at Oil City. He was
veteran of the Spanish-American
war and later served In the Philip
pines. Before the shooting those In
the building heard no loud talking
between the couple.