The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-05-02
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
STOPS WEDDING
Girl Kills Former Lover and
Herself.
NE WAS TO HAVE WED ANOTHER.
Young Woman Summons Former Sweet
heart to Her by Phone and Calmly
Shoots Him and Then Turns Weapon
on HerseIf-Dead Man Was to Have
Been Married TO Another Woman.

Oil City, Pa. Especially .-Thaddeus
Stevens Ross, OF this city, was shot
three times and instantly killed here
Wednesday by Miss Belle Stroup.
The young woman then shot herself
through the heart. The tragedy oc-
Cured in the Office of DR.. George w.
Magee while the physician was at
lunch. Both victims were members
of prominent families Ross was to
have been married Wednesday night
at 8 O'Clock to Miss Drusilla Samp-
sell OF this city. There were no
witnesses to the shooting. The MUIR
derer and suicide was former
sweetheart of the dead man.
Ross was dining at home with
his family, discussing the coming
marriage ceremony, when the tele.
phone rang His father answered
the call, and a woman's voice made
inquiry for "Thad." Mr. Ross call
ed his son, and the young man, af.
ter answering, picked up his hat and
informed the family he had TO &C
to the doctors Office for q few min
utes, but would return as soon as he
could. This was the last time his
parents saw him alive.
Body Blocked Office Door.
Miss Stroup arrived at noon from
Bradford, where she had been EN-
ployed in a hospital, and went di
rectly to the Office of DR.. Magee
Finding no one in the Office she
called Ross on the telephone and
asked him to come to the Office ano
see her. What took place there nc
one will ever know. 1t could not be
ascertained from persons who were
in the building at the time that any
loud talking took place between
them, or that they had quarreled.
When DR.. Magee returned from
lunch and opened the door he found
the dead bodies. In a chair In
corner of the Office sat Ross, his head
lying back on the chair and blood
streaming from n 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 feet away, face downward, where
her body partly blocked the Office
door Blood was flowing from a
wound in her left side.
Ross had seated himself in a large
chair, and apparently, while talking
to the girl. had placed both hands
in his trousers pockets. The girl
wore long black kid gloves, but be-
fore doing the shooting had slipped
both her hands from the gloves, and
they hung loose from her bloody
wrists.
Fell At Mans Feet.
1t is thought she walked over to
the chair in which Ross was seated,
and, shieldings the 32-calibor revol-
yer with her dress, fred the first
shot at his heart, Apparently he
never moved, as the position of the
body was natural when found. Wish
ing to make sure of her work, the
girl fired two more shots, one taking
effect in the neck and the other en-
tering the brain. Standing over her
victim, she then shot her,elf through
the heart. The revolver dropped
from her hands and was found near
her body.
Miss Stroup was born in this coun-
ty 2S years ago Both her parents
are dead, and she is survived by one
sister and two brotners, who live at
Coal Hill. Ross was a son of Mr.
and Mrs. ]. d. Ross and was 80 years
old. He was employed in the post
office here. He was veteran of
the Spanish-Americnn War and serv-
ed in the Philippines with the regu-
lar Army at its close. Miss Sampsell
the bride-elect is prostrated tonight