The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-04-27

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY
Girl Kills Former Sweetheart
and Herself.
lURED TO DOCTORS OFFICE
Miss Stroup Fired Three Bullets Into
Thaddeus Ross Few Hours Before
the Time Set For His Marriage to
Anothar Girl


the Time Set For His Marriage &c
Another Girl.
OIL City, Pa, April 25.-Thaddeus 5
Ross. 30 years old. clerk in the post
Office here. was shot and killed by
Miss Isabelle Stroup. rs years old, a
former sweetheart, who Immediately
shot herself through the heart. Botn
victims of the tragedy were OF promi
nent families in this part OF the state
The shooting occurred in the office oil
DR.. George w. Magee. where Miss
Stroup had called Ross by telephone
while he was dining at his home. DR.
Magee was absent from his office al
the time the shooting occurred and
knew nothing Of. the tragedy until ne
returned and the two bodies partly
prevented the Office door being
opened.
Ross was to have been married TO
Miss Drusilla Sampson, of this place.
Miss Sampson is Frustrated.
What took place between them no
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 a quarrel. When DR.
Magce returned from lunch and opened
the door he found the dead bodies.
In a chair in a corner OF the office
sat Ross. mis- head lying back on the
chair and blood streaming from Dul
let wound in his neck. His forehead
was burned with powder where oul
let entered the brain. Another ball had
pierced his heart. Miss Stroup was
living a few feet away face downward
where her body partly blocked the OF
fee door Blood was flowing from
wound in her left side. Ross had seat
ed himself in a large chair and appar
emily while talking to the girl had
placed both hands in his trousers peck
cts. The girl wore long black KID
gloves but before doing the shooting
had slipped both her hands from the
gloves. and they hung loose from heI
bloody wrists. II is thought that she
walked over to the chair in which Ross
was seated. and shielding the 32-cail
bre revolver with her dress. fired the
first shot at his heart. Apparently nc
never moved. as the position or ::
body was natural when found. Wish
ing 10 make sure OF her work, the Cir
fred two more shots. one taking eHec'
in the neck and the other entering the
brain. Standing over her victim. che
then shot herself through the heart
The revolver dropped from her hands
and was found near her body.
Miss Stroup was born In this county
% years ago. Bottle her parents are
dead. and shelh survived by one sister
and two brothers, who live at Goa
Hill. Ross was a son OF Mr.. and Mrs
J. d. Ross and was 35 years old. lie
was a veteran of the Spsnish-Ameri
can War and served in the Philippines
with the regular army at its close
Miss Sampsell, the bride-elect, Is pros
trated.
Miss Stroup lived at Bradford, Pa
On Tuesday she received a letter from
Ross. announcing his coming marriage
with another young woman. She ha'
been i'll for a week, but she arose from
her bed of sickness, and despite thu
advice OF her friends came to this city
II Is claimed that Ross had promised
to marry her. the wedding day belni
set for some time in July next