The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-08-17
DIESINF|VE Minutes
Robert Stevely Takes Poison for
Love Of Neice.
THE GIRL HAS DISAPPEARED
ripe Line Foreman Struggles With Bo.
som Frined To Reach Poison And FL
nally Sueceeds--Threatens Girls Life
Several Times.
THE GIRL HAS DISAPPEARED

PlTTSBuRG, August l6.-Because he
was deserted by his handsome young
niece with whom he was madly In love,
Robert Stevely, q widower, aged Il
years, committed suicide in Agnew
street, East End, in a dramatic fashion
yesterday afternoon after u desperate
struggle with his bosom friend. He had
the bottle OF poison taken from him
and secured II again during the struggle,
drinking several ounces OF the fluid. The
vial contained corrosive sublimate and
earbolic acid. He was dead in five
minutes
Steyely is said to have threatened to
Kill the girl AMI then end his own ex-
istence, The niece disappeared several
days ago.
The girl Is Miss Minnie Easton,
daughter OF Mrs. Amanda Easton, sister
OF the self'muiNlerer, at whose house in
Agnew street, near Ralston street, in
the Lincoln district OF the East End. the
tragedy occurred. Stevely, who had been
pipe line foreman for the Philadelphia
Company for several years, lost his wife
about year and a half ago and his
pretty niece went to his home in Gretto
street to keep house for him and look
after his two little motberless boys, now
. and ! years of age. Stcyely soon fell
in love with the girl and openly showed
his infatuation. She rejected his al.
yances and left his home several times.
The first OF last week she went TO visit
relatives in another city.
The dead man Is said to have procured
a marriage license for himself and niece
at the marriage license office day or
two ago
Thursday night Stevely began prepa,
rations for carrying out his threats. He
il said to have made a will that night
leaving everything he owned In the
world to the niece who had Tilted him.
lie also wrote letter to the girl and
one to Father Francis Kane OF the Sacred
Heart Church, East End. The man went
t. drug store in Lincoln avenue aud
purchased half.piut bottle OF the poi
sen, saying it was for bedbug extermina-
tion. He told the clerk to make sure
that 1t would kill"
But he postponed the end until yestep-
day. Shortly after two o'clock in the
afternoon he appeared in the parlor Of
his sisters home, a dark ,colored vial In
his hand.
The suicide intended evidently to kill
his entire family, for he poured out four
cups Of the poison, One he took himself
and he tried to force his two small sons
ond his sister to take the other three
This they refused to do.
The sister, Mrs. Easton, thought the
bottle contained whisky until she saw
the label. Then she shouted to Robert
Blair of 1855 Fletcher street, Homewood,
l. visitor and an old,country friend of
Stevely, to get the poison.
4 desperate battle with the madman
followed. Blair is a small. young fellow
and he was handled as baby would
have been by the desperate foreman.
Once Blair grasped the vial and managed
to pour greater part Of the contents
on the floor. In moment SteveIy had
regained possession OF the drug. He
drank several ounces, then broke away
from Blair and ran upstairs.
"Goodby, and uck!" shouted the grim
man from the stairway Then he fell on
tho landing and expired.